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."]] 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). | You may be familiar with using [[Expressing "excessively" with tai|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). | ||
| − | == “不太” with adjectives == | + | == “不太” (bù tài) with adjectives == |
=== Structure === | === Structure === | ||
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<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | * 我 家 <em>不 太</em> 大。<span class="pinyin"> | + | *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">Nà ge dìfang <em>bù tài</em> yuǎn. </span> <span class="trans">That place is not very far away. </span> | + | *那 个 地方 <em>不 太</em> 远。<span class="pinyin">Nà ge 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> | + | *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">Zhè ge 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> 贵。<span class="pinyin">Zhè ge diàn de yīfu <em>bù tài</em> guì. </span> <span class="trans">The clothes in this shop are not too expensive.</span> |
| − | * 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> 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> |
</div> | </div> | ||
| − | ==“不太” with verbs== | + | == “不太” (bù tài) with verbs == |
===Structure=== | ===Structure=== | ||
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<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. </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> | + | *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> | + | *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 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> |
</div> | </div> | ||
Revision as of 08:37, 6 January 2017
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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” (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 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 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.
- 我 觉得 你 不 太 了解 我们 公司。 I think that you don't really understand our company.
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
