あまり Japanese Grammar Lesson
Grammar Type: Degree Adverb
Essential Meaning: (Not) very / (Not) very much
Construction:
- あまり + Negative Predicate
- E.g. あまり話さない [X doesn’t speak very much]
- E.g. あまり食べない [X doesn’t eat very much]
- E.g. あまり高くない [X is not very expensive]
- E.g. あまり元気じゃない [X is not very healthy]
Notes:
- あまり is an adverb that is typically paired with a negative verb to mean “Not very” or “Not very much“.
- E.g. あまり寒くない [Not very cold]
- Other adverbs that pair with negative predicates include ぜんぜん [Not at all]、めったに [Seldom]、けっして [By no means]、さっぱり [Not at all]、すこしも [Not a bit]、and ちっとも [Not a bit].
- あまり may also be paired with a positive predicate in certain situations to mean “too much“. This tends to convey a negative or disapproving tone, and is often used in imperative situations (i.e. “Don’t do X too much.”)
- E.g. マークはあまり酒を飲んだので病気になった。[Because Mark drank too much, he got sick.]
- E.g. それはあんまりです。[That’s too much. / You’re too cruel.]
- E.g. あんまり調子に乗るな! [Don’t ride the rhythm too much (i.e. don’t get too cocky)!]
- あんまり is a slightly more conversational equivalent to あまり. You may also hear it further shortened to あんま.
- E.g. あんまり寒くない [Not very cold]
- E.g. あんま寒くない [Not very cold]
Example Sentences:
この本はあまりよくない。[This book is not very good.]
鈴木さんはあんまり食べない。[Ms. Suzuki doesn’t eat much.]
スコットがあまり失礼なことを言うのでサリーは怒って買ってしまった。[Because Scott said things that were very rude, Sally got angry and went home.]
それはあんまりです。[That’s too much. / You’re too cruel.]
WILD Examples:
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