Adverbs and short expressions in Japanese

One of the difficulties of creating a conversation in Japanese is the thousands of different expressions and grammars, our uncle Google translator only worsens our learning in times of need, translating incorrectly, using dead and meaningless expressions.

Japanese has many small words, adverbs, and expressions that help enrich our sentences and conversations in Japanese. In this article, I have separated several words to deepen your nihongo.

For those who don’t know, the adverb is the grammatical class of words that modify a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.

Words and time adverbs

さっき – sakki – A while ago

さっきのことはありがとう。
Sakki no koto wa arigatō;

Thank you for what you did a while ago;

先ほど – sakihodo – A little while ago, previously

先ほどいらっしゃいました。
Sakihodo irasshaimashita;

(he) came a little while ago;

We saw previously;

• たったいま – tattaima – just, just now
• たまに – tamani – occasionally, sometimes
• まさに – masani – certainly, exactly, just, precisely…
• 結局 – kekkyoku – after all, after everything, in the end

結局,恋人になりました。
Kekkyoku, koibito ni narimashi

In the end, they became girlfriend/boyfriend;

• たいてい – taitei – normally, always, generally, more, almost
• いつでも – itsudemo – anytime, always, at any moment

いつでも来て下さい。Itsudemo kitte kudasai

Please come at any time;

きまって – kimatte – always, routinely, constantly

ずっと – zutto – all the time, all the way, long, a long time, always

彼はずっとテレビを見た。
kare wa zutto terebi wo mita;

He watched TV for a long time;

いつか – itsuka – sometime, someday

いつか,月へ行きたい。
itsuka, tsuki ele ikitai;

Someday I want to go to the Moon;

しばらく – Shibaraku – for a while, for now, a little

しばらくお待ち下さい。
Shibaraku Omachi kudasai;

Please wait a little;

そろそろ – sorosoro – soon, for now, shortly

そろそろ始めましょう。
sorosoro hajimemashou;

Let’s start soon;

• とっくに – tokkuni – already, a long time ago
• このごろ – konogoro – nowadays, these days
• いまごろ – imagoro – about this time, around this time

あしたのいまごろ
Ashita no imagoro

tomorrow at this time

In the present time

さきに – Sakini – before, to do, ahead, forward

さいしょに – Saisho ni – at first, in the first place

最初に食べましょう。
Saisho ni tabemashou;

Let’s eat first;

さいごに – saigo ni – in the end, finally, lastly

最後になりました。
saigo ni narimashita;

Finally arrived / I was the last

いまだに – imadani – still, even so, even now

Descriptive words

• きちんと – kichinto – precisely, exactly, orderly
• ちゃんと – Chanto – correctly, orderly
• ぴったり – Pittari – exactly, perfect, complete
• はっきり – hakkiri – clear, clearly, evident
• ぎりぎり – girigiri – just in time, by a little

ぎりぎり逃げた 
girigiri nigeta

Escaped by a little;

• いっしょうけんめい – isshoukenmei – using all power, the best one can do
• 自由に – Jyuu ni – freely, at will, spontaneously

自由に座って下さい 
JIYUU ni suwatte kudasai;

Please feel free to have a seat;

ちょくせつ – chokusetsu – directly, precisely

ちょくせつ言う
choku setsu iu

Will speak directly;

急に – kyuuni – suddenly, unexpectedly, inopportunely

にくい – Nikui – difficult, detestable, hard, painful

このパンは食べにくいです 
Kono pan wa tabe Nikui desu;

This bread is difficult to eat;

やすい – Yasui – easy, simple, cheap, affordable

コーラは飲みやすいです 
wa kora nomi Yasui desu.;

It is easy to drink coke;

全く – mattaku – exactly, really, truly, completely, quite, very,

全く同じ 
Mattaku Onaji

Exactly the same

たいがい – taigai – most, mainly, very likely

Degree of…

• ずいぶん – zuibun – very, quite, extremely,
• かなり – kanari – quite, relatively, reasonably
• 結構 – kekkou – fairly, reasonably, considerably, quite

結構上手ですね 
Kekkou jouzu desu ne;

He is very good..;

• もっと – motto – more
• できるだけ – dekiru dake – as much as possible, as much as one can do, possible

できるだけ,早く帰ってね
Dekiru dake hayaku Kaette ne

Return as quickly as possible;

• ちっとも – chittomo – not at all, not a bit, absolutely
• ほとんど – hotondo – most, almost, nearly all

ほとんどのアメリカ人は日本語ができない 
Hotondo no amerikajin wa nihongo ga dekinai;

Most Americans cannot speak Japanese;

• あんなに – annani – such, like that, like that one, similar, like this
• ほど – hodo – about some, more or less, such, like this, similar, in this way
• ほど~ではない ~ hodo dewanai – not so much, not like,

Conjunctions

• だが- Daga – but, although, just, otherwise, though, except, entertaining, however
• (な)のに – (na) noni – although, despite, still, however, although

勉強してのに,いつも失敗 
noni benkyou shite, itsumo shippai;

Although I study, I always fail;

(な)ので – (na) node – then, because, for the reason, since, instead of

日本語は難しいのでもっと勉強します 
Nihongo wa muzukashīnode motto benkyō shimasu;

Because Japanese is difficult, I will study more;

Others

• とにかく – tonikaku – anyway, in any case, in any way
• について – nitsuite – about, for, regarding, in favor of

くまのプーさんについて話しましょう 
Kuma no pū-san ni tsuite hanashimashou;

Let’s talk about Winnie the Pooh

ため – tame – For this reason, for your benefit, cause

由美のためにプレゼントを買った 
Yumi não tame ni purezento o katta

I bought a gift for Yumi

ように~ youni – Thus, in this way, like

私のようにして下さい 
Watashi no youni shite kudasai;

Please do as I do;

• まるで – marude – just like, quite, like
• くれぐれも –  kure guremo – time and again; repeatedly; seriously
• しても –  shitemo – even if, even though, if
• らしい – Rashii – seems, it seems that, they say that, appear

その絵はとてもピカソらしいですね 
Sono e wa totemo Pikaso Rashii desu ne;

Isn’t it that the painting looks a lot like Picasso?

特に – tokuni – especially, particularly, in particular

特に素晴らしいことです 
tokuni subarashii koto desu;

It’s something especially wonderful!

はず –  hazu – must be, should be, must have

あの店はあるはずです 
Ano mise wa aru hazu desu;

That store must have;

• その上 – sono ue – in addition to, moreover, in it
• など – nado – and so on, such as,  etc.
• すなわち – sunawachi – that is, namely, or
• むしろ – mushiro – rather (than)
• しかも – shikamo – moreover, and yet

These were some adverbs and small expressions in Japanese, I hope you liked it, and that this list of words has been useful.