Saying it's not great
Conversation phrases, Stage 1chunk 22 of 68What do you think
Give a mild negative verdict without sounding harsh.
- imaichinot quite there; a bit lacking; so-so
- anmari suki ja naiI'm not that keen on it; I don't really like it
- nanka chigausomething's off; not quite it
- kitai shiteta hodo ja nakattait wasn't as good as I'd hoped
- watashi ni wa awanakattait wasn't for me; it didn't suit me
Mix-ups awanakatta (didn't suit me) vs aenakatta (couldn't meet).
imaichi
not quite there; a bit lacking; so-so
Says food, a film or an idea falls a bit short; softer than mazui or tsumaranai.
Before a verb it means 'not quite': imaichi wakaranai (I don't quite get it).
kono raamen, aji ga imaichi da na.
This ramen's a bit meh.
このラーメン、味がいまいちだな。
kono raamen, aji ga imaichi desu ne.
The flavour of this ramen is a bit lacking.
このラーメン、味がいまいちですね。
Written いまいちWho you say it and hear itHeard 76× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles
anmari suki ja nai
polite amari suki ja nai desu
I'm not that keen on it; I don't really like it
The everyday soft way to say you dislike something; kirai is much stronger.
Anmari is the spoken form of amari; it needs a negative after it.
horaa eiga wa anmari suki ja nai n da.
I'm not really into horror films.
ホラー映画はあんまり好きじゃないんだ。
horaa eiga wa amari suki ja nai n desu.
I'm not really into horror films.
ホラー映画はあまり好きじゃないんです。
Written あんまり好きじゃない · あんまりすきじゃない · あまり好きじゃないですWho you say itHeard 26× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles
nanka chigau
polite nanka chigaimasu ne
something's off; not quite it
Said when something isn't what you wanted but you can't say why: a haircut, a recipe, a word.
Nanka means 'somehow, kind of'; chigau alone means 'that's wrong' or 'that's different'.
kono iro, nanka chigau na. betsu no ni shiyou.
This colour's not quite right. Let's go with another.
この色、なんか違うな。別のにしよう。
kono iro, nanka chigaimasu ne.
This colour isn't quite right.
この色、なんか違いますね。
Written なんか違う · なんかちがう · なんか違いますねWho you say it and hear itHeard 10× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles
kitai shiteta hodo ja nakatta
polite kitai shite ita hodo ja nakatta desu
it wasn't as good as I'd hoped
Mild disappointment about a film, restaurant or trip that had been hyped.
Hodo ja nai means 'not as much as'; omotta hodo ja nakatta (not as ... as I thought) is the same idea.
hyouban ii kedo, kitai shiteta hodo ja nakatta.
It's got great reviews, but it wasn't as good as I'd hoped.
評判いいけど、期待してたほどじゃなかった。
hyouban wa ii desu kedo, kitai shite ita hodo ja nakatta desu.
It's got great reviews, but it wasn't as good as I'd hoped.
評判はいいですけど、期待していたほどじゃなかったです。
Written 期待してたほどじゃなかった · きたいしてたほどじゃなかった · 期待していたほどじゃなかったですWho you say itHeard 1× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles
watashi ni wa awanakatta
polite watashi ni wa awanakatta desu
it wasn't for me; it didn't suit me
A polite way to dislike something without calling it bad; it puts the problem on your taste.
Also for food or medicine that disagrees with you. Present tense: watashi ni wa awanai.
ano manga, watashi ni wa awanakatta na.
That manga wasn't really for me.
あの漫画、私には合わなかったな。
ano manga wa, watashi ni wa awanakatta desu.
That manga wasn't for me.
あの漫画は、私には合わなかったです。
Written 私には合わなかった · わたしにはあわなかった · 私には合わなかったですWho you say itHeard 133× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitles