When you are describing things, you often want to clarify the degree of an adjective. Perhaps the weather is not just 'hot,' but 'very hot,' or a movie wasn't 'very interesting.'
In Japanese, we use specific adverbs placed before adjectives to modify their intensity. This allows you to express your opinions and observations with much more precision.
Explanation
How to use intensifiers
To adjust the intensity of an adjective, place the adverb directly before it.
とても＋い/な-adjective
とても (totemo) means 'very.' It is used with positive or neutral adjectives to increase their strength. For example, 'very delicious' or 'very busy.'
あまり (amari) means 'not very.' It is used with negative verb endings or negative adjective forms to express that something is not to a high degree. Note that あまり always requires the sentence to end in a negative form.
Watch out
Remember: あまり must be paired with a negative verb or adjective (e.g., あまりおいしくない). Using it with a positive sentence is grammatically incorrect.
Examples
Examples in practice
See how these adverbs change the meaning of your sentences.
この本はとても面白いです。
This book is very interesting.
このこのthis本ほんbookとてもとてもvery面白いおもしろいinteresting
今日はあまり暑くないです。
It is not very hot today.
今日きょうtodayあまりあまりnot very暑くないあつくないnot hot
この映画は【あまり】面白くないです。
Hint: Use the negative intensifier.
This movie is not very interesting.
Usage
Nuance and Register
Understanding when to use these intensifiers helps you sound more natural.
とても is standard and can be used in almost any situation. あまり is also standard but serves as a 'soft' way to say something is negative. Instead of saying something is 'bad,' saying it is 'not very good' is often considered more polite in Japanese culture.
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
とても暑くないです。
あまり暑いです。
✓ あまり暑くないです。
とても面白いじゃないです。
あまり requires a negative ending (暑くない), making it the only correct choice.
Deep dive
Beyond the basics
A few extra notes on intensifiers.
Can I use 'totemo' with negatives?
While 'totemo' is primarily for positive adjectives, in casual speech, you might hear 'totemo' used with negative forms to mean 'really not.' However, for N5 level, stick to using 'amari' for negative sentences to ensure you are following standard grammar.
Summary
Lesson Recap
Use とても to boost the intensity of an adjective and あまり to soften a negative statement. Always remember that あまり needs a negative verb or adjective ending to be complete.