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    全然ダメ (zenzen dame) - completely no good

    Grammar & Usage

    fixed expression
    casual to informal

    How it works

    This phrase combines the intensifier 全然 (zenzen), meaning 'completely' or 'at all' (often used with negatives), and ダメ (dame), meaning 'no good' or 'useless'. It's a strong, emphatic negative assessment. While 全然 historically required a negative predicate, its use with positive predicates (e.g., 全然大丈夫 - zenzen daijoubu) has become common in casual speech, though 全然ダメ remains its most common and grammatically accepted negative use.

    Sample sentences

    このパソコン、古すぎて全然ダメだ。

    This computer is too old, it's completely useless.

    彼のプレゼン、準備不足で内容が全然ダメだった。

    His presentation was completely no good because of insufficient preparation.

    今日の試験、難しすぎて、私には全然ダメでした。

    Today's exam was too difficult; I was completely hopeless at it.

    Quick facts

    usage_note:全然 (zenzen) is an adverb. ダメ (dame) functions as a na-adjective here, meaning the combination acts like an emphatic negative adjective phrase. It's used for things, situations, or even people when expressing strong disapproval or inadequacy. It can also be used self-deprecatingly.
    intensification:全然 strengthens the negativity of ダメ significantly, making it an absolute rejection or declaration of failure.

    Mnemonic

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    Example

    このパソコン、古すぎて全然ダメだ。

    This computer is too old, it's completely useless.

    彼のプレゼン、準備不足で内容が全然ダメだった。

    His presentation was completely no good because of insufficient preparation.

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