Explanation

ぜんぜん (zenzen) is an adverb that means 'not at all' or 'completely'. It is used to express the idea of negation or emphasizing that something does not happen or is not true.

Personalized Lesson For You!

Key Formation

• ぜんぜん + Negative Verb

  ぜんぜん食べません (Do not eat at all)

• ぜんぜん + Negative Adjective

  ぜんぜん難しくありません (Not difficult at all)

• ぜんぜん + Positive Verb

  ぜんぜんわからない (Do not understand at all)

Example Sentences

• 彼はぜんぜん食べません。

  He doesn't eat at all.

  かれはぜんぜんたべません。

  Kare wa zenzen tabemasen.

  Pronunciation

• このテストはぜんぜん難しくありません。

  This test is not difficult at all.

  このてすとはぜんぜんむずかしくありません。

  Kono tesuto wa zenzen muzukashiku arimasen.

  Pronunciation

• 彼女はぜんぜん遅刻しない。

  She never arrives late.

  かのじょはぜんぜんちこくしない。

  Kanojo wa zenzen chikoku shinai.

  Pronunciation

• 私はぜんぜん日本語が話せません。

  I can't speak Japanese at all.

  わたしはぜんぜんにほんごがはなせません。

  Watashi wa zenzen nihongo ga hanasemasen.

  Pronunciation

• 彼はぜんぜん上手じゃない。

  He is not good at all.

  かれはぜんぜんじょうずじゃない。

  Kare wa zenzen jouzu ja nai.

  Pronunciation

Usage Notes

Notes and Tips for JLPT students

Related Grammar, and what's the difference?

• 全く (mattaku) - (N4)
  - Both ぜんぜん (zenzen) and 全く (mattaku) mean 'not at all' or 'completely'. However, 全く (mattaku) is more formal and can also mean 'entirely' or 'thoroughly'.
• まったくも (mattaku mo) - (N4)
  - Both ぜんぜん (zenzen) and まったくも (mattaku mo) mean 'not at all' or 'completely'. However, まったくも (mattaku mo) is more emphatic and stronger in negation.
• 全然 (zenzen) - (N5)
  - ぜんぜん (zenzen) and 全然 (zenzen) have the same meaning and usage. The only difference is their formality level, with 全然 (zenzen) being more informal.

Useful Vocabulary that appeared in this page

• * 彼 (かれ)he/himPronunciation
• * 食べる (たべる)to eatPronunciation
• * テスト (てすと)testPronunciation
• * 難しい (むずかしい)difficultPronunciation
• * 遅刻 (ちこく)latenessPronunciation
• * 私 (わたし)I/mePronunciation
• * 日本語 (にほんご)Japanese languagePronunciation
• * 話す (はなす)to speakPronunciation
• * 上手 (じょうず)skillful/good atPronunciation
• * じゃ (じゃ)is not (casual)Pronunciation
• * ない (ない)notPronunciation

Quiz

What does ぜんぜん (zenzen) mean?

• Not at all
• Sometimes
• Very much