{{Grammar Box}} You may be familiar with using [[Expressing "excessively" with tai|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 ===
Subj. + 不太 + Adj.
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 verb]]s (e.g. 喜欢 (xǐhuan), 想 (xiǎng), 明白 (míngbai)), as is the case with the next examples. These verbs are relatively limited.
Subj. + 不太 + Verb
=== 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== * [[Expressing "excessively" with tai]] == Sources and further reading == === Books === * [[Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition]] (pp. 200) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415372615/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0415372615 →buy] * [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1]] (pp. 180-181)　[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276385 →buy] * [[A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法)]] (pp. 109) [http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001J0ADWA&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001J0ADWA →buy] [[Category:A2 grammar points]] [[Category:Adverbs]] {{Basic Grammar|太|A2|不太 + Adj.|他 不太 高兴 。我 不太 喜欢。|grammar point|ASGUNMHU}} {{Rel char|不}} {{Similar|Expressing "excessively" with tai}} {{Used for|Adding more explanation}} {{POS|Adverbs with Adjectives}} {{Translation|not}} {{Translation|too}}