JLPT N2

ろくに～ない

Hardly; scarcely; not properly

Structure

ろくに + Verb (ない-form) / ろくに + Noun + も + ない

How it works

ろくに～ない indicates that something is not done sufficiently, properly, or hardly at all. It expresses a sense of inadequacy or lack.

Examples

忙しくて、ろくに食事もとれない日が続いている。

Busy days continue where I can hardly get a proper meal.

Common mistakes

Forgetting to use it with a negative verb form.

Tip

Associate ろくに (roku ni) with 'roku na' (proper/decent) in a negative context. 'Roku na' means something is proper, so 'roku ni nai' means it's not proper or sufficient.

More JLPT N2 grammar

に伴いにかけてにかわってにもかかわらずに限りに限らずをはじめを中心に

See ろくに～ない in real Japanese

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