語感 Dictionary

Noun でなくてなんだろう

〜de nakute nandarou

JLPT N1 Very formal, literary Chapter 137: It's not as if, it won't do, 4 of 5

Formation

Noun + でなくてなんだろう

A strong rhetorical question: 'If not X, then what is it?'

When to use

でなくてなんだろう: if this isn't X, what is?

Explanation

「Noun + でなくてなんだろう」expresses the speaker’s strong conviction that something must be that noun - no other possibility. Literally, 'If it isn't Noun, then what is it?'

Example sentences

  • これが真実しんじつでなくてなんだろう。

    If this isn’t the truth, then what is?

    Kore ga shinjitsu de nakute nandarou.

  • 彼かれがリーダーでなくてなんだろう。

    If he isn’t the leader, then who is?

    Kare ga riidaa de nakute nandarou.

  • これが愛めでなくてなんだろう。

    If this isn’t love, then what is?

    Kore ga ai de nakute nandarou.

  • これが最高さいこうのレストランでなくてなんだろう。

    If this isn’t the best restaurant, then what is?

    Kore ga saikou no resutoran de nakute nandarou.

Rhetorical Assertion (Isn't It / What Else)

Compare when to use each