「気にはなれない」- Pronunciation and Parts


I recently came across the term,「気にはなれない」, which seems to align with the
phrase "cannot bring oneself to..." in English per the [following examples
from
jisho.org](https://jisho.org/search/%E6%B0%97%E3%81%AB%E3%81%AF%E3%81%AA%E3%82%8C%E3%81%AA%E3%81%84%20%23sentences):

> 私は彼の話を信じる気にはなれない。 I can't bring myself to trust his story.

> とてもそんな男を助けてやる気にはなれない。 I cannot bring myself to help such a man.

I know that 「気になる」is a term, but I can't tell if 「気にはなれない」should be read

  * 気 には（にわ）なれない or...
  * 気 に はなれない, as if it's the verb 離{はな}れる or 放{はな}れる




Your first guess is correct. The 「は」here is the good ol' topic marking
particle. The basic form of the phrase is 「気になる」, which can mean, among other
things:

> to feel like (doing); to feel inclined to; to bring oneself to (do) _​usu.
> after a verb_ (WWWJDIC/jisho)
>
> どうして君はそれを信じる気になったのか。 What led you to believe it?

「気になれない」is the negation of the potential form and a phrase in its own right,
meaning, as you say, "can't bring oneself to do something", "don't feel like
doing something (and can't make myself)".

「は」elevates a phrase/文節 that needs attention.

> 私は彼の話を信じる気にはなれない。

To me, this says "I can't really trust his words. I just can't." A comeback
from the other party can be: "「私は」ってね". "That's you." or
「せめて彼の話を聞いてあげてほしい」"You should at least listen to what he has to say."




Your first guess is correct. The 「は」here is the good ol' topic marking
particle. The basic form of the phrase is 「気になる」, which can mean, among other
things:

> to feel like (doing); to feel inclined to; to bring oneself to (do) _​usu.
> after a verb_ (WWWJDIC/jisho)
>
> どうして君はそれを信じる気になったのか。 What led you to believe it?

「気になれない」is the negation of the potential form and a phrase in its own right,
meaning, as you say, "can't bring oneself to do something", "don't feel like
doing something (and can't make myself)".

「は」elevates a phrase/文節 that needs attention.

> 私は彼の話を信じる気にはなれない。

To me, this says "I can't really trust his words. I just can't." A comeback
from the other party can be: "「私は」ってね". "That's you." or
「せめて彼の話を聞いてあげてほしい」"You should at least listen to what he has to say."

