SenMandarin: 不怎么与不怎么样

不怎么 and 不怎么样 look very similar, but they are used differently.

Compare:

我不怎么喝咖啡。

Wǒ bù zěnme hē kāfēi.

I don’t drink coffee very often.

这家咖啡店不怎么样。

Zhè jiā kāfēidiàn bù zěnmeyàng.

This coffee shop isn’t very good.

The difference is simple:

不怎么 → not very / not much / not often

不怎么样 → not very good / so-so

1. 不怎么: Not Very / Not Much / Not Often

不怎么 usually comes before a verb or adjective.

Structure

不怎么 + Verb / Adjective

我平时不怎么喝咖啡。

Wǒ píngshí bù zěnme hē kāfēi.

I don’t drink coffee very often.

他最近不怎么运动。

Tā zuìjìn bù zěnme yùndòng.

He hasn’t been exercising much recently.

这里冬天不怎么冷。

Zhèlǐ dōngtiān bù zěnme lěng.

It isn’t very cold here in winter.

我对这个话题不怎么了解。

Wǒ duì zhège huàtí bù zěnme liǎojiě.

I don’t know much about this topic.

So 不怎么 usually shows a low degree, amount, or frequency.

It can also make a negative statement sound less absolute:

我不喜欢这本书。

Wǒ bù xǐhuan zhè běn shū.

I don’t like this book.

我不怎么喜欢这本书。

Wǒ bù zěnme xǐhuan zhè běn shū.

I don’t really like this book.

Chinese learning illustration: Structure

2. 不怎么样: Not Very Good / So-So

不怎么样 is usually used to give a negative evaluation.

It can mean:

not very good / not great / so-so

这家餐厅不怎么样。

Zhè jiā cāntīng bù zěnmeyàng.

This restaurant isn’t very good.

这部电影不怎么样。

Zhè bù diànyǐng bù zěnmeyàng.

This movie is nothing special.

我今天感觉不怎么样。

Wǒ jīntiān gǎnjué bù zěnmeyàng.

I’m not feeling very well today.

Unlike 不怎么, 不怎么样 can complete a sentence by itself.

Chinese learning illustration: 2. 不怎么样: Not Very Good / So-So

3. Verb + 得 + 不怎么样

You can also use 不怎么样 to evaluate how well someone does something.

Structure

Verb + 得 + 不怎么样

他唱得不怎么样。

Tā chàng de bù zěnmeyàng.

He doesn’t sing very well.

他中文说得不怎么样。

Tā zhōngwén shuō de bù zěnmeyàng.

He doesn’t speak Chinese very well.

Chinese learning illustration: Structure

4. Compare Them

他平时不怎么说中文。

Tā píngshí bù zěnme shuō zhōngwén.

He doesn’t speak Chinese very often.

👉 不怎么 describes frequency.

他中文说得不怎么样。

Tā zhōngwén shuō de bù zěnmeyàng.

He doesn’t speak Chinese very well.

👉 不怎么样 evaluates his speaking ability.

Another useful comparison:

这家餐厅不怎么贵。

Zhè jiā cāntīng bù zěnme guì.

This restaurant isn’t very expensive.

这家餐厅不怎么样。

Zhè jiā cāntīng bù zěnmeyàng.

This restaurant isn’t very good.

One describes degree.

The other gives an evaluation.

Chinese learning illustration: 4. Compare Them

Quick Summary 🌟

不怎么 + Verb / Adjective

→ not very / not much / not often

我最近不怎么忙。

Wǒ zuìjìn bù zěnme máng.

I haven’t been very busy recently.

不怎么样

→ not very good / not great / so-so

这个地方不怎么样。

Zhège dìfang bù zěnmeyàng.

This place isn’t very good.

Easy way to remember:

不怎么 + something

but

不怎么样 = an evaluation

Just one extra 样 (yàng), but a very different meaning. 😊