別に〜ない: 'Not Particularly' / 'Nothing Special'
What it means
別に literally means "separately / apart," but as an adverb it teams up with a negative to mean "not particularly," "not especially," or "nothing in particular." It softens a denial — you're not saying a flat "no," you're saying "well, not especially."
別に欲しくないよ。
べつに ほしくないよ。
I don't particularly want it.
別に sets up the negative 欲しくない.
ヤッタンは別に怒っていない。
ヤッタンは べつに おこっていない。
Yattan isn't especially angry.
別に問題ないと思う。
べつに もんだいないと おもう。
There's no particular problem, I think.
The key point: 別に always leans on a negative — either one stated in the same sentence, or one implied when 別に stands alone.
How to form it
別に is an adverb, so you just place it before the predicate and make that predicate negative.
| Pattern | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb negative | 別に + verb（ない） | 別に行かない (I'm not particularly going) |
| い-adj negative | 別に + adj（くない） | 別に高くない (it's not especially expensive) |
| な-adj / noun negative | 別に + （では）ない | 別に好きじゃない (I don't especially like it) |
| Standalone | 別に。 | 「どうしたの？」「別に。」 (Nothing.) |
There's no conjugation to memorize for 別に itself — it never changes. All the work happens in the negative that follows.
More examples
モチに聞いたけど、別に気にしてないみたい。
モチに きいたけど、べつに きにしてないみたい。
I asked Mochi, but she doesn't seem to particularly mind.
先生、これは別に難しくないですよ。
せんせい、これは べつに むずかしくないですよ。
Teacher, this isn't especially difficult.
です／よ keeps it polite while still downplaying.
別に急いでないから、ゆっくりでいいよ。
べつに いそいでないから、ゆっくりで いいよ。
I'm not in any particular hurry, so take your time.
The curt standalone 別に
When someone asks a question and you reply with just 「別に。」, the negative is left unsaid but understood — it means "nothing" / "not really" / "it's nothing." This is extremely common, but be careful: it can sound dismissive or even sulky.
「弟、どうしたの？」「別に。」
「おとうと、どうしたの？」「べつに。」
'What's wrong, little brother?' 'Nothing.'
One-word 別に implies 別に何もない — and can sound a bit cold.
Common mistakes
- Forgetting the negative. 別に needs a negative to land. ×別に欲しい on its own is incomplete — you want 別に欲しくない. (You may stand alone with just 「別に。」, but that still implies the negative.)
- Treating standalone 別に as polite. A one-word 「別に。」 can sound curt, evasive, or sulky — like an English "Whatever." Don't use it with someone you should be polite to; add a real negative instead: 別に何もありません.
- Confusing 別に with 別の. 別の means "a different / another" (別の店 = a different shop). 別に is the adverb "not particularly." They're not interchangeable.
- Overusing it in writing. 別に〜ない is conversational. In formal writing, prefer 特に〜ない ("not particularly") for a neutral tone.
How it compares to あまり and 全然
All three are negative-pairing adverbs, but they say different things:
- 別に〜ない = "not particularly" — downplays or denies; often a touch evasive in speech.
- あまり〜ない = "not very / not much" — a moderate, neutral degree (あまり高くない = not very expensive). See 全然・あまり〜ない.
- 全然〜ない = "not at all" — a strong, complete denial (全然高くない = not expensive at all).
So 別に高くない ("not especially pricey") sits between あまり ("not very") and 全然 ("not at all"), but it carries that extra "don't make a big deal of it" attitude the other two lack.
Quick recap
- 別に〜ない = "not particularly / not especially"; it always pairs with a negative.
- 別に never conjugates — the negative does all the work.
- Standalone 「別に。」 = "nothing / it's nothing," but can sound curt or evasive.
- Stronger than あまり, gentler than 全然 — and uniquely "downplaying" in tone.
- It's casual/conversational; use 特に〜ない in formal writing.
Your turn
Choose the natural use of 別に〜ない (and spot when it sounds too curt).
Start the 5-question drill →Take the full N3 別に〜ない drill →
Frequently asked questions
Does 別に always need a negative?
Yes. 別に sets up a negative meaning: 別に欲しくない, 別に問題ない. Even the one-word 「別に。」 implies an unspoken negative (別に何もない = 'nothing in particular').
Why does 「別に。」 sound rude sometimes?
Because it answers a question by trailing off into an implied negative, it can come across as evasive, dismissive, or sulky — like 'Whatever.' With people you should be polite to, say something fuller like 別に何もありません.
What's the difference between 別に and あまり?
別に〜ない means 'not particularly' and downplays the point; あまり〜ない means 'not very / not much' and is a neutral degree word. 全然〜ない is the strongest: 'not at all.'
Is 別に〜ない okay in formal writing?
It's mainly conversational. In essays or business writing, 特に〜ない ('not particularly') gives the same meaning with a more neutral, formal tone.