そんなにsonna ni“that much; so much”

そんなに means that much; so much. It is a JLPT N4 Japanese grammar pattern used to express the N4 idea of “so much; that much” in natural Japanese.

This grammar point often appears in conversation, written explanations, formal notices, and JLPT-style reading questions. If you want to express the N4 idea of “so much; that much” in natural Japanese, そんなに is a useful pattern to learn after the N5 basics.

What does そんなに mean?

Use そんなに when you want to express the N4 idea of “so much; that much” in natural Japanese.

Natural translations include:

• so much
• so
• like that

How to form そんなに

そんなに + adjective / verb phrase

Examples of the pattern:

• そんなに + adjective
• そんなに
• そんなに

When is そんなに used?

Use そんなに in situations like:

• explaining a condition, reason, decision, comparison, or time relationship
• making a sentence more specific than a basic N5 pattern

Tone and register:

• neutral unless the grammar itself is marked as casual, humble, honorific, or formal
• Common in daily speech, textbook examples, and JLPT N4 reading questions

そんなに example sentences

• そんなに高くないです。 — It is not that expensive.
• そんなに食べられません。 — I cannot eat that much.
• どうしてそんなに急いでいるんですか。 — Why are you hurrying so much?
• 日本語はそんなに簡単ではありません。 — Japanese is not that easy.
• そんなに心配しないでください。 — Please do not worry that much.

Try to notice what the grammar point contributes: condition, timing, limitation, possibility, decision, politeness, contrast, or emphasis.

Nuance of そんなに

The key nuance is so much; that much in a sentence-specific context.

This matters because そんなに may look simple in English, but the Japanese form tells you whether the speaker is describing a time, a condition, a decision, a possibility, a contrast, or a social relationship.

For example:

• In context, そんなに helps make the sentence more precise than a direct English translation.
• Compared with とても, it has a different focus even when both patterns appear in similar sentences.

そんなに vs とても

Both そんなに and とても can appear in related sentences, but they are different.

そんなに:

• is the target JLPT N4 pattern in this lesson
• carries the specific nuance explained above

とても:

• is useful for comparison because learners often mix it up
• may use a different form, tone, or sentence focus

Quick contrast examples:

• Target pattern: そんなに高くないです。 — It is not that expensive.
• Related pattern with とても: compare the form and ask whether the sentence is about timing, condition, ability, decision, contrast, or politeness.

If you are unsure which one to use, identify the main job of the sentence before translating it into English.

Common mistakes with そんなに

Watch out for these mistakes:

• Using it with the wrong verb, noun, or adjective form
• Confusing it with とても because the English translation can look similar
• Translating it too literally instead of reading the whole sentence context

Is そんなに on the JLPT?

Yes. そんなに is connected to JLPT N4 grammar in this blog.

That means learners should be able to:

• recognize it in reading
• understand its nuance in context
• use it in simple original sentences

Practice questions for そんなに

• Write one sentence using the basic pattern.
• Change the sentence into polite or casual style if possible.
• Compare it with the related pattern from the comparison section.

Learning path for そんなに

Use そんなに as part of your JLPT N4 comparison, degree, and focus grammar toolkit. Decide what そんなに is comparing, emphasizing, or measuring. Then practice replacing the compared item or degree expression while keeping the same sentence frame.

A good review order is: first make one short sentence with そんなに, then compare it with さ, and finally add は〜が…は or さすが to see how the nuance changes.

For practice, write one sentence that uses そんなに in its most literal meaning, one sentence that changes the subject or time expression, and one sentence that contrasts it with one of the related patterns below.

Related grammar to review next

• さ — -ness; adjective noun form.
• は〜が…は — A is …, but B is ….
• さすが — as expected.
• ばかり — only; just that.

Learn そんなに with Hane

If you want to review そんなに together with the related patterns above, Hane helps you practice Japanese in short, focused sessions.

Browse more lessons here:

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• JLPT N4 grammar lessons