JLPT N4 Grammar
· Elementary
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· Elementary
not very; not much
Category: Degree & Limits
The grammar pattern ～あまり～ない (amari~nai) is used to express a low frequency or degree. It is the negative counterpart to 'very' and is often used with negative verbs or adjectives. For example, 'この料理はあまり辛くないです' means 'this dish is not very spicy.' The nuance of this pattern is to convey that something is not extremely or very much, but rather to a lesser extent. It is often used in everyday conversations to express a sense of moderation or restraint.
| Form | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Negative verb or adjective | ~あまり~ない | 辛い (spicy) -> あまり辛くない (not very spicy) |
| Negative verb or adjective with a suffix | ~あまり~ない + suffix | 食べる (to eat) -> あまり食べない (not very hungry) |
| Negative verb or adjective with a prefix | ~あまり~ない + prefix | 大きい (big) -> あまり大きくない (not very big) |
この料理はあまり辛くないです。
kono ryouri wa amari karai nai desu.
This dish is not very spicy.
この料理 (this dish), は (is), あまり (not very), 辛くない (not spicy), です (desu)
最近はあまり寝ていません。
saikin wa amari nematte imasen.
I haven't been sleeping much lately.
最近 (lately), は (is), あまり (not very), 寝ていません (haven't been sleeping)
父はあまりお酒を飲みません。
chichi wa amari o-ku no o nomimasen.
My father doesn't drink much alcohol.
父 (father), は (is), あまり (not very), お酒を飲みません (doesn't drink)
この本はあまり読まないです。
kono hon wa amari yomimasen.
I don't read this book very much.
この本 (this book), は (is), あまり (not very), 読まない (don't read)
The grammar pattern ～あまり～ない is used to express a low frequency or degree, and is often used with negative verbs or adjectives. It is a polite way to express a sense of moderation or restraint. In formal writing, it is often replaced with ～少し～ない. In informal conversations, it is often used with a more casual tone.
～あまり～ない is used to express a low frequency or degree, and using it with a positive verb would be contradictory.
～ぜんぜん and ～あまり～ない have different nuances and are not interchangeable.
～あまり～ない is used to express a low frequency or degree, whereas 'amari' is a noun that means 'leftovers' or 'residue'.
In the JLPT exam, be careful not to confuse ～あまり～ない with ～ぜんぜん or ～少し～ない. Also, make sure to use the correct verb or adjective form with ～あまり～ない.
この料理は______辛くないです。
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