ろくにない (rokuninai)

Meaning & usage

ろくに pairs with a negative verb to say an action is hardly done or not done well enough. It is placed directly before verbs like ろくに知らない or ろくに眠れない, including past negatives such as ろくに食べなかった. It cannot be used with an affirmative verb and often sounds critical, expressing dissatisfaction that someone did not do something sufficiently.

Example sentences 7

1. この若者わかものは、自分じぶんの国くにについてろくに知しらない。

   This young man knows little about his country.

2. 彼女はろくに食べないで席を立った。

   She had only eaten a little before she left the table.

3. 私は英会話もろくにできない、ましてやスペイン語など話せるはずはありません。

   I can't even speak English very well, much less Spanish.

4. 彼女はフランス語は言うに及ばず母語すらろくに話せない。

   She doesn't even speak her own language well, let alone French.

5. 朝は忙しくてろくに食べなかった。

   I was busy in the morning and barely ate.

6. 疲れてろくに眠れなかった。

   I was tired and could hardly sleep.

7. 雨でろくに見えない道を歩いた。

   I walked on a road I could barely see in the rain.