[fface]

Hi,

A: Do you like the movie?

B1:No, not really.
B2:Not really.

Which way is correct? B1 or B2?

Thanks!

[susan53]

Both. There's no difference. You could also change the word order :
B3 : Not really, no.

[fface]

Hi susan,

What does 'not really' mean there? Does it mean
1. I don't like the movie at all. Or

2. I like the movie and also don't like it (there are something I don't like about it) at the same time. Or

3. I don't like the movie very much. Or

4. I don't exactly like the movie.

Thanks!

[susan53]

It depends on the context. It could mean I don't like it very much or it could be a polite way of saying I don't like it at all - though there's not really very much difference between them. So, if you were in the middle of watching the movie on the internet and talking to a friend, the conversation might be :
A: Do you like the film?
B: No, not really. Shall we watch something else

but if you were at the Venice film festival and talking to the director during the interval...
A : Do you like the film?
B : Not really, no. It's not my sort of thing, I'm afraid. I'm not a great fan of war films...

[fface]

Hi, susan,

Question1:

Could it also mean 'somewhere between yes and no'? (from https://answers.yahoo.com/question/i...8112159AAhEsa1)

Could you please give an example of the meaning above if 'not really' can mean that?

Qustion2:

A: Did you miss the meeting?
B：Not exactly/Not really. I got there five minutes before it finished.

Can I use 'not really' instead of 'not exactly' in this example above?
Is there any difference between these two expressions here?

Thanks for your help.

[susan53]

1. No. "Not really" definitely means No To say not yes/not no you'd say something like : I was OK or It wasn't bad. But intonation would play a big part there.

2. They're fine and there's no real difference - though if I was running a meeting and someone arrived 5 mins before the end, I'd say they'd missed it

[fface]

Hi susan,


A: Are you hungry now?
B1: Yes, but not very much.
B2: Not really.

Can I use 'not really' to mean B1 here?
Is 'not really' also a polite way of saying 'not...very much'?

Thanks for your help.

[susan53]

Very much can't be used with adjectives (like hungry). Much is used with uncountable nouns - I haven't got very much money - while very many is the equivalent for countable nouns - He hasn't got very many friends.

With adjectives you just use an adverb - very, really, desperately etc - so the conversation should be :

A: Are you hungry now?
B1: (Yes, but... or No,) Not very.
or
B2: (No,) Not really.
or
B3: (Yes, but...or (No) Not desperately.

etc etc. The words in brackets are optional.

[fface]

Quote susan53

A: Are you hungry now?
B1: (Yes, but... or No,) Not very.
or
B2: (No,) Not really.
or
B3: (Yes, but...or (No) Not desperately.

etc etc. The words in brackets are optional.

Hi susan,

Is there any difference between not very, not really and not desperately here?

Is 'Not desperately' more formal?

Thanks for your correction.

[susan53]

Not really, no

But Not desperately is slightly more informal.