Expressing "not very" with "bù tài" "不太"
You may be familiar with using 太 (tài) to express "too," such as when something is "too expensive" or "too hot." 不太 (bù tài) is a similar pattern for the negative, which just means "not very" or "not so" (literally "not too"). Note that this pattern does not normally use 了 (le).
不太 (bù tài) with Adjectives
Structure
Note: This pattern can also be used with non-adjectives. See below for more info.
Examples
- 我 家 不 太 大。
Wǒ jiā bù tài dà.
My house is not too big.
- 那 个 地方 不 太 远。
Nàge dìfang bù tài yuǎn.
That place is not very far away.
- 老板 今天 不 太 高兴。 Lǎobǎn jīntiān bù tài gāoxìng.
The boss is not very happy today.
- 这 个 店 的 衣服 不 太 贵。
Zhège diàn de yīfu bù tài guì.
The clothes in this shop are not too expensive.
- 我 觉得 他 不 太 聪明。
Wǒ juéde tā bù tài cōngming.
I think he is not too smart.
不太 (bù tài) with Verbs
Structure
This pattern can be used with some psychological verbs (e.g. 喜欢 (xǐhuan), 想 (xiǎng), 明白 míngbai)), as is the case with the next examples. These verbs are relatively limited.
Examples
- 我 不 太 懂 。
Wǒ bù tài dǒng.
I don't really understand.
- 我 不 太 会 说 英语 。
Wǒ bù tài huì shuō Yīngyǔ.
I can't really speak English.
- 他们 不 太 想 去 。 Tāmen bù tài xiǎng qù.
They don't really want to go.
- 我 哥哥 不 太 喜欢 他 的 工作 。
Wǒ gēge bù tài xǐhuan tā de gōngzuò.
My older brother doesn't really like his job.
- 他 不 太 明白 老板 的 意思 。
Tā bù tài míngbai lǎobǎn de yìsi.
He didn't really understand what the boss meant.
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 200)
- Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (pp. 180-181)
- A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法) (pp. 109)