Grammar JLPT Level N3 - Lesson 2

なかなか (or 中々(なかなか) in kanji) is an adverb in Japanese that is frequently translated as 'very', or 'considerably'. It is regularly paired directly with other adjectives, or before nouns (with の coming between なかなか and the noun).

• ここのラーメンは中々(なかなか)美味(おい)しいね。
  This ramen shop is pretty good.
• ミムラさんもなかなか可愛(かわい)いよ。
  Mimura-san is very cute.
• あのシェフが作(つく)るパスタはなかなかの物(もの)だ。
  The pasta that the chef makes is very good.
• 元(もと)カノはなかなかの美人(びじん)でしたが、性格(せいかく)が悪(わる)かったので別(わか)れました。
  My ex-girlfriend was considerably beautiful, but her personality was bad, so I broke up with her.

なかなか can also sometimes have the nuance of being something that is 軽視(けいし)しがたい. This basically translates as 'difficult to dismiss', but is a bit closer to English expressions like 'nothing to scoff at', or 'not to be taken lightly'.

• なかなかの事(こと)をしてくれたな。こんな事(こと)をお客(きゃく)さんにどう説明(せつめい)したらいいんだ。
  You have done something that is difficult to dismiss, haven't you? How am I supposed to explain this to our client? (What you did cannot be taken lightly. How am I supposed to explain what has happened to our client?)