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〜まい

will not (resolve); probably not

Verb dictionary form + まい (する → するまい / すまい)

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まい is an old negative volitional, and it has two uses.

Resolve: the speaker's determination not to do something: 二度とあの店には行くまい, "I'll never go to that shop again". It's often followed by と決めた or と思う.

Negative guess: "probably not", like ないだろう: こんなにいい天気なら、雨は降るまい, "with weather this good, it probably won't rain".

It follows the dictionary form of most verbs. With する and 来る, several forms exist (するまい, すまい, 来るまい, こまい).

It's formal and literary. In conversation, ないつもりだ and ないだろう are far more common, but まい appears in novels, speeches and set phrases.

Examples

  • 二度にどとあの店みせには行いくまい。

    I'll never go to that shop again.

  • もう彼かれには頼たのむまいと決きめた。

    I've decided I'll never ask him for anything again.

  • こんなにいい天気てんきなら、雨あめは降ふるまい。

    With weather this good, it probably won't rain.

  • 彼かれがそんなことを言いうまい。

    He surely wouldn't say such a thing.

  • 失敗しっぱいを繰くり返かえすまいと、毎日練習まいにちれんしゅうした。

    Determined not to repeat my mistake, I practised every day.

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