JLPT N5 grammar

あまり〜ないmeaning and usage

Meaning

「あまり〜ない」 combines 「あまり」 with a negative form to mean that a quality is not very strong or an action does not happen much or often.

How to form it

  • あまりverb (nai-form)
  • あまりい-adjective (-く form)ない
  • あまりな-adjective (stem)じゃない

How it is used

Means “not very” or “not much”, and always takes a negative ending. It is milder than 「ぜんぜん〜ない」 (not at all), so it often softens a criticism. In casual speech it becomes 「あんまり」.

Examples

  1. このラーメンはあまりおいしくないね …。

    This ramen isn't very tasty, is it…

  2. 私はあまりテレビを見ません。

    I don't watch much TV.

  3. 今日はあまり寒くないね。

    It's not very cold today, is it?

About the example Here 「あまり〜ない」 makes 「おいしくない」 mean “not very tasty.” The final 「ね」 invites the listener to agree.