もったいない
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Base i-adjective form ending in 『い』. Expresses that something is being wasted or not used to its full potential.
Theme
At a friend's house, User and Mika talk about food waste while cleaning up after a party.
もったいない
もったいない
wasteful
Culture & SocietyTraditions & Customs
Memory Hook
Imagine throwing away a perfectly good meal — it's 'mottainai'! Think 'motto' (more) + 'nai' (not) → 'more than you deserve, so don't waste it!'
Cultural Note
『もったいない』 (mottainai) is a key concept in Japanese culture, promoting respect for resources and avoiding waste. It's often used in environmental campaigns and daily life to encourage conservation.
Forms
Base: もったいないBase i-adjective form ending in 『い』. Expresses that something is being wasted or not used to its full potential.
Negative: もったいなくないDrop 『い』 → add 『くない』 (kunai, negative) → 『もったいなくない』 (mottainakunai).
Past: もったいなかったDrop 『い』 → add 『かった』 (katta, past) → 『もったいなかった』 (mottainakatta).
Adverbial: もったいなくDrop 『い』 → add 『く』 (ku, adverbial) → 『もったいなく』 (mottainaku).
Comparative: よりもったいないComparative formed with modifier 『より』 (yori, 'more than') + base adjective.
Superlative: 一番もったいないSuperlative formed with 『一番』 (ichiban, 'number one / Most') + adjective.