JLPT N5Everyday

あまり～ないnot very; not much; not often

あまり with a negative ending means "not very", "not much" or "not often". It is also the gentle way to say you don't like something.

この部屋へやはあまり広ひろくない。

This room isn't very spacious.

この店みせにはあまり行いきません。

I don't go to this shop very often.

How to form it

あまり + negative verb or adjective

あまり行いかない, あまり高たかくない, あまり好すきじゃない, or the polite 行いきません, 高たかくないです. In conversation it is often あんまり.

	Is, does	Isn't, doesn't
very	とても高たかい	あまり高たかくない
often	よく行いく	あまり行いかない
a lot	たくさん食たべる	あまり食たべない

English adds "not" and keeps its word: not very, not often, not much. Japanese swaps all three for あまり.

Not very

その映えい画がはあまり面おも白しろくなかった。

That movie wasn't very interesting.

あの店みせはまだあまり有ゆう名めいじゃない。

That shop isn't very well known yet.

Not said: この部屋へやはとても広ひろくない。

(This room isn't very spacious.)

とても isn't used for "not very".

Not often, not much

With a verb, あまり covers both. The verb and the situation tell you which one is meant.

私わたしはコーヒーをあまり飲のまない。

I don't drink much coffee.

最さい近きん、あまりテレビを見みません。

I don't watch much TV these days.

日本にほん語ごはまだあまり分わかりません。

I don't understand much Japanese yet.

今日きょうはあまり時じ間かんがありません。

I don't have much time today.

With ありません or ない it is "don't have much": あまりお金かねがない.

あまり, 全ぜん然ぜん or そんなに?

今日きょうはあまり寒さむくない。

It isn't very cold today.

A little cold, at most.

今日きょうは全ぜん然ぜん寒さむくない。

It isn't cold at all today.

Not cold in the slightest.

今日きょうはそんなに寒さむくない。

It isn't that cold today.

Less cold than you expected, or than someone said.

A gentle no

Asked about something you dislike, あまり好すきじゃない is the usual answer. It means you don't like it, said kindly. 嫌きらい is much blunter.

辛からい物ものはあまり好すきじゃないです。

I don't really like spicy food.

A

昨日きのうの映えい画が、どうだった？

How was the movie yesterday?

B

うーん、あんまり……。

Hmm, not great…

B stops there, and the negative is understood.

Close neighbours

あまりの～にN2

After a feeling and の (緊きん張ちょうのあまり), or as あまりの before a noun, あまり goes the other way: so much of something that it causes a result. A negative can follow, as that result.

あまりの暑あつさに、頭あたまが痛いたくなった。

It was so hot that I got a headache.

Check yourself

1"This cake isn't very sweet."

このケーキは（　　）甘あまくないです。

Choose an answer to see why.

2"I don't drink alcohol at all."

お酒さけは（　　）飲のみません。

Choose an answer to see why.

3A friend says this. What do they most likely mean?

納なっ豆とうはあまり好すきじゃない。

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

Where あまり goes

It can sit right before the verb or adjective, or earlier in the sentence. The meaning is the same.

魚さかなをあまり食たべません。

I don't eat much fish.

Right before the verb.

あまり魚さかなを食たべません。

I don't eat much fish.

Earlier.

More sentences

このかばんはあまり重おもくありません。

This bag isn't very heavy.

昨日きのうはあまり忙いそがしくなかったです。

I wasn't very busy yesterday.

駅えきの前まえはあまり静しずかではありません。

The area in front of the station isn't very quiet.

先せん週しゅうはあまりよく眠ねむれませんでした。

I couldn't sleep very well last week.

よく here is "well", so this is "not very well".