〜ほど〜ない "not as … as"
hodo ~nai
By Nihongo PathUpdated
This form is also taught at JLPT N3 and JLPT N2, where it carries a different sense or register.
Meaning
Comparison of inferiority: "A is not as … as B".
A は B ほど〜ない means "A is not as … as B". 今日は昨日ほど寒くない = today is not as cold as yesterday. ほど marks the thing you compare against, and the predicate must be negative (くない / じゃない / ない). A special use with はない gives a superlative: 東京ほど人が多い町はない = there is no city with as many people as Tokyo.
Comparing two things when the first is less than the second, in everyday speech and writing. It is the polite, soft way to say something is less: 私は兄ほど背が高くない sounds gentler than 兄のほうが背が高い. The superlative 〜ほど〜はない is common in praise and opinions.
Formation
V = verb, N = noun, A = adjective.
A は B ほど + い-adjective negative: 昨日ほど寒くないA は B ほど + な-adjective negative: 東京ほど便利じゃないA は B ほど + V-ない: 兄ほど食べないV-dictionary + ほど: 走るほど速くないSuperlative: N ほど 〜 N はない / いない
Visual diagram
- Step 1昨日は寒かった。今日は少し寒い。two facts: yesterday cold, today a bit cold
- Step 2昨日のほうが今日より寒かった。yesterday was colder than today (より / のほうが)
- Step 3今日は昨日ほど寒くない。today is not as cold as yesterday (ほど + negative)
Natural examples
今日は昨日ほど寒くない。
きょうは きのうほど さむくない。
Today is not as cold as yesterday.
い-adjective negative: 寒くない.
私は兄ほど背が高くない。
わたしは あにほど せが たかくない。
I'm not as tall as my older brother.
The comparison target 兄 takes ほど; the predicate is negative.
東京ほど人が多い町はない。
とうきょうほど ひとが おおい まちは ない。
There is no city with as many people as Tokyo.
Superlative: no city is as crowded as Tokyo.
この問題は思ったほど難しくなかった。
このもんだいは おもったほど むずかしくなかった。
This problem was not as hard as I thought.
思ったほど〜ない (not as … as expected) is a very common phrase.
家族ほど大切なものはない。
かぞくほど たいせつなものは ない。
There is nothing as precious as family.
Superlative use: ほど + はない.
Similar grammar and the difference
B より A のほうが〜
Says A is more than B (positive). ほど〜ない says A is less than B.
くらい / ぐらい can also mark degree, but ほど〜ない is the fixed negative comparison. In that pattern only ほど is used. Compare side by side
〜ほど (degree, N3)
With a positive predicate, ほど means "so … that" (死ぬほど疲れた). At N4 concentrate on the negative comparison.
Common mistakes
- ✗
- 今日は昨日ほど寒いです。
- ✓
- 今日は昨日ほど寒くないです。
- Why
- In this comparison pattern ほど must be followed by a negative.
- ✗
- 私は兄より背が高くない。
- ✓
- 私は兄ほど背が高くない。
- Why
- "Not as … as" uses ほど. より is for "more than".
- ✗
- 東京ほど人が多い町がある。
- ✓
- 東京ほど人が多い町はない。
- Why
- The superlative needs はない: "no city is as…".
思ったほど / 期待したほど + negative = not as much as expected; very handy in reviews. Casual: 〜ほどじゃない (それほどじゃない = it's not that much). For people, the superlative uses いない: 母ほど優しい人はいない.
JLPT N4 tips
On the exam
- If the sentence ends in a negative (くない, じゃない, ない) and compares two things, the blank is ほど, not より or のほうが.
- A superlative sentence ending in はない / はいない with a noun before the blank also points to ほど.
Frequently asked questions
What does 〜ほど〜ない "not as … as" mean?
Comparison of inferiority: "A is not as … as B". A は B ほど〜ない means "A is not as … as B". 今日は昨日ほど寒くない = today is not as cold as yesterday. ほど marks the thing you compare against, and the predicate must be negative (くない / じゃない / ない). A special use with はない gives a superlative: 東京ほど人が多い町はない = there is no city with as many people as Tokyo.
How do you form 〜ほど〜ない "not as … as"?
A は B ほど + い-adjective negative: 昨日ほど寒くない / A は B ほど + な-adjective negative: 東京ほど便利じゃない / A は B ほど + V-ない: 兄ほど食べない / V-dictionary + ほど: 走るほど速くない / Superlative: N ほど 〜 N はない / いない. V = verb, N = noun, A = adjective.
When is 〜ほど〜ない "not as … as" used?
Comparing two things when the first is less than the second, in everyday speech and writing. It is the polite, soft way to say something is less: 私は兄ほど背が高くない sounds gentler than 兄のほうが背が高い. The superlative 〜ほど〜はない is common in praise and opinions.
What is the difference between 〜ほど〜ない "not as … as" and B より A のほうが〜?
Says A is more than B (positive). ほど〜ない says A is less than B.
What is the difference between 〜ほど〜ない "not as … as" and 〜くらい?
くらい / ぐらい can also mark degree, but ほど〜ない is the fixed negative comparison. In that pattern only ほど is used.
What is a common mistake with 〜ほど〜ない "not as … as"?
Wrong: 今日は昨日ほど寒いです。 Right: 今日は昨日ほど寒くないです。 In this comparison pattern ほど must be followed by a negative.
Quick check
今年の夏は去年（ ）暑くない。