Structure
ぜんぜん + Phrase
ぜんぜん + (Negative) Phrase
Details
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Standard
使用域
一般
About ぜんぜん
In Japanese, there are several adverbs that are traditionally used exclusively with negative expressions (containing ない). 全然 is one of them. When used at the beginning of a ない (or ません) containing phrase, 全然(ぜんぜん) has the meaning of 'completely not (A)', or 'not (A) at all'.
ぜんぜん is more flexible (and friendly sounding) in casual conversation than 全く, a similar expression which has a formal (often negative) nuance.
- やばい、トイレットペーパーが全然ない。Oh shoot, I don't have any toilet paper at all.
- 彼女は家事の手伝いを全然しなかったので別れました。I broke up with her because she didn't help out at all with house chores.
ぜんぜん is more flexible (and friendly sounding) in casual conversation than 全く, a similar expression which has a formal (often negative) nuance.
- 今月もお金が全然無いからパンだけを食べる。I don't have any money this month either, so I am only eating bread.
- 昨日後輩からもらったお土産は全く美味しくありませんでしたね。The souvenir we got from our junior member yesterday was not tasty at all, don't you think?
Caution
Despite originally being used only with negative expressions, it is becoming more and more common for ぜんぜん to appear with positive expressions as well. In these cases, it just has the meaning of 'totally (A)', or 'completely (A)'.- 明日?全然いいよ!Tomorrow? That's completely fine!
Synonyms
Examples
私は全然英語を話せないです。
I can't speak English at all.
あなたは全然理解が出来ていないね。
You don't understand at all do you?
今、機嫌が悪くて、全然嬉しくならない。
I'm in a bad mood right now and there's no way at all I'll become happy.
今の髪型は全然好きじゃないから、明日切りに行く。
I don't like my current hair style at all, so I'll go get my hair cut tomorrow.
事故にあったけど、私は全然大丈夫。
I was in an accident, but I am completely fine.
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Additional Example Sentences and Breakdown
Japanese Test 4 You
全然 with positive adjective / na-adjective
Japanese StackExchange
Properties of Adverbs
Tae Kim
Offline
みんなの日本語 I
Page 62 [CH 9]
Genki I 2nd Edition
Page 93
Tae Kim's Japanese Grammar Guide
Page 78
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