あまり〜ない not very, not much
Core meaning - not very, not much
Form - あまり + Verb (negative); あまり + い-Adjective (negative); あまり + な-Adjective + じゃない
Usage - Focus on the highlighted segment in each example; surrounding words can change while the pattern function stays the same.
Use this pattern for its grammatical function, not as a literal word-by-word translation.
See examples below for varied real-world usage.
Pattern scope
- Use this pattern as a grammar frame: あまり + Verb (negative); あまり + い-Adjective (negative); あまり + な-Adjective + じゃない.
Do not overextend meaning
- The highlighted form shows the grammar point; other words in the sentence can vary.
Check register and context
- Prefer natural context, and avoid translating word-by-word from English.
This movie is not very interesting.
I did not eat much.
In everyday context, This movie is not very interesting.
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