部
Components

Grammar detail: 全然〜ない (ぜんぜん〜ない)

全然〜ない (ぜんぜん〜ない)
Not at all; Never
200 words
My current mastery of this grammar point:
LOG IN to view grammar mastery data
ぜんぜん
全然
+
verb negative
adjective negative
negative clause
means
Not ~ at all; Never ~
全然 is often used before a verb in the negative form, negative adjectives or before a negative clause to add emphasis to a negative statement. It serves the same function as 'not at all' or 'never'.
かれ
彼
は
ぜんぜん
全然
テレビを
み
見
ない
。
He doesn't watch television at all.
この
ほん
本
は
ぜんぜん
全然
おもしろくない。
This book isn't interesting at all.
さいきん
最近
かのじょ
彼女
に
ぜんぜん
全然
あ
会
ってない
。
I have seen nothing of her lately.
#####Common and Handy-to-Know 全然 Expressions
Whether to use わ at the end of the first expression is based on speaker preference. Ending this particular expression with わ is likely to convey a feminine tone.
ぜんぜん
全然
かまいませんわ。
It's no trouble at all.
「いいえ、
ぜんぜん
全然
」
Not at all!
This next example demonstrates how 「いいえ、全然」can be used as a response.
「
なが
長
い
1日だったのでお
つか
疲
れ
でしょう」「いいえ、
ぜんぜん
全然
」
"You must be tired after a long day." "No, not in the least."
#####Common 'non-negative form' Uses
全然
ちが
違
う is often used to emphasize difference, or point out that something is incorrect.
「
めん
麺
が
ぜんぜん
全然
ちが
違
う
!!」と
だい
大
こうひょう
好評
fragment, headline etc.
People everywhere are saying, “The noodles are completely different!”
この
しごと
仕事
はデスクワークとは
ぜんぜん
全然
ちが
違
います
。
It's nothing like desk work.
全然ダメ is used to emphasize incompetence, poor quality, or that something didn't work out.
わたし
私
は
りょうり
料理
が
ぜんぜん
全然
だめだ。
I'm really bad at cooking.
この
えいが
映画
は
ぜんぜん
全然
だめだね。
This movie is terrible.
けいかく
計画
は
あめ
雨
でぜんぜんだめになった。
The plan was altogether spoiled by the rain.
The expression 「全然いい」 may be encountered from time to time to mean that something is "totally fine", or "completely okay". It's function is similar to 「いいえ、全然」. 「全然いい」 is considered by many people to be a grammatically incorrect phrase, so it is best to consider context if using it.
Please LOG IN for free flashcards

Kanji used in this grammar

全
ゼン   まったく entirely   すべて everything   
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
然
ゼン   ネン    resemble   
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
違
イ   different   ちがう to be different   ちがえる to change, alter, vary   
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
彼
ヒ   かれ he   
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
見
ケン   みる to see   みえる to be seen; to appear   みせる to show   
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
本
ホン   book   もと origin   
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
最
サイ   もっとも most   
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
近
キン   ちかい close   
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
女
ジョ   ニョ   ニョウ   woman; female   おんな woman   め woman   
会
カイ   エ   あう to meet   
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
長
チョウ   ながい long   
日
ニチ   ジツ   sun; day   ひ    -か    
疲
ヒ   fatigue   つかれる to be tired   
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
麺
メン    noodles   
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
大
ダイ   タイ   おおきい big   おおいに very much   おお-    
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
好
コウ   このむ    すく to like   
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
評
ヒョウ    criticism   
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
仕
シ   ジ   つかえる to attend to   
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
事
ジ   ズ   こと thing; matter   
私
シ   わたくし    わたし I, myself   
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
料
リョウ    fee   
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
理
リ    logic   
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
映
エイ   はえる to shine   うつる to be reflected   うつす to reflect, project   
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
画
ガ   カク   draw
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
計
ケイ   はからう to arrange   はかる to measure, compute   
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
雨
ウ   あめ    あま- rain   
Please LOG IN to view this kanji's mnemonic
Problem with this grammar? Question or comment? Please CONTACT US.
Kanshudo is your AI Japanese tutor, and your constant companion on the road to mastery of the Japanese language. To get started learning Japanese, just follow the study recommendations on your Dashboard. You can use Quick search (accessible using the icon at the top of every page) to look up any Japanese word, kanji or grammar point, as well as to find anything on Kanshudo quickly. For an overview, take the tour.
×