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    全然うまくできてない (zenzen umaku dekitenai) - not done well at all

    Grammar & Usage

    fixed expression
    casual

    How it works

    This phrase combines the emphatic negative adverb 「全然 (zenzen)」 with the adjective 「うまく (umaku)」 (adverbial form of 「うまい (umai)」 meaning 'skillful/well') and the negative potential past progressive verb 「できてない (dekitenai)」 (contracted from 「できていない (dekite inai)」, meaning 'is not able to do'). The structure emphasizes a complete lack of success or skill in an action, often implying a state of being unfinished or poorly executed.

    Sample sentences

    このプレゼン、時間なくて全然うまくできてないんだ。

    This presentation, I didn't have enough time, so it's not done well at all.

    新しい料理に挑戦したんだけど、全然うまくできてないね。

    I tried a new dish, but it didn't turn out well at all.

    昨日練習したのに、今日の演奏は全然うまくできてない。

    Even though I practiced yesterday, today's performance is not good at all.

    Quick facts

    nuance:「全然 (zenzen)」 is almost always used with negative predicates in modern Japanese to mean 'not at all' or 'completely not'. While grammatically, it could theoretically precede a positive predicate meaning 'completely', this usage is archaic or very formal and rarely heard. The contraction 「できてない (dekitenai)」 makes the expression more casual.
    selfDeprecating:Often used for self-deprecation when one feels they have performed poorly or haven't achieved the desired outcome.

    Mnemonic

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    Example

    このプレゼン、時間なくて全然うまくできてないんだ。

    This presentation, I didn't have enough time, so it's not done well at all.

    新しい料理に挑戦したんだけど、全然うまくできてないね。

    I tried a new dish, but it didn't turn out well at all.

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