How to use ぜんぜん (zenzen): A Streetwise JLPT N4 Grammar Guide

heist

このぬすみはぜんぜん簡単かんたんじゃない。
This heist is not easy at all.

Category: ,

ぜんぜん (zenzen) is a word that means “not at all” or “completely not.” Think of it like a heavyweight champ in a rap battle—it’s there to shut down whatever’s comin’ at it. It’s used to emphasize a strong negative feeling or a complete lack of something. It’s like sayin’ “nah, fam, that ain’t it” with a whole lotta attitude.

This joint is usually paired with a negative verb, like it’s its ride-or-die. You can’t just be droppin’ it all willy-nilly. It’s gotta have its partner in crime to make it make sense. It’s like a two-man crew, like Tupac and Snoop Dogg—they just work better together.


Here’s the lowdown on how to use this grammar with different verbs.

FormExample Sentence Translation
ぜんぜん + I-adjective (negative form)そのシノギはぜんぜんおいしくない。That hustle isn’t profitable at all.
ぜんぜん + Na-adjective (negative form)この計画けいかくはぜんぜん安全あんぜんじゃない。This plan isn’t safe at all.
ぜんぜん + Verb (negative form)かれはぜんぜんひとしんじない。He doesn’t trust people at all.
ぜんぜん + Noun + じゃないですあのひとはぜんぜん親切しんせつじゃない。That guy isn’t kind at all.

So, you see, you gotta hit that negative form every single time. With a verb, you drop the final ます (masu) and add ません (masen). For an i-adjective, you gotta drop the い (i) and add くないです (kunai desu). With a na-adjective or a noun, it’s simple—just hit ’em with じゃないです (janai desu). Remember, you can’t be droppin’ a positive verb after ぜんぜん (zenzen); that’s like wearin’ a suit to the gym. It just don’t make sense.


We got some new words for you to learn, so you can sound like you’re from the streets.

隠れ家(かくれが)

English: Hideout; a secret den.

Yo, this ain’t your regular spot. This is where you and the whole crew lay low after a job goes down. You got your weapons, your stacks of cash, and a whole lotta secrets stashed here. It’s the crib you go to when the cops are on your trail, the safe house where you wait for the heat to die down. Only the real ones know the location. It’s the ultimate sanctuary, feel me?


目立つ(めだつ)

English: To stand out; to be conspicuous.

Check it, in the game, you wanna be fly, but you don’t wanna be too loud. To stand out is to draw attention, and that ain’t always a good thing when you’re movin’ in the shadows. It means you’re gettin’ noticed by the wrong people—the feds, the rival crews, everybody. You wanna be slick, not somethin’ everyone’s got their eyes on. You gotta be a ghost, a phantom, not the main attraction.


説得力(せっとくりょく)

English: Persuasiveness; power of persuasion.

You gotta have that gift of gab. Persuasiveness is what gets you out of a sticky situation, what makes a dude believe your story even when it’s all lies. It’s the slick talk that convinces the boss to give you the green light on a heist, or the smooth words that get a snitch to flip on his own crew. It’s the power you got to make folks do what you want, no questions asked.


偽造パスポート(ぎぞうぱすぽーと)

English: Forged passport; fake passport.

This right here is your ticket to freedom when you gotta get gone. A forged passport ain’t somethin’ you get from the embassy; it’s a piece of paper with your face on it but a whole new identity. It’s what you use to cross borders when you’re on the run from the law. It’s the ultimate escape plan, the final piece to the puzzle before you disappear for good.


合理的(ごうりてき)

English: Logical; rational; reasonable.

In this life, you gotta be smart. Bein’ logical means you ain’t lettin’ your emotions get in the way. It’s thinkin’ through every angle of a deal, every move in a chess game against your enemies. You don’t act on impulse. You make a play that makes sense, that’s gonna get you the most profit with the least risk. It’s all about havin’ a solid plan, not just goin’ in hotheaded.


Check out these sentences, straight from the underworld, so you can get a feel for how to use this joint.

あたらしいくるまはぜんぜんはやくない。
The new car is not fast at all.

この仕事しごとはぜんぜんリスクがない。
This job has no risk at all.

このかくはぜんぜん安全あんぜんじゃない。
This hideout is not safe at all.

あのスパイはぜんぜん目立めだたない。
That spy doesn’t stand out at all.

かれわけはぜんぜん説得せっとくりょくがない。
His excuse is not convincing at all.

このじゅうはぜんぜんおもくない。
This gun is not heavy at all.

あいつはぜんぜんこわくない。
That guy isn’t scary at all.

この偽造ぎぞうパスポートはぜんぜん本物ほんものえない。
This fake passport doesn’t look real at all.

かれ命令めいれいはぜんぜん合理ごうりてきじゃない。
His orders are not logical at all.

このボスはぜんぜんあたまくない。
This boss is not smart at all.


Peace out, and stay dangerous.

Leave a comment