Posted inN3 Grammar

Mastering あまり: How to Use This Versatile JLPT N3 Grammar Point

Posted inN3 Grammar
Japanese Grammar Template
Meaning & Usage

✨ Basic Meaning

あまり (amari) primarily means “not very” or “not much” when used with negative forms. It can also mean “too much” or “excessively” in certain contexts, especially with positive forms or the pattern あまりの…に.

🎯 Primary Function

It functions as an adverb to modify the degree of verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. It often attenuates the following negative expression or emphasizes an excessive state.

📋 Grammar Structure

あまり + [Negative form of Verb (verbない), い-adjective (adjectiveくない), な-adjective (adjectiveじゃない)] あまりの + [Noun] + に

🎭 Usage Contexts

🏢 Formal Situations

Used in formal contexts to express a moderate degree of negation or sometimes excess.

😊 Informal Situations

Very common in informal speech.

✍️ Written Language

Frequent in written Japanese.

🗣️ Spoken Language

Extremely common in everyday conversation.

💡 Common Applications

あまり + Negative Form (Verb, い-adjective, な-adjective)
This is the most common usage, meaning “not very” or “not much”.
Example: 彼の話はあまり面白くなかった。(Kare no hanashi wa amari omoshiroku nakatta.) – His story wasn’t very interesting.
あまりの + Noun + に
This pattern expresses “because of excessive…” or “so…that…”. It indicates a strong degree of something leading to a result.
Example: あまりの寒さに、外に出たくなかった。(Amari no samusa ni, soto ni detaku nakatta.) – Due to the extreme cold, I didn’t want to go outside.
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📊
Frequency
Very high. It’s an essential word for expressing moderate negation.
🎚️
Difficulty
N3
Example Sentences
昨夜はあまり眠れませんでした。
I couldn’t sleep very much last night.
この映画はあまり有名じゃないけど、私は好きです。
This movie isn’t very famous, but I like it.
最近、あまり運動していません。
Lately, I haven’t been exercising much.
Notes & Nuances

📌 Important Points

Most common usage is with negation.
あまり + negative verb/adjective is fundamental for expressing “not very/much”.
Example: この料理はあまり美味しくない。(Kono ryouri wa amari oishiku nai.) – This dish isn’t very delicious.
Can indicate excess with positive forms or あまりの…に.
While less frequent for the basic adverb + positive verb, あまりの + Noun + に is a common pattern for “because of excessive…”.
Example: あまりの暑さで、気分が悪くなった。(Amari no atsusa de, kibun ga waruku natta.) – I felt sick because of the extreme heat.

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ Using あまり with a positive verb/adjective to mean “not very/much”.
✅ あまり should usually be paired with the negative form for this meaning.
あまり行きます (amari ikimasu) is incorrect for “don’t go much”. It should be あまり行きません (amari ikimasen).
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🏛️ Cultural Context

Politeness Level: Neutral. Using “not very” can sometimes soften a direct negative statement, making it slightly less blunt.
Social Situations: Used widely in most social contexts.
Regional Variations: Standard usage across Japan.

🔍 Subtle Differences

あまり vs. ぜんぜん
あまり = “not very/much” (partial negation); ぜんぜん = “not at all” (complete negation).
When to use: Use あまり when something exists but only in a small degree. Use ぜんぜん when something does not exist or is completely lacking.
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📝 Conjugation Notes

あまり is an adverb, so it doesn’t conjugate itself. Pay attention to the conjugation of the following verb or adjective (usually in the negative form).

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

Pronounced “a-ma-ri”, relatively flat intonation, slight stress on the second syllable perhaps but not a strong accent.

🧠 Memory Tips

Associate あまり with the word “amount” (アマウント) – it relates to the amount or degree of something (or lack thereof). Or think of “Amarillo” which isn’t a very exciting color (amari-iroじゃない).

Practice Exercises
彼は________パーティーに来ませんでした。(He ______ come to the party.) Choose the most appropriate word meaning “not very much”.
ぜんぜん
あまり
いつも
たぶん
日本語の勉強は________難しくないです。(Studying Japanese isn’t ______ difficult.)
全然
あまり
とても
よく
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