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少しも~ない
N2 GRAMMAR ⏱ 0s study 📖 0 today
sukoshi mo~nai
not one bit; not even a little~
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🃏 Flashcard
少しも~ない
sukoshi mo~nai
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not one bit; not even a little~
N2
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📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level N2
Upper-Intermediate · Academic & formal usage
Reading sukoshi mo~nai
Post ID 51142
Patterns today 0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes

not one bit; not even a little~

📖 How to use it

Expresses that something is not at all or not even a little, often with an emotional or emphatic tone.

Attaches to Attach 少しも to the negative form of a verb (ない-stem + ない), an i-adjective (drop final い and add くない), a na-adjective (drop だ and add ではない), or a noun (add ではない). The verb must be in its negative form.

少しも~ない is a fixed expression used to negate something completely. It is stronger than just saying 全然~ない, and often carries a nuance of surprise or disappointment. For example, if someone asks if you are tired and you are not, you can say 少しも疲れていません, meaning you are not tired at all, not even a little. It is often used with statements of degree or feeling, such as 寒い, 疲れる, 心配, or 面白い. In conversation, it can be quite emphatic, so it fits when you want to stress that something is completely absent. While 少しも is not as formal as some N1 patterns, it is still more common in written Japanese and in careful speech than in casual chat. In casual talk, people might say 全然~ない instead. Note that 少しも must be followed by a negative form; you cannot use it with positive verbs.

この映画は少しも面白くない。
Kono eiga wa sukoshi mo omoshirokunai.
This movie isn't interesting in the slightest.
彼の説明は少しも分かりませんでした。
Kare no setsumei wa sukoshi mo wakarimasen deshita.
I didn't understand his explanation at all.
明日の試験のことを考えると、少しも心配じゃない。
Ashita no shiken no koto o kangaeru to, sukoshi mo shinpai ja nai.
When I think about tomorrow's exam, I'm not worried one bit.
Not 全然~ない 全然~ない is more colloquial and common in everyday speech, while 少しも~ない is a bit more emphatic and often used in written or formal contexts. Both mean 'not at all', but 少しも stresses the absence of even a tiny amount, so it can sound more emotional or surprised.
Register This expression is neutral but slightly formal; it appears more in writing and formal speech, while in casual conversation 全然~ない is more typical.
🎯 Quick Quiz
What does this grammar pattern mean or do?
少しも~ない
📚 How to Master This Pattern
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Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat 少しも~ない three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.
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Flip Before Reading
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Write Two Sentences
Compose two original sentences using 少しも~ない. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.
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Spaced Review
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❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern 少しも~ない mean? ▼
Not one bit; not even a little~
What JLPT level is 少しも~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 少しも~ない in a sentence? ▼
Attach 少しも~ない (sukoshi mo~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 少しも~ない formal or casual Japanese? ▼
少しも~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 少しも~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.