Cool MateImpossible vs It's quite impossible
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Impossible
Top 1,000 (very common)A2
It's quite impossible
Top 5,000 (fairly common)
Most common: Impossible
| Impossible | It's quite impossible | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ɪmˈpɒsəbl/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ɪmˈpɑːsəbl/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //ɪts kwaɪt ɪmˈpɒsəbl//🇺🇸 //ɪts kwaɪt ɪmˈpɑsəbl// |
| Meaning | Not able to happen or be done. | It cannot be done at all. |
| Example | Climbing that mountain seems impossible without proper training. | He thinks it's quite impossible to finish the project on time. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 5,000 (fairly common) |
| CEFR level | A2 | - |
| Collocations | appear, be, look, absolutely, completely, downright, for, be, become, find somebody, really, absolutely, completely | it's quite impossible, quite impossible to, find it quite impossible |
| Antonyms | possible, feasible, achievable | - |
| Common mistakes | 'Impossible' is sometimes confused with 'unbelievable' but they are not the same., Learners might use 'impossible' to describe very challenging tasks instead of things that cannot be done at all., 'Impossible' is often incorrectly combined with less strong modifiers, like 'very impossible'. | Using 'it's very impossible' instead of 'it's quite impossible'., Saying 'it isn't possible' rather than using this phrase., Misplacing 'quite' to say 'impossible quite'. |
| Usage notes | Use 'impossible' to describe something that cannot be achieved. It’s suitable for both spoken and written English but may be too strong in polite contexts. | Use in both spoken and written communication to emphasize difficulty. May sound slightly dramatic; avoid in casual settings. |
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Frequently asked questions: Impossible vs It's quite impossible
What's the difference between Impossible and It's quite impossible?
Impossible: Not able to happen or be done. It's quite impossible: It cannot be done at all.
Which is more common: Impossible and It's quite impossible?
Impossible is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Impossible: Climbing that mountain seems impossible without proper training. It's quite impossible: He thinks it's quite impossible to finish the project on time.
Can I use Impossible and It's quite impossible interchangeably?
Not always. Impossible and It's quite impossible are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.