At a glance
～恐れがある means "there is a risk that " or " may happen." It is used only for undesirable outcomes, mostly in formal speech and writing such as news, weather warnings and official notices.
Verb (dictionary form) + 恐れがある
Verb (ない form) + 恐れがある
Noun + の + 恐れがある
大雨で川があふれる恐れがあります。 There is a risk that the river will overflow because of the heavy rain.
How to form it
| Attaches to | Form | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verb (dictionary form) | 起こる + 恐れがある | 地震が起こる恐れがある | There is a risk of an earthquake |
| Verb (ない form) | 終わらない + 恐れがある | 工事が終わらない恐れがある | There is a risk the work won't finish |
| Noun | 台風 + の + 恐れがある | 台風の恐れがある | There is a risk of a typhoon |
For する-verbs, both forms are common: 再発する恐れがある and 再発の恐れがある.
Register: 恐れがあります is the polite form used in announcements. 恐れがある is the plain form, used mainly in writing.