STRUCTURE
動詞辞書形／い形＋ものか・もんか
文末。強い反語の否定。「絶対〜ない」という気持ち
HOW TO USE IT
- ものか／もんか follows a verb in dictionary form or an い-adjective, at the end of the sentence: 行くものか, 負けるものか.
- It is rhetorical: the sentence is affirmative in form but means a strong denial, "as if ~", "never ~".
- もんか is the spoken form, more casual than ものか. The polite form is ものですか.
- It differs from もの／んだもの (N3): that pattern gives a reason as an excuse, not a denial.
WATCH OUT
×あんな人に二度と会わないものか。
○あんな人に二度と会うものか。
ものか already carries the negative meaning, so the verb before it stays affirmative.
×「どうして食べないの？」「だって、おいしくないものか。」
○「どうして食べないの？」「だって、おいしくないんだもの。」
To give a reason as an excuse, use んだもの. ものか is a strong denial and gives no reason.
Examples
あんな失礼な店に、二度と行くものか。
あんなしつれいなみせに、にどといくものか。
As if I'd ever set foot in such a rude shop again.
こんなまずいラーメン、もう二度と食べるものか。
こんなまずいラーメン、もうにどとたべるものか。
Ramen this bad? As if I'd ever eat it again.
あの人の言うことなんか、信じるもんか。
あのひとのいうことなんか、しんじるもんか。
As if I'd believe anything that person says.
Often confused with
How each pair differs, with the exam trap in context, is in the Toey lesson.
Practise ものか with drills and review
Start free with N5. N2 drills, audio and review are in JLPT Pro.
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