No way you can catch with 〜っこない
Grammar Explanation: A strong denial with 〜っこない
Asuka Jr. is feeling down after Saint Tail committed a theft without giving him advance notice. When Meimi tries to console him, he tells her she doesn’t understand Saint Tail.
- 芽美 (thinking):
- 「わかるもん…… セイント・テールはあたしだもん！！」
- “I do understand... Because I'm Saint Tail!!”
- Literal: “I understand... because Saint Tail is me!!”
- “I do understand... Because I'm Saint Tail!!”
- 芽美:
- 「あんたなんか一生かかったってセイント・テールをつかまえられっこないっ」
- “Someone like you can take a lifetime and there's no way you can catch Saint Tail!”
- Literal: “Even if someone like you spent your whole life, there is no way you could catch Saint Tail!”
- “Someone like you can take a lifetime and there's no way you can catch Saint Tail!”
Key Points
1つかまえられっこない is a strong impossibility
- つかまえられる is the potential form, meaning can catch.
- Adding 〜っこない makes it “there is no way you can catch”, stronger than a plain negative.
2一生かかったって raises the stakes
- 〜たって means even if in casual speech.
- Meimi says that even if Asuka Jr. spent his whole life on it, catching Saint Tail would still be impossible.
3あんたなんか is dismissive
- あんた is a rough casual you, and なんか belittles the person it marks.
See Also
- External: Marking the direct object with を
怪盗セイント・テール © its respective creators. It is used here for educational commentary.