not well; not enough; improperly (ろくに～ない) – Japanese Grammar ろくに～ない (roku ni~nai)

Q: What JLPT level is ろくに～ない?

JLPT N2 — Upper-Intermediate · Academic & formal usage

Q: How do you use ろくに～ない in a sentence?

Attach ろくに～ない to the appropriate verb or noun form. Not well; not enough; improperly

Q: Is ろくに～ない formal or casual Japanese?

ろくに～ない is typically used in formal or written Japanese contexts.

ろくに～ない

N2 GRAMMAR ⏱ 0s study 📖 0 today

roku ni~nai

not well; not enough; improperly

一方で ippou de ばかりに bakari ni ことに koto ni ては～ては tewa~tewa ことだから koto dakara ものなら mono nara やら～やら yara~yara つつある tsutsu aru より [2] yori としても toshitemo ないではいられない nai dewa irarenai 末に sue ni どうせ douse ものの monono てたまらない te tamaranai 恐れがある osore ga aru なお nao ねばならない neba naranai 全く～ない mattaku~nai てはいられない tewa irarenai 一方で ippou de ばかりに bakari ni ことに koto ni ては～ては tewa~tewa ことだから koto dakara ものなら mono nara やら～やら yara~yara つつある tsutsu aru より [2] yori としても toshitemo ないではいられない nai dewa irarenai 末に sue ni どうせ douse ものの monono てたまらない te tamaranai 恐れがある osore ga aru なお nao ねばならない neba naranai 全く～ない mattaku~nai てはいられない tewa irarenai

🃏 Flashcard

ろくに～ない

roku ni~nai

Tap to reveal usage

not well; not enough; improperly

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📊 Pattern Stats

JLPT Level N2

Upper-Intermediate · Academic & formal usage

Reading roku ni~nai

Post ID 51126

Patterns today 0

0 / 10 daily goal

📝 Usage Notes

not well; not enough; improperly

📖 How to use it

Expresses that something is done poorly, insufficiently, or not at all, often implying a lack of effort or ability.

Attaches to Verb in negative form (ない-stem + ない) or negative form of する (しない). Attach ろくに before the negative verb phrase. For example: ろくに食べない, ろくに勉強しない.

This pattern is used to say that someone cannot do something well or enough, or that they do something improperly. It often carries a critical or disappointed tone. The phrase ろくに is an adverb that pairs with a negative verb to mean 'not properly' or 'hardly'. It is used when you expect a certain level of quality or quantity, but the reality falls short. For example, if someone hasn't studied at all for an exam, you might say they ろくに勉強しなかった. It can also express that something is barely done, like not eating properly due to being busy. This pattern is common in spoken Japanese, especially in complaints or observations about someone's behavior.

彼はろくに挨拶もしない。

Kare wa roku ni aisatsu mo shinai.

He doesn't even greet people properly.

忙しくて、ろくに寝ていない。

Isogashikute, roku ni nete inai.

I've been so busy I haven't slept properly.

最近、ろくに運動していないから、体力が落ちた。

Saikin, roku ni undō shite inai kara, tairyoku ga ochita.

Lately I haven't exercised much, so I've lost stamina.

Not ろくに～ない vs. なかなか～ないろくに～ない implies doing something poorly or inadequately, while なかなか～ない means something doesn't happen easily or readily. For example, ろくに食べない means 'doesn't eat properly', but なかなか食べない means 'won't eat (for a long time)'.

Register This pattern is used in both casual and formal speech, but it is more common in spoken Japanese when expressing criticism or dissatisfaction.

🎯 Quick Quiz

What does this grammar pattern mean or do?

ろくに～ない

📚 How to Master This Pattern

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Say It Aloud

Press Hear it and repeat ろくに～ない three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.

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Write Two Sentences

Compose two original sentences using ろくに～ない. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.

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Spaced Review

Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.

🔗 More JLPT N2 Patterns

fortunately; luckily; thankfully~

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

What does the grammar pattern ろくに～ない mean? ▼

Not well; not enough; improperly

What JLPT level is ろくに～ない? ▼

Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N2 — Upper-Intermediate · Academic & formal usage. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.

How do you use ろくに～ない in a sentence? ▼

Attach ろくに～ない (roku ni~nai) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.

Is ろくに～ない formal or casual Japanese? ▼

ろくに～ない is used in formal or written contexts. You will see it mainly in written texts, news, business Japanese and academic contexts.

How can I remember ろくに～ない long-term? ▼

Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.