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kare ha zenzen tikokusinai.

彼かれ　は　全然ぜんぜん　遅刻ちこくしない。kare ha zenzen tikokusinai.
He is never late.
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Questions & Answers about kare ha zenzen tikokusinai.

What does the word 全然 mean here? Does it always require a negative?
  • 全然 (zenzen) is an adverb meaning “completely/at all.” With a negative predicate like しない, it means “not at all/never.” So 彼は全然遅刻しない means “He is never late” or “He doesn’t come late at all.”
  • It does not take a particle. Don’t say 全然に.
  • Colloquially, 全然 is also used with positives (e.g., 全然大丈夫 “totally fine”), but in careful writing it’s most standard with negatives.
Is the nuance really “never,” not just “rarely”?
  • Yes, in this sentence 全然 + しない strongly implies “never (as a habit).”
  • If you want “rarely/seldom,” use:
    • めったに遅刻しない (rarely)
    • ほとんど遅刻しない (almost never)
    • あまり遅刻しない (not often)
Why is は used after 彼? Could I use が instead?
  • は marks the topic: “As for him, he never is late.” It’s the neutral way to make a general statement about him.
  • が marks the subject for focus/new information. 彼が全然遅刻しない is used when emphasizing “he (as opposed to someone else) is the one who never is late,” or inside a larger sentence (e.g., 彼が全然遅刻しない人だ “He is a person who never is late”).
Can I omit 彼? Is it natural to say just 全然遅刻しない?
  • Yes. Japanese often drops the subject when it’s clear from context. 全然遅刻しない by itself is natural in a conversation where “he” is understood.
  • In real conversations, using the person’s name + さん or just context is more natural than 彼, especially if he’s present.
What’s the difference between 遅刻する, 遅れる, and 遅くなる?
  • 遅刻する (chikoku-suru): “to be tardy/late (for school, work, a meeting).” Person + は/が; event + に.
    • 例: 会議に遅刻する “be late for a meeting.”
  • 遅れる (okureru): “to be delayed/be late.” Used for people or things (like trains); event + に.
    • 例: 電車が遅れる “The train is delayed.” 授業に遅れないようにする “Try not to be late to class.”
  • 遅くなる (osoku naru): “to become late (time gets late)/come home late.”
    • 例: 帰るのが遅くなる “I’ll come home late.”
Can I say 遅刻をしない? Do I need を with this する-noun?
  • Both 遅刻しない and 遅刻をしない are grammatically correct. The を version is a bit more formal/bookish; everyday speech usually drops を: 遅刻する/しない.
  • When you specify what you’re late for, use に on the event: 授業に遅刻する. Avoid 授業に遅刻をする, which sounds clunky.
Where should 全然 go? Is 遅刻を全然しない okay?
  • The most natural placement is just before the predicate: 全然遅刻しない.
  • 遅刻を全然しない and 全然遅刻をしない are possible but sound more marked/bookish or emphatic. Default to 全然遅刻しない.
How do I make this sentence polite?
  • Polite: 彼は全然遅刻しません.
  • If you need honorifics for the subject (e.g., a superior), you can say 彼は遅刻なさいません. Combining honorifics with 全然 is possible but can feel a bit heavy; 彼はほとんど遅刻なさいません is a safer, softer compliment.
How do I say “He has never been late (even once)”?
  • Use the experience pattern 〜たことがない:
    • 彼は一度も遅刻したことがない. (“He has never been late, not even once.”)
    • 今まで遅刻したことがない adds “up to now.”
What’s the difference between しない and していない here?
  • しない is the plain non-past negative: general/habitual or future-negative (“doesn’t/never does/won’t do”).
  • していない is progressive/state: “is not doing/has not been doing (currently/around now).”
    • 遅刻していない means “(he) is not late (now)” or “hasn’t been late (recently, in the ongoing timeframe),” not the habitual “never late.”
How do I say “He is never late to class/work/meetings” with this pattern?
  • Mark the event with に:
    • 彼は授業に全然遅刻しない. (class)
    • 彼は会社に全然遅刻しない. (to the company/workplace)
    • 彼は会議に全然遅刻しない. (meetings)
Is it okay to use 全然 in positive sentences like 全然大丈夫?
  • Yes, in casual speech: 全然大丈夫/全然いい/全然できる. It means “totally/completely.”
  • In formal writing or exams, some teachers still prefer 全然 with negatives only. With negatives (as in your sentence), it’s always safe.
What are alternatives to 全然 for “not at all/never,” and how do they differ?
  • まったく〜ない: “not at all,” a bit more formal/serious. 彼はまったく遅刻しない.
  • 一切(いっさい)〜ない: “absolutely no/not at all,” very strong. 彼は一切遅刻しない.
  • 決して〜ない: “never/by no means,” carries determination or admonition. 彼は決して遅刻しない.
  • 絶対に〜ない: “absolutely never,” strong insistence or promise. 彼は絶対に遅刻しない.
  • For softer frequencies: めったに〜ない (rarely), ほとんど〜ない (almost never).
What would 彼は遅刻はしない mean compared to 彼は全然遅刻しない?
  • 遅刻はしない uses contrastive は on 遅刻: “He doesn’t (at least) ever be late” (implying contrast, e.g., he might have other issues). It highlights tardiness as the specific thing he doesn’t do.
  • 全然遅刻しない is a straightforward emphatic “never (late).”
Are the spaces between words normal in Japanese?
  • No. Standard Japanese writing doesn’t insert spaces between words. They’re sometimes added in teaching materials. The natural sentence is 彼は全然遅刻しない。
Do I ever need に after 全然 (like 全然に)?
  • No. 全然 is an adverb and never takes に. Just place 全然 before the negative predicate: 全然〜ない.