At a glance
めったに～ない means "rarely", "seldom" or "hardly ever". It is a neutral way to say that something happens only on rare occasions.
めったに + Verb (negative form)
私はめったに外食しません。 I rarely eat out.
How to form it
めったに is an adverb. It goes before the verb, and the sentence must end in a negative form.
| Combines with | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Casual negative (ない) | めったに行かない | rarely go |
| Polite negative (ません) | めったに行きません | rarely go |
| Past negative | めったに会わなかった | rarely met |
| Potential negative | めったに会えない | rarely get to see |
| めったにない (on its own) | こんな機会はめったにない | chances like this are rare |
| めったにない + noun | めったにないチャンス | a rare chance |