Expressing "not often" with "bu zenme"

You might be tempted to conclude that 不怎么 (bù zěnme) seems to mean "not how," but it actually means "not often" when used together with a verb.

Structure

When 不怎么 is used with a verb, it means that one does not put a lot of time or energy into doing it. In other words, the action is done "not often." When the verb is used with an object, it also means that the number (or quantity) is really small.

Subj. + 不怎么 + Verb

Examples

• 他 不怎么 说话。Tā bù zěnme xǐhuan shuōhuà.He doesn't like talking too much.
• 我 老公 不怎么 做饭 。Wǒ lǎogōng bù zěnme zuòfàn.My husband doesn't cook very often.
• 我们 不怎么 看 电视 。Wǒmen bù zěnme kàn diànshì.We don't watch a lot of television.
• 我 儿子 不怎么吃 零食 。Wǒ érzi bùzěnme chī língshí.My son doesn't eat snacks very often.
• 老板 不怎么 来 办公室 。Lǎobǎn bùzěnme lái bàngōngshì.My boss doesn't come to the office very often.
• 你 好像 不怎么 喝酒 。Nǐ hǎoxiàng bùzěnme hējiǔ.It seems that you don't drink very often.
• 新 室友 不怎么 跟 朋友 出去 玩 。Xīn shìyǒu bùzěnme gēn péngyou chūqù wán.The new roommate doesn't go out and have fun with her friends very often.

Usage of 没怎么

Note that the examples below use 没 instead of 不. This is because the verb uses or implies 有 and thus it uses the same the 有 negation rules.

• 他 没 怎么 说话。Tā méi zěnme shuōhuà.He didn't say much.
• 我 没 怎么 复习。Wǒ méi zěnme fùxí.I didn't review much.
• 我们 没 怎么 讨论 这 件 事。Kāihuì de shíhou, wǒmen méi zěnme tǎolùn zhè jiàn shì.We didn't discuss this matter much when we were at the meeting.
• 昨天 我 肚子 不 舒服 ，没 怎么 吃 东西 。Zuótiān wǒ dùzi bù shūfu, méi zěnme chī dōngxi.I didn't feel well in the stomach yesterday, so I didn't eat much.
• 今天 很 热 ，不过 我 没 怎么 出汗 。Jīntiān hěn rè, bùguò wǒ méi zěnme chūhàn.It's hot today, but I didn't sweat much.

Lastly, make sure to use 不怎么 with a verb if you want it to mean "not often." Using it with an adjective gives it a different meaning.

See Also

• How to do something with "zenme"
• Asking why with "zenme"
• "Not very" with "bu zenme"

Sources and further reading

Books

• Short-term Spoken Chinese: Elementary (汉语口语速成基础篇) (pp. 139) →buy
• 现代汉语八百词 （p.652) →buy