まったく～ない
not at all
This expression emphasizes a complete negation or absence of something. It's used to reinforce that something does not exist or has not occurred to any degree.
Meaning
This expression emphasizes a complete negation or absence of something. It's used to reinforce that something does not exist or has not occurred to any degree.
Formation
Explanation
まったく～ない is a Japanese grammatical structure used to express a complete lack or absence of something. It can be translated as 'not at all' or 'not in the least'. The term まったく (mattaku) intensifies the negation, indicating that the speaker feels strongly about the complete absence or non-existence of the subject in question.
When using this structure, the first part (まったく) signifies the extent of the negation, while the second part (～ない) provides the basic negation of the verb or noun. This makes まったく～ない effective in expressing feelings of disappointment, frustration, or emphasis on how something hasn't happened or isn't true at all.
- It can be used in both spoken and written forms.
- It's common in negative contexts, such as expressing dissatisfaction or disbelief.