Difference between revisions of "Expressing "not very" with "bu tai""
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| − | You may be familiar with using [[Expressing "excessively" with tai|太 (tài) to express "too"]] | + | You may be familiar with using [[Expressing "excessively" with tai|太 (tài) to express "too,"]] such as 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). |
| − | == | + | == 不太 (bù tài) with Adjectives == |
=== Structure === | === Structure === | ||
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<div class="jiegou"> | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
| − | + | Subj. + 不太 + Adj. | |
</div> | </div> | ||
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Note: This pattern can also be used with non-adjectives. See below for more info. | Note: This pattern can also be used with non-adjectives. See below for more info. | ||
| − | === Examples | + | === Examples === |
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | * | + | *我 家 <em>不 太</em> 大。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ jiā <em>bù tài</em> dà.</span><span class="trans">My house is not too big.</span> |
| − | * | + | *那 个 地方 <em>不 太</em> 远。<span class="pinyin">Nàge dìfang <em>bù tài</em> yuǎn.</span><span class="trans">That place is not very far away.</span> |
| − | * | + | *老板 今天 <em>不 太</em> 高兴。<span class="pinyin"> Lǎobǎn jīntiān <em>bù tài</em> gāoxìng.</span><span class="trans">The boss is not very happy today.</span> |
| − | + | *这 个 店 的 衣服 <em>不 太</em> 贵。<span class="pinyin">Zhège diàn de yīfu <em>bù tài</em> guì. </span><span class="trans">The clothes in this shop are not too expensive.</span> | |
| − | * 这 个 店 的 衣服 <em>不 太</em> | + | *我 觉得 他 <em>不 太</em> 聪明。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ juéde tā <em>bù tài</em> cōngming.</span><span class="trans">I think he is not too smart.</span> |
| − | * 我 觉得 他 <em>不 太</em> | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
</div> | </div> | ||
| − | == | + | == 不太 (bù tài) with Verbs == |
| − | ===Structure=== | + | === Structure === |
| − | This pattern can be used with some psychological | + | This pattern can be used with some [[psychological verb]]s (e.g. 喜欢 (xǐhuan), 想 (xiǎng), 明白 (míngbai)), as is the case with the next examples. These verbs are relatively limited. |
<div class="jiegou"> | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
| − | + | Subj. + 不太 + Verb | |
</div> | </div> | ||
| − | === Examples | + | === Examples === |
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | * 我 <em>不 太</em> 懂 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>bù tài</em> dǒng.</span> <span class="trans">I don't really understand | + | *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> 会 说 英语 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>bù tài</em> huì shuō Yīngyǔ.</span><span class="trans">I can't really speak English.</span> | |
| − | * 我 <em>不 太</em> | + | *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">Wǒ gēge <em>bù tài</em> xǐhuan tā de gōngzuò.</span><span class="trans">My older brother doesn't really like his job.</span> | |
| − | * | + | *他 <em>不 太</em> 明白 老板 的 意思 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>bù tài</em> míngbai lǎobǎn de yìsi. </span><span class="trans">He didn't really understand what the boss meant.</span> |
| − | * 我 <em>不 太</em> | ||
| − | |||
| − | * | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
</div> | </div> | ||
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=== Books === | === Books === | ||
| − | + | {{Source|Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition|200}} | |
| − | + | {{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1|180-181) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276385 →buy] | |
| − | + | {{Source|A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法)|109}} | |
[[Category:A2 grammar points]] | [[Category:A2 grammar points]] | ||
| + | {{HSK|HSK1}}{{2021-HSK|HSK1}} | ||
[[Category:Adverbs]] | [[Category:Adverbs]] | ||
| − | {{Basic Grammar|太|A2|不太 + Adj|他 <em>不太</em> 高兴 。我 <em>不太</em> 喜欢。|grammar point|ASGUNMHU}} | + | {{Basic Grammar|太|A2|不太 + Adj.|他 <em>不太</em> 高兴 。我 <em>不太</em> 喜欢。|grammar point|ASGUNMHU}} |
{{Rel char|不}} | {{Rel char|不}} | ||
{{Similar|Expressing "excessively" with tai}} | {{Similar|Expressing "excessively" with tai}} | ||
Latest revision as of 09:20, 20 April 2021
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Level
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Similar to
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Used for
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Keywords
You may be familiar with using 太 (tài) to express "too," such as 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 (bù tài) 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 smart.
不太 (bù tài) with Verbs
Structure
This pattern can be used with some psychological verbs (e.g. 喜欢 (xǐhuan), 想 (xiǎng), 明白 (míngbai)), as is the case with the next examples. These verbs are relatively limited.
Subj. + 不太 + Verb
Examples
- 我 不 太 懂 。I don't really understand.
- 我 不 太 会 说 英语 。I can't really speak English.
- 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 older brother doesn't really like his job.
- 他 不 太 明白 老板 的 意思 。He didn't really understand what the boss meant.
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1|180-181) →buy
