Most natural way to say "absolutely not"? 決して 絶対に?


I would like to say: "He never comes to Osaka (no matter what)"

彼は決して大阪に行かない。

To express the "never" part, I know there are words like 決して、絶対に、全然、全く, but
which sound more natural to the Japanese ear when spoken and when written? And
are there other words to express this as well?




If saying "no matter what" is important, 絶対に is the most natural option in
speech. Both 絶対に and 決して will work fine in written text, but the latter would
sound a bit more formal. This is one of the [exceptions where a kango version
sounds less formal](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/a/38630/5010). Other
idiomatic options include:

  * 彼は[頑として](http://jisho.org/word/%E9%A0%91%E3%81%A8%E3%81%97%E3%81%A6)大阪に行かない。
  * 彼は何があっても大阪に行かない。
  * 彼は[雨が降ろうが槍が降ろうが](http://jisho.org/word/%E9%9B%A8%E3%81%8C%E9%99%8D%E3%82%8D%E3%81%86%E3%81%8C%E6%A7%8D%E3%81%8C%E9%99%8D%E3%82%8D%E3%81%86%E3%81%8C)大阪に行こうとしない。

全然 and 全く just mean "at all", but they do not mean "no matter what." They are
often used for something you can count or measure. In this context, using
全く/全然 would imply he is expected to go to Osaka on a regular basis, but don't
do so _even once_.

  * [全然 {ぜんぜん} with positive adjective / na-adjective](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/794/5010)
  * [全く vs 全然 (formal / casual)](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/29271/5010)




If saying "no matter what" is important, 絶対に is the most natural option in
speech. Both 絶対に and 決して will work fine in written text, but the latter would
sound a bit more formal. This is one of the [exceptions where a kango version
sounds less formal](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/a/38630/5010). Other
idiomatic options include:

  * 彼は[頑として](http://jisho.org/word/%E9%A0%91%E3%81%A8%E3%81%97%E3%81%A6)大阪に行かない。
  * 彼は何があっても大阪に行かない。
  * 彼は[雨が降ろうが槍が降ろうが](http://jisho.org/word/%E9%9B%A8%E3%81%8C%E9%99%8D%E3%82%8D%E3%81%86%E3%81%8C%E6%A7%8D%E3%81%8C%E9%99%8D%E3%82%8D%E3%81%86%E3%81%8C)大阪に行こうとしない。

全然 and 全く just mean "at all", but they do not mean "no matter what." They are
often used for something you can count or measure. In this context, using
全く/全然 would imply he is expected to go to Osaka on a regular basis, but don't
do so _even once_.

  * [全然 {ぜんぜん} with positive adjective / na-adjective](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/794/5010)
  * [全く vs 全然 (formal / casual)](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/29271/5010)

