How to Say “Not Very” with 不怎么 (bù zěnme)
不怎么 (bù zěnme) means “not very / not particularly” before an adjective or feeling verb: 不怎么好看 (“not very good”), 我不怎么喜欢 (“I’m not very keen”). It’s a soft, indirect way to say something negative — gentler than a flat 不. With an action verb, it shifts to “not often.”
Why this trips learners up
不怎么 (bù zěnme) is a wonderfully diplomatic little phrase. Put it before an adjective (or a feeling verb) and it means “not very / not particularly”: Subject + 不怎么 + Adjective. 这部电影不怎么好看 (“this movie isn’t very good”), 我不怎么喜欢吃甜的 (“I’m not very into sweets”), 这家店的服务不怎么好 (“the service isn’t great”).
It’s very close in meaning to 不太 (“not very”), but 不怎么 has a softer, more indirect flavour — it’s how you criticise politely. Instead of the blunt 他不聪明 (“he’s not smart”), 他不怎么聪明 (“he’s not all that smart”) takes the edge off. That tact is the whole point of the phrase. Note that 怎么 here is not the question “how” — it’s working as a degree softener, the same way 什么 means “any” in 什么都.
The signature catch: the kind of word after 不怎么 changes the meaning. Before an adjective or feeling verb, it’s “not very” (不怎么好, 不怎么喜欢). But before an ordinary action verb, it means “not often / not much”: 我平时不怎么看电视 (“I don’t watch much TV”), 他不怎么喝酒 (“he doesn’t drink much”). Same phrase, two jobs — the word it modifies tells you which.
(One bonus expression: 不怎么样 on its own — with 样 — means “nothing special / so-so,” a standalone judgement: 那家餐厅不怎么样 = “that restaurant is nothing special.”)
The structure
Colour key
Each colour marks one grammatical role — and the same colour means the same role on every page in the Lab.
Examples in context
Real-world sentences, easiest first. Toggle pinyin or the translation, tap any word to see its role, or play the audio.
Tap a word to see its grammatical role.
zhè bù diànyǐng 这部电影 Subject bù 不 Negation zěnme 怎么 Pattern hǎokàn 好看 Adjective
This movie isn’t very good (不怎么 + adjective).
jīntiān 今天 Time bù 不 Negation zěnme 怎么 Pattern rè 热 Adjective
It’s not very hot today (不怎么热).
wǒ 我 Subject bù 不 Negation zěnme 怎么 Pattern xǐhuan 喜欢 Verb chī tián de 吃甜的 Object
I’m not very into sweets (不怎么 + feeling verb 喜欢).
tā zhège rén 他这个人 Subject bù 不 Negation zěnme 怎么 Pattern ài 爱 Verb shuōhuà 说话 Verb
He’s not much of a talker (不怎么爱说话 — softer than a blunt 不爱说话).
zhè cì kǎoshì 这次考试 Time wǒ 我 Subject kǎo 考 Verb de 得 Function word bù 不 Negation zěnme 怎么 Pattern hǎo 好 Adjective
I didn’t do very well on this exam (得 + 不怎么好).
wǒ 我 Subject píngshí 平时 Time bù 不 Negation zěnme 怎么 Pattern kàn 看 Verb diànshì 电视 Object
I don’t really watch much TV (不怎么 + action verb = “not often”).
zhè jiā diàn de fúwù 这家店的服务 Subject bù 不 Negation zěnme 怎么 Pattern hǎo 好 Adjective
This shop’s service isn’t great (不怎么好).
tā 他 Subject hǎoxiàng 好像 Adverb bù 不 Negation zěnme 怎么 Pattern mǎnyì 满意 Verb wǒ de huídá 我的回答 Object
He doesn’t seem very satisfied with my answer (好像 + 不怎么 — a softened judgement).
Common mistakes
Why it happens: 不怎么 is a degree adverb — it goes BEFORE the adjective, like 不太: 不怎么好看, not 好看不怎么.
Why it happens: 怎么 here means “particularly,” not “how” — don’t turn it into 怎么样. It’s 他不怎么聪明, not 他不怎么样聪明. (不怎么样 on its own is a separate phrase, “so-so.”)
Why it happens: 不怎么 describes a general tendency (“not very / not often”), not a single completed event. For a one-off “didn’t,” use 没: 我昨天没去, not 我昨天不怎么去 (which would mean “I don’t go there often”).
Compare & contrast
| 不怎么 + Adjective — “not very” | 不怎么 + Action verb — “not often” | The difference |
|---|---|---|
| 不怎么好bù zěnme hǎo | 不怎么去bù zěnme qù | 不怎么好 = “not very good” (an adjective → degree). 不怎么去 = “don’t go often” (an action verb → frequency). |
| 不怎么贵bù zěnme guì | 不怎么喝酒bù zěnme hē jiǔ | 不怎么贵 = “not very expensive”; 不怎么喝酒 = “doesn’t drink much.” The word after 不怎么 decides the meaning. |
Try it yourself
Say “This movie isn’t very good.” — 不怎么 before the adjective.
Related patterns
Quick reference card
How to Say “Not Very” with 不怎么 (bù zěnme) grammar.merrymandarin.com A pocket summary — print it and keep it by your desk.