なかなか (nakanaka)
なかなか — quite / (not) easily
Pattern
-
なかなか＋形容詞／動詞（肯定）quite / considerably (often a pleasant surprise) -
なかなか＋動詞ない形does not happen easily / takes a long time
Positive なかなか
Placed before an adjective or verb, it means the degree is higher than expected. In “this shop’s cake is なかなか good” it is an evaluation that usually carries some praise. Be careful when judging someone above you with it, as it can sound condescending.
Negative なかなか〜ない
When a negative form follows, it means “it does not go as hoped / it does not happen easily.” バスがなかなか来ない means you keep waiting and the bus will not come, with a hint of irritation.
Examples
-
この問題（もんだい）はなかなか難（むずか）しい。
Kono mondai wa nakanaka muzukashii.
This problem is quite difficult.
Positive use: the problem is harder than it looks.
-
この店（みせ）のケーキは、なかなかおいしい。
Kono mise no kēki wa, nakanaka oishii.
The cake at this shop is quite good.
Positive use with a pleasant surprise.
-
バスがなかなか来（こ）なくて、困（こま）ってしまった。
Basu ga nakanaka konakute, komatte shimatta.
The bus just wouldn't come, and I was in trouble.
なかなか + negative (来なくて) = “not easily / not for a long time.”
Common mistakes
- The meaning depends on whether a negative follows. なかなか〜ない means “not easily,” not “not very.”
- Used as praise, it can sound condescending toward someone of higher status.
More grammar points
- あまり あまりの～に — so ～ that ～
- あまりにも あまりにも — far too ～, excessively
- ば～ほど ～ば～ほど — the more ～, the more ～
- 別（べつ）に～ない 別に～ない — not particularly ～
- だけ だけ — only, just; as much as ～
- どうしても どうしても — no matter what, absolutely
- ほど ～ほど — to the extent of ～
- ほど～ない A ほど～ない — not as ～ as A
- 決（けっ）して～ない 決して～ない — never ～
- くらい / ぐらい くらい／ぐらい — about ～, to the extent of ～
- めったに～ない めったに～ない — rarely ～
- なるべく なるべく — as much as possible
- に比（くら）べて ～に比べて — compared with ～
- さえ ～さえ — even ～
- せいぜい せいぜい — at most / at best
- 数量（すうりょう） + は 数量＋は — “at least (amount)”
- とても～ない とても～ない — “can't possibly ～”
- よりも ～よりも — “more than ～ / rather than ～”
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