〜かねない

About

〜かねない (the negative casual form of 「かねる」 "to be impossible; to be difficult") can attach to a verb's stem form to indicate that it "may happen" or that "X is possible".

〜かねない is used in negative contexts, and indicates that the possibility of X is undesirable or unwanted.

〜かねない is stiff/formal in tone.

E.g. これだけ晴はれの日ひが続つづくと、水不足みずぶそくになりかねません。 "If (we) continue to have sunny days like this, there may be a shortage of water.

E.g. あの人ひとだったら、そんな変へんなことも言いいかねないと思おもいます。 "I think that person may very well say something that strange."

E.g. 手袋てぶくろをしないと、凍傷とうしょうになりかねませんよ。 "If you do not wear gloves, you may get frostbite."

Summary

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  〜かねない attaches to verb stems and means that "X may happen; X is possible"

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  〜かねない is used in negative contexts

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  〜かねない is stiff/formal in tone