Difference between revisions of "Expressing "not very" with "bu tai""
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* 我 <em>不 太</em> 懂 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>bù tài</em> dǒng.</span> <span class="trans">I don't really understand.</span> | * 我 <em>不 太</em> 懂 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>bù tài</em> dǒng.</span> <span class="trans">I don't really understand.</span> | ||
| − | * | + | * 他们 <em>不 太</em> 想 去 。 <span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>bù tài</em> xiǎng qù.</span> <span class="trans">They don't really want to go.</span> |
| − | * | + | * 我哥哥 <em>不 太</em> 喜欢 他 的 工作 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒgēge <em>bù tài</em> xǐhuan wǒ de gōngzuò.</span> <span class="trans">My elder brother doesn't really like his job.</span> |
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* 我 觉得 你 <em>不 太</em> 了解 我们 公司 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ juéde nǐ <em>bù tài</em> liǎojiě wǒmen gōngsī.</span> <span class="trans">I think that you don't really understand our company.</span> | * 我 觉得 你 <em>不 太</em> 了解 我们 公司 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ juéde nǐ <em>bù tài</em> liǎojiě wǒmen gōngsī.</span> <span class="trans">I think that you don't really understand our company.</span> | ||
| − | * | + | * 他 <em>不 太</em> 明白 老板 的 意思 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>bù tài</em> míngbai lǎobǎn de yìsi.</span> <span class="trans">He doesn't really understand what the boss means.</span> |
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Revision as of 05:41, 24 September 2015
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Keywords
You may be familiar with using 太 (tài) to express "too." For example, when something is "too expensive" or "too hot." 不太 (bù tài) is a similar pattern for the negative, which just means "not very" or "not so" (literally "not too"). Note that this pattern does not normally use 了 (le).
Contents
“不太” with adjectives
Structure
Subj. + 不太 + Adj.
Note: This pattern can also be used with non-adjectives. See below for more info.
Examples
- 我 家 不 太 大 。 My house is not too big.
- 那 个 地方 不 太 远 。 That place is not very far away.
- 老板 今天 不 太 高兴 。 The boss is not very happy today.
- 这 个 店 的 衣服 不 太 贵 。 The clothes in this shop are not too expensive.
- 我 觉得 他 不 太 聪明 。 I think he is not too clever.
“不太” with verbs
Structure
This pattern can be used with some psychological verbs (e.g. 喜欢 (xǐhuan), 想 (xiǎng), 明白 (míngbai)), as in the next two examples. These verbs are relatively limited.
Subj. + 不太 + Verb
Examples
- 我 不 太 懂 。 I don't really understand.
- 他们 不 太 想 去 。 They don't really want to go.
- 我哥哥 不 太 喜欢 他 的 工作 。 My elder brother doesn't really like his job.
- 我 觉得 你 不 太 了解 我们 公司 。 I think that you don't really understand our company.
- 他 不 太 明白 老板 的 意思 。 He doesn't really understand what the boss means.
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 200) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (pp. 180-181) →buy
- A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法) (pp. 109) →buy
