Grammar Info

N3 Lesson 2: 7/22

(ほど)~ないIs not as…as, Isn't... like..., Not to the extent of...

Structure

Verb + ほど + Verb[ない](1)
Noun + ほど + Verb[ない](1)

(1) [い]Adjective[ない][な]Adjective + ではない[な]Adjective + じゃない

Details

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About ほど~ない

Another expression that uses the noun ほど 'an extent' in Japanese, is ほど~ない. In the (A) part of a sentence, an extent will be highlighted, before the (B) part of the sentence will use ない to negate that extent, saying that it has not been reached. This phrase can be translated as 'it isn't like (A)', 'it's not to the point of (A)'. Literally it means 'if (A) is the extent, then (B) is not true'.

ほど will regularly be used after a verb or noun, while ない is more likely to be used after a verb, い-Adjective, or な-Adjective (as it is describing something about ほど).

While this grammar point may be used for expressing that an extent has not been reached, it is also frequently used for making comparisons between two things. In these cases, it states that 'the example/limit of (A) is something that cannot be reached/repeated by (B)'. This is similar to '(B) is not as ~ as (A)' in English.

Examples

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    (きみ)(はは)(ほど)(やさ)しい(ひと)はいない

    There isn't anyone as nice as your mom.

    ()って!あなたほど(はや)(はし)れないんだ!

    Wait! I can't run as fast as you!

    タイタニック(ほど)感動(かんどう)する映画(えいが)はないわ。

    There is no movie as touching as 'Titanic'.

    (おも)っていた(ほど)大変(たいへん)仕事(しごと)ではなかった

    The job was not as rough as I thought it would be.

    宇宙(うちゅう)では(だれ)もがフリゾ(ほど)(つよ)なかった

    There was no-one as strong as Frizo in the universe.

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ほど~ない – Grammar Discussion