What you are saying can't/couldn't be true.

hirashin

Sempai

Donor

8 Apr 2004

2,721

63

• 15 Oct 2018

• #1

Dear native English speakers,
Do both the sentences sound natural? If so, what's the difference?
(a) What you are saying can't be true.
(b) What you are saying couldn't be true.

Hirashin

 

mdchachi

Moderator

Moderator

Twenty-year veteran

6 Mar 2003

9,319

9,449

• 15 Oct 2018

• #2

Both sound natural (textbook English) and no difference in meaning to me.

 

Buntaro

運動不足

Twenty-year veteran

27 Dec 2003

2,855

2,105

• 16 Oct 2018

• #3

Hirashin,

Both sentences are correct. The meanings are different. The use of "couldn't" is subjunctive mood (仮定法). Are you familiar with the uses of subjunctive mood? For example, what is the difference between:

(c) If I go to Hawaii, how much will it cost?
(d) If I went to Hawaii, how much would it cost?

 

Last edited: 16 Oct 2018