Which way is correct?
 

Hi,

A: Do you like the movie?

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

Which way is correct? B1 or B2?

Thanks!

Re: Which way is correct?
 

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

Re: Which way is correct?
 

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!

Re: Which way is correct?
 

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...

Re: Which way is correct?
 

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.

Re: Which way is correct?
 

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 :)

Re: Which way is correct?
 

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.

Re: Which way is correct?
 

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.

Re: Which way is correct?
 

Hi susan,

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

Is 'Not desperately' more formal?

Thanks for your correction.

Re: Which way is correct?
 

Not really, no :)

But Not desperately is slightly more informal.