Japanese grammar
What does ろくに～ない mean? Japanese grammar N2
ろくに～ない means not… properly/enough.
| Level (estimated, JLPT framework) | N2 |
|---|---|
| Structure | ろくに + Vない |
| Romaji | rokuni nai |
| Meaning | not… properly/enough |
Forming it
| Connection | ろくに + Vない |
|---|
How to use it
States that something is done HALF-HEARTEDLY / not properly. Always used with negation and carries a critical/complaining tone.
- 「ろくに～ない」 = not... properly: 「ろくに勉強しない」, 「ろくに寝ていない」.
- The predicate MUST be negative — 「ろくに」 itself is not used with an affirmative.
- Carries a tone of criticism or complaint about the situation.
Examples
忙しくて、昼ご飯もろくに食べられなかった。
I was so busy that I could hardly eat lunch.
説明をろくに聞かずに始めてしまった。
I started without properly listening to the explanation.
Keep in mind
- Must be used with negation.
- Carries a critical/complaining tone.
Common mistakes
-
Wrong説明をろくに聞きました。
Correct説明をろくに聞きませんでした。
ろくに normally pairs with a negative predicate.
Exam tips
- 「ろくに～ない」 = not properly; MUST be negative.