GRAMMAR
〜でなくてなんだろう
if this isn't ~, what is?
Explanation
NOTE
〜でなくてなんだろう means if this isn't..., what is? — a strong, emotional way to assert that something truly is the case.
これが奇跡でなくてなんだろう。
If this isn't a miracle, what is?
NOTE
It is formal and literary. The rhetorical question expresses deep emotion or conviction, not a real doubt.
家族の愛が幸せでなくてなんだろう。
If a family's love isn't happiness, what is?
The speaker is fully convinced; the question form only adds emotional weight.
NOTE
Attach でなくてなんだろう directly to a noun. The noun names what you are strongly asserting.
STRUCTURE
N辞
でなくてなんだろう彼の努力が才能でなくてなんだろう。
Kare no doryoku ga sainou de nakute nan darou.
If his effort isn't talent, what is?
この出会いが運命でなくてなんだろう。
Kono deai ga unmei de nakute nan darou.
If this encounter isn't destiny, what is?
毎日笑えることが幸福でなくてなんだろう。
Mainichi waraeru koto ga koufuku de nakute nan darou.
If being able to laugh every day isn't happiness, what is?
こんなに愛し合っている二人が運命でなくてなんだろう。
Konna ni aishiatte iru futari ga unmei de nakute nan darou.
If these two people who love each other so much aren't destiny, then what is?
あの素晴らしい景色は奇跡でなくてなんだろう。
Ano subarashii keshiki wa kiseki de nakute nan darou.
If that wonderful scenery isn't a miracle, then what is?
毎日頑張り続けているこの努力は才能でなくてなんだろう。
Mainichi ganbari tsuzukete iru kono doryoku wa sainou de nakute nan darou.
If this hard work that you continue every day isn't talent, then what is?
Practice exercises
1
これが奇跡でなくてなんだろう。
If this isn't a miracle, what is?
Answer
でなくてなんだろう
2
この出会いが運命でなくてなんだろう。
If this encounter isn't destiny, what is?
Answer
でなくてなんだろう
3
家族の愛が宝物でなくてなんだろう。
If a family's love isn't a treasure, what is?
Answer
でなくてなんだろう
4
この熱意が情熱でなくてなんだろう。
If this fervor isn't passion, what is?
Answer
でなくてなんだろう
5
如何なる逆境にも負けない精神は信念でなくてなんだろう。
If the spirit that doesn't yield to any kind of adversity isn't conviction, then what is it?
Answer
でなくてなんだろう
6
あの感動が奇跡でなくてなんだろう。
If that deep emotion isn't a miracle, what is?
Answer
でなくてなんだろう
7
彼の生涯を賭した研究は偉業でなくてなんだろう。
If his lifelong dedication to research isn't a great achievement, then what is it?
Answer
でなくてなんだろう
8
言葉では表現できないこの感情は崇高な愛でなくてなんだろう。
If this feeling, which cannot be expressed in words, isn't sublime love, then what is it?
Answer
でなくてなんだろう