恐れがある details
write + there is a danger that
kaku osore ga aru
there is a danger that; is at risk of (something unwelcome)
meaning: be in danger of writing
大雨が続けば、川が氾濫するおそれがある。
ooame ga tsuzukeba, kawa ga hanransuru osore ga aru.
If the heavy rain keeps up, the river is in danger of flooding. neutral
この薬は、まれに強い副作用が出る恐れがあります。
kono kusuri wa, mare ni tsuyoi fukusayou ga deru osore ga arimasu.
In rare cases this medicine may produce severe side effects. formal
- dictionary form
- noun
- past
- polite
- negative
Examples
there is a danger that; is at risk of — an unwelcome outcome reported as a real possibility, typically in forecasts, warnings and official notices
大雨が続けば、川が氾濫するおそれがある。
ooame ga tsuzukeba, kawa ga hanransuruosoregaaru.
If the heavy rain keeps up, the river is in danger of flooding. neutral
この薬は、まれに強い副作用が出る恐れがあります。
kono kusuri wa, mare ni tsuyoi fukusayou ga deru osore ga arimasu.
In rare cases this medicine may produce severe side effects. formal
台風の接近により、明日の便は欠航の恐れがあります。
taifuu no sekkin ni yori, asu no bin wa kekkou no osore ga arimasu.
With the typhoon approaching, tomorrow's flight is at risk of cancellation. formal
Formation
{V}おそれがあるattaches to dictionary form{N}のおそれがあるattaches to noun
Notes
nothing. Only bad outcomes fit — no ×当たる恐れ for a win. Laws
and public notices spell the noun in kana: おそれがある.
Related patterns
Similar
かねない warns that someone's own act could produce the bad outcome and needs a ます-stem verb (事故を起こしかねない); 恐れがある reports the risk from outside, in forecasts and official notices, and takes a plain clause or a bare noun (津波の恐れがある) — the swap moves the sentence between a warning about a person and a forecast about a situation.
かもしれない is neutral about how welcome the outcome is and is at home in speech; 恐れがある is written-formal and names only unwelcome outcomes, which is why 明日晴れる恐れがある is wrong while 明日晴れるかもしれない is unremarkable.