Frequency / Quantity

20

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Vol.

Design : Masako Ban

I know its confusing. The common usage of zenzen has a

I attended a conference yesterday. I think I understood the
negative meaning, implying not at all. Thus, zenzen should be
Japanese speakers better after referring to the previous
used with the negative form of i-adjectives, so zenzen oishiku-nai
lesson. If there are any more key words, please let me
(It doesnt taste good at all.) is correct grammar. But lately, it has
know. And one more thing.Ive been studying Japanese
become a kind of slang, and people say zenzen oishi- . This zenzen
for a while, but sometimes I notice that Japanese
brings a positive meaning, and so the phrase means It tastes really
speakers use grammar that is different from what I have
good.
Zenzen is also used with na-adjectives, as in zenzen kantan!
learned. They say, zenzen oishi- ! What do they mean?
(Its a piece of cake!). This zenzen is positive, implying completely or
Do they mean something is delicious, or awful?
entirely.
Frequency (how often?)
100 %

50 %

always

itsumo

often

yoku

Quantity (how many / much?)

100 %

chotto

few, little

30 %

occasionally

20 %

(not) much, (not) very

+ negative form
not too often
amari

10 %
5%
0%

ippai
takusan

a few, a little

sometimes

from time to time tokidoki

tamani

quite a few,
a lot, many

0%

none at all

sukoshi

+ negative form
hotondo
+ negative form
zenzen

One day, Mr. Pole attended a conference.

Mr.Pole :

Mr. Mori. Its about the discussion we had last month.

.
.
:

Mori-san :

To tell the truth, its not

done yet...and...

Mr.Pole :
Shacho- :

Mr.Pole :

Shacho- :

never, not at all

+ negative form
mettani
+ negative form
zenzen

Mr.Pole :

coffee

meeting words No.2 (friendly form / polite form)

1 its about time to.

.
.
.
.
.
sorosoro...

6 come to think of it; as you mentioned

so- ieba

2 before too long; before you know it

sono-uchini

7 cant wait too long; theres no limits

kiri ga nai

3 that will do it; OK?

8 To tell the truth; as a matter of fact

jitsuwa

.
.
.

...to yu- kotode

4 you mean...?
...
... to yu- koto desu ka
5 thats possible

ariemasu

9 right away; sometime soon

sugu
sassoku
10 by the way

tokorode

Anyway...next week...

the way, did you know

a Starbucks had opened
near the office?

hotondo

Come to think of it, I see

those shops here and there.

Mori-san : Well,

Mr.Pole :

anyway

come to
think of it

Thats possible.

11

12

10

before
you
know it
machi ga coffee shop darake ni narimasu ne

8)

4)

14)

11)

11 just wait and see; well see

yo-su o mimasho12 Lets see what happens;

What do you think will happen ?

do- narimasu ka

In the old days, I often made mistakes.

often

(about 80 %)
mukashi wa shippai
o shimashita
to fault

Im just a paper driver (Sunday driver), so I seldom drive a car.

seldom

(about 5%) kuruma no unten o shimasen
paper driver desu node

Thank you as always.

always

sometime soon

ohiru ni itte-mimasho-
13

I occasionally help with household chores when I feel like it.

occasionally
(about 30 %)
ki ga muku to kaji no tetsudai o shimasu
when I feel like it housekeeping

7)

3)

7 13)

its about time to

10)

6)

10

2)

11

5)

12

9)

not at all
(about 0 %)
saishokushugi-sha wa
niku o tabemasen
vegetarian

13anyway; anyhow (male style)

tonikaku
14 its no use; theres no choice

sho-ganai
shikata ga nai

meat

to not eat

Regular customers are people who always come to the same restaurant.
always

(about 90%)

onaji mise ni iku hito no koto desu

same

to go
restaurant
person

Youd better not worry about it too much.

not much

(about 20 %)

13

to help

Vegetarians never eat meat at all.

regular customer

...
...

arigato-gozaimasu

always

(about 90%)

jo-ren-kyaku wa

Mr. Mori was not willing to put his mind into the meeting.The only decision
that was made in todays meeting was to go to the coffee shop for lunch!
kono kaigi wa do- narimasu ka. ( What do you think will happen? )
1

ne

thats possible

dont get enough exercise

so
car
to drive
Paper drivers: People who have passed their driving
test, but have little or no experience of driving.
They are just drivers on paper.

acchi-kocchi de mikakemasu ne

Well, its about time to end

the meeting for today.
ja- kyo- no kaigi wa

Answers

to exercise

the old days

... ......
... mada tochu- de ... ano- ...

......
raishu- desu ... yo ...

so

office no chikaku ni Starbucks ga dekimashita ne

iya-

go there for lunch

sometime soon!

by the way

before long, this city

will be full of coffee shops,
dont you think?

Mori-san : Lets

Mr.Pole :

to tell the truth

I am so busy I hardly get any exercise. I need more exercise.

hardly
isogashi- node (about 10%)
undo- o shimasen undo- -busoku desu

busy

2

You mean you need a
you mean ... ?
mo- sukoshi jikan ga hoshilittle more time?
Theres no choice, is there? 3
4
Lets just wait and see.
theres no choice
Lets just wait and see.
desu ne
We cant wait too long,
5
so...finish it by the end
cant wait ... ... 6
OK?
too long
of next week, OK?
desu kara... raishu- ippai

Mori-san : By

hardly, scarcely + negative form

seldom, rarely

ki ni shinai ho- ga -i desu yo

to not worry had better

(At a party: Would you like more wine?) Well, Ill have a little bit more.

a little
jadake
just; only

well

1)
10

My brain is always filled with worries.

always
(about 90%)
nayami-goto de atama ga
distress

a lot

head

desu

Answers
1

hotondo

yoku

mettani

4 itsumo

zenzen

itsumo

amari

9 chotto

itsumo

tamani

10 itsumo

ippai

With cooperation from Yasuhiro Koga

Copyright 1999 The Yomiuri Shimbun