Study Resource: Japanese adverbs reference sheet

By: Mayumi Ito

Japanese adverbs for degrees of a condition

These are adverbs that answer the question “to what extent?” or “to what degree?”

Positive / affirmative sentences


Adverb or degree	Example
とても Transcription: totemo Translation: very	とても寒い。 Transcription: Totemo samui. Translation: It’s very cold.
かなり Transcription: kanari Translation: quite	かなり寒い。 Transcription: Kanari samui. Translation: It’s quite cold.
まあまあ Transcription: māmā Translation: so-so, rather	まあまあ寒い。 Transcription: Māmā samui. Translation: It’s rather cold.
すこし Transcription: sukoshi Translation: a little	すこし寒い。 Transcription: Sukoshi samui. Translation: It’s a little cold.

Negative sentences


Adverb or degree	Example
あまり Transcription: amari Translation: (not) very	あまり寒くない。 Transcription: Amari samukunai. Translation: It’s not very cold.
ぜんぜん Transcription: zenzen Translation: (not) at all	ぜんぜん寒くない。 Transcription: Zenzen samukunai. Translation: It’s not cold at all.

Japanese adverbs for degree of understanding or ability

These adverbs answer the question “how well?”

Positive / affirmative sentences


Adverb or degree	Example
よく Transcription: yoku Translation: well	よくわかります。 Transcription: Yoku wakarimasu. Translation: I understand it well.
だいたい Transcription: daitai Translation: mostly	だいたいわかります。 Transcription: Daitai wakarimasu. Translation: I mostly understand it.
すこし Transcription: sukoshi Translation: a little	すこしわかります。 Transcription: Sukoshi wakarimasu. Translation: I understand it a little.

Negative sentences


Adverb or degree	Example
あまり Transcription: amari Translation: (not) very well	あまりわかりません。 Transcription: Amari wakarimasen. Translation: I don’t understand it very well.
ぜんぜん Transcription: zenzen Translation: (not) at all	ぜんぜんわかりません。 Transcription: Zenzen wakarimasen. Translation: I don’t understand it at all.

Japanese adverbs of quantity

These are adverbs that answer the question “how much?”

Positive / affirmative sentences

* ほんの transcribed hon’no is an **adnominal adjective** (rentaishi) that means “just.”
Adverb or degree	Example
たくさん Transcription: takusan Translation: a lot	たくさんある。 Transcription: Takusan aru. Translation: There are a lot.
かなり Transcription: kanari Translation: quite a lot	かなりある。 Transcription: Kanari aru. Translation: There are quite a lot.
すこし Transcription: sukoshi Translation: a little, a few, some	すこしある。 Transcription: Sukoshi aru. Translation: There are a few/a little/some.
ほんのすこし* Transcription: hon’no sukoshi Translation: just a little/few	ほんのすこしある。 Transcription: Hon’no sukoshi aru. Translation: There are a tiny bit.

Negative sentences


Adverb or degree	Example
あまり Transcription: amari Translation: (not) many, (not) much	あまりない。 Transcription: Amari nai. Translation: There aren’t many/much.
ほとんど Transcription: hotondo Translation: almost none	ほとんどない。 Transcription: Hotondo nai. Translation: There is almost none.
ぜんぜん Transcription: zenzen Translation: none	ぜんぜんない。 Transcription: Zenzen nai. Translation: There is none.

Japanese adverbs of frequency

These are adverbs that answer the question “how often?”

Positive / affirmative sentences

* ごく transcribed goku is one of the adverbs of degree that describe the **degree of conditions/state**. It means “extremely.”
Adverb or degree	Example
いつも Transcription: itsumo Translation: always	いつも行く。 Transcription: Itsumo iku. Translation: I always go.
たいてい Transcription: taitei Translation: usually	たいてい行く。 Transcription: Taitei iku. Translation: I usually go.
よく Transcription: yoku Translation: often	よく行く。 Transcription: Yoku iku. Translation: I often go.
ときどき Transcription: tokidoki Translation: sometimes	ときどき行く。 Transcription: Tokidoki iku. Translation: I sometimes go.
たまに Transcription: tamani Translation: occasionally	たまに行く。 Transcription: Tamani iku. Translation: I occasionally go.
ごくたまに* Transcription: goku tamani Translation: once in a while	ごくたまに行く。 Transcription: Goku tamani iku. Translation: I go once in a while.

Negative sentences


Adverb or degree	Example
あまり Transcription: amari Translation: (not) very often	あまり行かない。 Transcription: Amari ikanai. Translation: I don’t go very often.
めったに Transcription: mettani Translation: seldom	めったに行かない。 Transcription: Mettani ikanai. Translation: I seldom go.
ぜんぜん Transcription: zenzen Translation: (not) at all, never	ぜんぜん行かない。 Transcription: Zenzen ikanai. Translation: I never go.

Japanese adverbs of correspondence

These are adverbs that “correspond” to a certain verb form. They warn a listener that the verb form they correspond to is coming, but do not perform the same function.


Corresponds to...	Adverb	Example
Total negation 〜ない transcribed naimeaning not	全然 Transcription: zenzen Translation: not at all	全然わかりません。 Transcription: Zenzen wakarimasen. Translation: I don’t understand it at all.
	決して Transcription: keshite Translation: never	決してうそをつかない。 Transcription: Keshite uso o tsukanai. Translation: He never lies.
	少しも Transcription: sukoshimo Translation: not at all	少しも怖くない。 Transcription: Sukoshimo kowakunai. Translation: I'm not afraid at all.
	ちっとも Transcription: chittomo Translation: not a bit	ちっとも変わらない。 Transcription: Chittomo kawaranai. Translation: She hasn't changed a bit.
Partial negation 〜ない transcribed naimeaning not	めったに Transcription: mettani Translation: seldom	めったに笑わない。 Transcription: Mettani warawanai. Translation: They seldom laugh.
Partial negation 〜ない transcribed naimeaning not	あまり Transcription: amari Translation: not very, not much	あまり食べない。 Transcription: Amari tabenai. Translation: They don't eat much.
Negative conjecture 〜ないだろう transcribed naidarōmeaning probably not	まさか Transcription: masaka Translation: surely not	まさか逃げはしないだろう。 Transcription: Masaka nige wa shinaidarō. Translation: Surely they wouldn’t run away.
Assertion 〜だ transcribed dameaning is, am, are 〜する transcribed surumeaning do, does	必ず Transcription: kanarazu Translation: certainly, without fail	必ず行きます。 Transcription: Kanarazu ikimasu. Translation: I will go without fail.
	もちろん Transcription: mochiron Translation: of course	もちろん手伝います。 Transcription: Mochiron tetsudaimasu. Translation: Of course I will help.
	確かに Transcription: tashikani Translation: certainly	確かに受け取った。 Transcription: Tashikani uketotta. Translation: I certainly received it.
Wish/request/invitation 〜ください transcribed kudasaimeaning please 〜ましょう transcribed mashōmeaning let's	どうぞ Transcription: dōzo Translation: please	どうぞ使ってください。 Transcription: Dōzo tsukatte kudasai. Translation: Please use them.
	どうか Transcription: dōka Translation: please	どうかお願いします。 Transcription: Dōka onegai shimasu. Translation: Please do.
	ぜひ Transcription: zehi Translation: by all means	ぜひ一緒に行きましょう。 Transcription: Zehi isshoni ikimashō. Translation: By all means, let’s go together.
Question 〜か transcribed ...kameaning ...?	なぜ Transcription: naze Translation: why	なぜだめなんですか。 Transcription: Naze dame nandesu ka. Translation: Why am I not allowed?
Question 〜か transcribed ...kameaning ...?	どうして Transcription: dōshite Translation: why, how come	どうして食べないの？ Transcription: Dōshite tabenai no? Translation: Why don’t you eat it?
Possibility 〜かもしれない transcribed kamoshirenaimeaning may, might	もしかすると Transcription: moshikasuruto Translation: maybe	もしかすると来てくれるかもしれない。 Transcription: Moshikasuruto kite kureru kamoshirenai. Translation: Maybe he would come for me.
	ひょっとすると Transcription: hyotto suru to Translation: for all I know, perchance	ひょっとすると合格しているかもしれない。 Transcription: Hyottosuruto gōkaku shiteiru kamoshirenai. Translation: For all I know, I might have passed the exam.
Deduction 〜ようだ transcribed yōdameaning it seems 〜らしい transcribed rashiimeaning it seems 〜みたいだ transcribed mitai dameaning looks like	どうやら Transcription: dōyara Translation: evidently	どうやら終わったようだ。 Transcription: Dōyara owatta yōda. Translation: Evidently it’s over.
Simile 〜(の)ようだ transcribed (no) yōdameaning it seems	まるで Transcription: marude Translation: as if, like	まるで夢のようだ。 Transcription: Marude yume no yōda Translation: It seems as if I’m in a dream.
Conditional 〜たら transcribed tarameaning if 〜れば transcribed rebameaning if 〜なら transcribed narameaning if	もし Transcription: moshi Translation: if	もし宝くじが当たったら、どうしますか。 Transcription: Moshi takarakuji ga atattara dō shimasu ka. Translation: If you won the lottery, what would you do?
Conviction 〜にちがいない transcribed ni chigainaimeaning must 〜はずだ transcribed hazudameaning should 〜だろう transcribed darōmeaning I think 〜と思う transcribed to omoumeaning I think	きっと Transcription: kitto Translation: surely can be used without a corresponding expression	きっと来るにちがいない。 Transcription: Kitto kite kureru ni chigainai. Translation: He will surely come (I believe). きっと来る。 Transcription: Kitto kuru. Translation: He will surely come.
Conjecture 〜だろう transcribed darōmeaning I think 〜と思う transcribed to omoumeaning I think	たぶん Transcription: tabun Translation: probably can be used without a corresponding expression	たぶん雨になるだろう。 Transcription: Tabun ame ni naru darō. Translation: It’s probably going to rain (I think). たぶん雨だ。 Transcription: Tabun ame da. Translation: It will probably rain.