🙅💰

How to Say ‘I don't have much.’ in Japanese

あまりないんです。

amari nai n desu

[ah-mah-ree nai n dess]

💬 Usage Tip: あまり followed by a negative means "not much" or "not very." Another example: あまり時間がない "I don't have much time."

Phrase Breakdown

あまり

amari

[ah-mah-ree]

too much; not very

With a negative form, あまり often means 'too much' in worried questions like this.

Example

あまり無理していませんかと聞かれました。

I was asked, 'Aren't you overdoing it?'

ない

nai

[nai]

not; does not

Negative ending; with いか it forms 'doesn't go well.'

Example

仕事がうまくいかないです。

Work isn't going well.

ん

[n]

explanatory tone

ん adds an explanatory or noticing tone, like “so...” or “I see...”

Example

そう言うんですね。

So that’s how you say it, huh.

です

desu

[dess]

is; polite copula

A polite sentence ending used in formal conversation.

Example

少し伺いたいです。

I would like to ask a little.

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