Adverbial Expressions
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Adverbial expressions modify verbs, adjectives, or even entire sentences. They often indicate time, frequency, manner, degree, or reason.
| Meaning | Japanese | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| always | いつも | itsumo |
| often | よく | yoku |
| occasionally | たまに | tamani |
| sometimes | 時々（ときどき） | tokidoki |
| not at all (with negative) | まったく | mattaku |
| already | もう | mou |
| still / not yet (with negative) | まだ | mada |
私はいつも朝ごはんを食べます。
Watashi wa itsumo asagohan o tabemasu. → I always eat breakfast.
たまに映画を見ます。
Tamani eiga o mimasu. → I occasionally watch movies.
These describe how an action is performed.
| Meaning | Japanese | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| slowly | ゆっくり | yukkuri |
| immediately | すぐに | sugu ni |
| properly | ちゃんと | chanto |
| with all effort | 一生懸命（いっしょうけんめい） | isshoukenmei |
| quietly | 静かに（しずかに） | shizuka ni |
ゆっくり話してください。
Yukkuri hanashite kudasai. → Please speak slowly.
彼は一生懸命働いています。
Kare wa isshoukenmei hataraiteimasu. → He is working very hard.
These show the intensity of an action or state.
| Meaning | Japanese | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| very | とても / すごく | totemo / sugoku |
| quite / considerably | かなり | kanari |
| a little (casual, spoken) | ちょっと | chotto |
| a little (formal, written, or polite) | 少し（すこし） | sukoshi |
| not at all (with negative) | 全然（ぜんぜん） | zenzen |
この本はとても面白いです。
Kono hon wa totemo omoshiroi desu. → This book is very interesting.
彼は少し疲れています。
Kare wa sukoshi tsukareteimasu. → He is a little tired.