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    全然美味しくない (zenzen oishikunai) - not delicious at all

    Grammar & Usage

    fixed expression
    neutral to casual

    How it works

    This phrase combines the adverb 全然 (zenzen) which emphasizes negation, with the i-adjective 美味しい (oishii) in its negative form 美味しくない (oishikunai). 全然 always precedes a negative predicate to express 'not at all' or 'completely not'.

    Sample sentences

    このラーメン、全然美味しくないね。

    This ramen isn't delicious at all, is it?

    昨日食べた料理は、期待していたのに全然美味しくなかった。

    The meal I ate yesterday, even though I had high expectations, was not delicious at all.

    そんなに高かったのに、このワインは全然美味しくない。

    Even though it was so expensive, this wine is not delicious at all.

    Quick facts

    emphasis:The combination of 全然 with the negative form of an adjective or verb provides a strong emphasis on the negation, making it much stronger than just 'not delicious'.
    usage_of_zenzen:Historically, 全然 (zenzen) strictly required a negative predicate. While still predominantly used with negatives, in modern casual speech, especially among younger generations, it is sometimes heard with positive predicates to mean 'completely' or 'totally' (e.g., 全然大丈夫 - totally fine), although this usage is still considered informal by some.

    Mnemonic

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    Example

    このラーメン、全然美味しくないね。

    This ramen isn't delicious at all, is it?

    昨日食べた料理は、期待していたのに全然美味しくなかった。

    The meal I ate yesterday, even though I had high expectations, was not delicious at all.

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