KANAKUMA

JLPT N4 · Quantity and comparison

あまり〜ない

Not very, not often

Meaning

Combines あまり with a negative form to show low frequency or a small degree.

Formation

  1. あまり goes before the predicate and the predicate must be negative: あまり見ません
  2. Colloquial variant: あんまり

When to use it

Core use
Not very, not often

Examples

20 sentences

  • 私わたしはあまりテレビを見みません

    I do not watch much television.

  • この料理りょうりはあまり辛くからくないです

    This dish is not very spicy.

  • 夜よるはあまりコーヒーを飲みのみません

    I do not drink much coffee at night.

  • 雨あめなので公園こうえんにはあまり人ひとがいません

    There are not many people in the park because of the rain.

  • 今年ことしの冬ふゆはあまり寒くさむくありません

    It is not very cold this winter.

  • 弟おとうとは知らしらない人ひととあまり話しはなしません

    My younger brother does not talk much with strangers.

  • この店みせの服ふくはあまり高くたかくないです

    The clothes at this shop are not very expensive.

  • 朝あさはあまり時間じかんがありません

    I do not have much time in the morning.

12 more examples

  • その映画えいがはあまり怖くこわくなかったです

    That film was not very scary.

  • 猫ねこは新しいあたらしい餌えさをあまり食べたべませんでした

    The cat did not eat much of the new food.

  • 最近さいきんはテレビをあまり見みません

    I do not watch much television these days.

  • この店みせはあまり高くたかくないです

    This shop is not very expensive.

  • 昨日きのうはあまり眠れねむれませんでした

    I could not sleep much yesterday.

  • 辛いからい料理りょうりはあまり好きすきではありません

    I do not like spicy food very much.

  • 今日きょうは時間じかんがあまりありません

    I do not have much time today.

  • この道みちは車くるまがあまり通りとおりません

    Not many cars use this road.

  • 英語えいごはあまり得意とくいじゃないです

    I am not very good at English.

  • 朝あさはあまり食べたべません

    I do not eat much in the morning.

  • その人ひとのことはあまり知りしりません

    I do not know much about that person.

  • この映画えいがはあまり面白くおもしろくありませんでした

    This film was not very interesting.

Important notes

  • あまり with a negative means not very much or not very often.

Common mistakes

  • It does not normally mean not at all; use 全然 with a negative for that stronger reading.

Check yourself

Pick the translation of each sentence. The wrong options translate similar patterns, so watch the grammar rather than the words.

  1. その映画えいがはあまり怖くこわくなかったです
  2. 今日きょうは時間じかんがあまりありません
  3. この映画えいがはあまり面白くおもしろくありませんでした

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