ChineseGrammarWiki/MD/A2/19.mw

{{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 ===

<div class="jiegou">

Subj. + 不太 + Adj.

</div>

Note: This pattern can also be used with non-adjectives.  See below for more info.

=== Examples ===

<div class="liju">

*我 家 <em>不 太</em> 大。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ jiā <em>bù tài</em> dà.</span><span class="trans">My house is not too big.</span>
*那 个 地方 <em>不 太</em> 远。<span class="pinyin">Nàge dìfang <em>bù tài</em> yuǎn.</span><span class="trans">That place is not very far away.</span>
*老板 今天 <em>不 太</em> 高兴。<span class="pinyin"> Lǎobǎn jīntiān <em>bù tài</em> gāoxìng.</span><span class="trans">The boss is not very happy today.</span>
*这 个 店 的 衣服 <em>不 太</em> 贵。<span class="pinyin">Zhège diàn de yīfu <em>bù tài</em> guì.  </span><span class="trans">The clothes in this shop are not too expensive.</span>
*我 觉得 他 <em>不 太</em> 聪明。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ juéde tā <em>bù tài</em> cōngming.</span><span class="trans">I think he is not too smart.</span>

</div>

== 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.

<div class="jiegou">

Subj. + 不太 + Verb

</div>

=== Examples ===

<div class="liju">

*我 <em>不 太</em> 懂 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>bù tài</em> dǒng.</span><span class="trans">I don't really understand.</span>
*我 <em>不 太</em> 会 说 英语 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>bù tài</em> huì shuō Yīngyǔ.</span><span class="trans">I can't really speak English.</span>
*他们 <em>不 太</em> 想 去 。 <span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>bù tài</em> xiǎng qù.</span><span class="trans">They don't really want to go.</span>
*我 哥哥 <em>不 太</em> 喜欢 他 的 工作 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ gēge <em>bù tài</em> xǐhuan tā de gōngzuò.</span><span class="trans">My older brother doesn't really like his job.</span>
*他 <em>不 太</em> 明白 老板 的 意思 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>bù tài</em> míngbai lǎobǎn de yìsi.  </span><span class="trans">He didn't really understand what the boss meant.</span>

</div>

==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 <em>不太</em> 高兴 。我 <em>不太</em> 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}}