Japanese from zero · N4 Lesson 24
Not easily, at last
あまり〜ない ・ 全然〜ない ・ なかなか〜ない ・ やっと ・ 急に ・ そんなに
In this lesson, you will learn to say that something is not very much or not at all so (あまり〜ない, 全然〜ない), that something just won't happen however long you wait (なかなか〜ない), that it has happened at last (やっと) or all of a sudden (急に), and that it is not that much (そんなに). You will go to see the late cherry blossoms with Lisa and her friends on the day she has good news.
By the end you will be able to say
桜が 全然 咲いて いません。The cherry blossoms aren't open at all.
今年は なかなか 咲きませんね。They're slow to bloom this year, aren't they?
やっと 試験に 合格しました。I finally passed the exam.
急に 風が 冷たく なりました。Suddenly the wind turned cold.
そんなに 難しくなかったです。It wasn't that hard.
The grammar in this lesson
- Not very, not at all: あまり〜ない ／ 全然〜ない — あまり + a negative is 'not very' or 'not much'; 全然 + a negative is 'not at all'.
- Just won't: なかなか〜ない — なかなか + a negative says something just won't happen, or is taking a long time.
- At last: やっと — やっと says something you waited or worked for has finally happened, with relief.
- Suddenly: 急に — 急に before a verb says something happened suddenly, without warning.
- That much: そんなに — そんなに means 'that much'; with a negative it softens: 'not that…'.