全く~ない
Meanings
- not at all
- not ... in the slightest
- completely not (emphatic negation)
About this pattern
Explanation
全く+ない is a strong, emphatic form used to say that something does not happen or is not true at all. It heightens the negation more than just ない or ~ません. It’s commonly used with verbs, i adjectives, or phrases where the speaker wants to express total absence or complete lack. This is more informal and expressive, suitable for everyday conversation and casual writing. Be careful not to use it with strong or taboo topics in formal situations; for formal emphasis consider milder forms like ぜんぜん~ない or 全然~ない in casual speech and まったく~ない in similar contexts.
Learn in context
Example sentences
He/she is a person I don’t know at all.
I have no interest in him at all.
This book is totally useless.
It was raining, so I couldn't go out at all.
He is not at all feeling well.
Keep studying
More N3 patterns
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View detailsIt would be nice if ...; It would be good if ...; Should ...; I hope ...
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View detailswhile; during; between; in the period of
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View details