N315/219

全く~ない

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

全く知らない人です。

He/she is a person I don’t know at all.

私は彼に全く興味がない。

I have no interest in him at all.

この本は全く役に立たない。

This book is totally useless.

雨が降っていて、全く外に出られなかった。

It was raining, so I couldn't go out at all.

彼は全く元気がない。

He is not at all feeling well.