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Activities: How to use adverbs in Japanese?

By: Mayumi Ito

Exercise #1: Build an adverb!

Let’s start with a fun activity! See the pictures below. They are accompanied with captions of onomatopoeic or mimetic expressions in Japanese. Using them as clues, complete each sentence by filling the blanks with adverbs of manner you have created, using the “onomatopoeic (or mimetic) expressions + と” structure!

  1. ドアが 閉まった。
    Doa ga ... shimatta.
    The door banged shut.

    a blue door slams shut

    バタン
    batan

  2. さるがバナナを 食べている。
    Saru ga banana o ... tabeteiru.
    A monkey is munching on bananas.

    a long-tailed macaque monkey eats a banana

    むしゃむしゃ
    mushamusha

  3. 犬に 顔をなめられた。
    Inu ni ... kao o namerareta.
    I had my face licked by a dog.

    a dog gives a man a loving lick on the nose

    ペロペロ
    peropero

  4. 大切なお皿が 割れた。
    Taisetsuna osara ga ... wareta.
    My precious plate broke into pieces.

    a plate has fallen and smashed on the ground

    パリン
    parin

  5. プールにアヒルのおもちゃが浮かんでいる。
    Pūru ni ahiru no omocha ga ... ukandeiru.
    A rubber ducky is floating in the pool.

    a yellow rubber duck floating in a pool

    プカプカ

    pukapuka

  6. 先生が入ってきたとたん、教室は 静まり返った。
    Sensei ga haittekita totan, kyōshitsu wa ... shizumarikaetta.
    The moment the teacher came in, the classroom fell into total silence.

    a man is giving a presentation while frowning

    しーん......
    shiin…

Exercise 2: Adverbs of degree, frequency, and quantity

Are you ready to move onto the adverb of degree/frequency/quantity? Complete the following sentences by adding one of the adverbs given in the Word Bank. Use the English translation as a cue! (You can use each adverb only once.)
Word BankChoose a word, then choose a blank. You can also drag.
  1. A: 日本語がわかりますか。
    Nihongo ga wakarimasu ka.
    Do you understand Japanese?
    B: ええ、 わかります。
    Ē, ... wakarimasu.
    Yes, I understand it a little.
  2. A: 漢字は読めますか。
    Kanji wa yomemasu ka.
    Can you read kanji (Chinese characters)?
    B: いいえ、読めません。
    Iie, ... yomemasen.
    No, I can’t read it at all.
  3. 小川さんは親切な人です。
    Ogawa san wa ... shinsetsuna hito desu.
    Ms Ogawa is a very kind person.
  4. 朝は ７時に起きますが、ときどき６時ごろ起きます。
    Asa wa ... shichi ji ni okimasu ga, tokidoki roku ji goro okimasu.
    I usually get up at seven o’clock in the morning, but I sometimes get up around six.
  5. 宿題は終わりました。あと２問だけです。
    Shukudai wa ... owarimashita. Ato ni mon dake desu.
    I’ve mostly done my homework. Only two more questions to go!
  6. さっきおにぎりを食べましたから、今お腹がいっぱいです。
    Sakki onigiri o ... tabemashita kara, ima onaka ga ippai desu.
    I ate a lot of rice balls a short while ago, so I’m full now.
  7. 今日はくもりです。いい天気じゃありません。
    Kyō wa kumori desu. ... ii tenki ja arimasen.
    It’s cloudy today. It’s not very good weather.
  8. 週末は友達とテニスをします。
    Shūmatsu wa tomodachi to ... tenisu o shimasu.
    As for weekends, I often play tennis with my friends.
  9. A: テスト、どうだった？
    Tesuto, dō datta?
    How was your test?
    B: 難しかったよ。もうくたくた・・・。
    ... muzukashikatta yo. Mō kutakuta….
    It was quite hard, you know. I’m pooped already….

Exercise 3: Adverbs of correspondence

The last one! Let’s practice using some adverbs of correspondence this time. Read the sentences below and complete each sentence by choosing the correct answer.

  1. 今度　      　遊びに来てください。
    Kondo ... asobini kite kudasai.
    By all means, please come for a visit sometime.
    Select your answer
  2.       来年日本に行けるかもしれない。
    ... rainen nihon ni ikeru kamoshirenai.
    Possibly, I might be able to go to Japan next year.
    Select your answer
  3. 陽子さんは      パーティーに来ないだろう。
    Yōko san wa ... pātii ni konai darō.
    Yoko probably won’t come to the party.
    Select your answer
  4. すみません。これからは      うそをつきません。
    Sumimasen. Korekara wa ... uso o tsukimasen.
    I’m sorry. I’ll never lie from now on.
    Select your answer
  5. 野中先生はとてもかわいい。       まんがのキャラクターのようだ。
    Nonaka sensei wa totemo kawaii. ... manga no kyarakutā no yōda.
    Nonaka sensei is very cute. She looks as if she is a comic book character.
    Select your answer