Textbooks pair 全然 with a negative: 全然わからない, “I don’t get it at all”. Real speech also uses it with positives, 全然いい, 全然大丈夫, meaning “totally fine, no problem at all”.
Everyday. 全然大丈夫 (“totally fine”) is normal speech, though some older speakers still frown on it.
A comedian says some small things bother them, then starts talking about a young staff member who always brings homemade curry.
It's totally fine. The curry's good, too. It's totally fine.
Textbook全然かまいませんよ。カレーもおいしいですし、全然かまいませんよ。Textbook 「全然」 takes a negative (「全然かまわない」); casually it pairs with positive 「いい」: 「全然いい」 = 'totally fine'.
Someone gets a visit and assumes the visitor came because they were worried about them.
I'm totally fine.
Textbook全然問題ありません。Textbooks pair "全然" with negatives ("全然問題ない"); here it modifies positive "大丈夫": "totally fine."
Someone worries it would be awkward to introduce a certain person to their mom, then starts to change their mind.
Maybe it's totally fine.
Textbookまったく問題ないかもしれません。Textbooks pair 「全然」 with negatives (「全然問題ない」); casual speech uses 「全然いい」 = "totally fine." Also 「かもしれない」→「かもしんない」.
One person reacts in disbelief, while the other says it's fine and brings up a phone call made earlier.
Nah, totally fine. That call had nothing to do with it.
Textbookいいえ、全然問題ありません。それとは関係のない電話でした。Textbook 「全然」 pairs with a negative (「全然問題ない」); casual speech pairs it with positive 「大丈夫」: 「全然大丈夫」 = 'totally fine'.
From other routines in the library. Automatic transcripts, not yet checked line by line.
全然いい means “not at all / totally”. Textbooks pair 全然 with a negative: 全然わからない, “I don’t get it at all”. Real speech also uses it with positives, 全然いい, 全然大丈夫, meaning “totally fine, no problem at all”.
With friends: OK. With coworkers: OK. With a boss or teacher: careful. Everyday. 全然大丈夫 (“totally fine”) is normal speech, though some older speakers still frown on it.
In 1,905 live comedy routines, 全然いい appears in 63 lines from 46 comedians.