Adverbs and short expressions in Japanese

One of the difficulties in creating a conversation in Japanese is the thousands of different expressions and grammar, our uncle Google translator only worsens our learning at the aperto moment, translating incorrectly, using mortas and nonsensical expressions.

Japanese has many small words, adverbs, and expressions that help enrich our sentences and conversations in Japanese. In this article, I have selected 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

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

(he) came a little behind;

We saw earlier;

• tattaima - just now - just, just now
• たまに - tamani - occasionally, sometimes
• まさに - masani - certainly, exactly, just, precisely...
• In the end - kekkyoku - after all, 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 - usually, 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 anytime;

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 - some time, 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 bit

しばらくお待ち下さい。
Shibaraku Omachi kudasai;

Please wait for a while;

そろそろ - sorosoro - soon, for now, soon

そろそろ始めましょう。
sorosoro hajimemashou;

Let's get started soon;

• tokkuni - already, a long time ago
• Nowadays - konogoro - these days, these days
• around this time - 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 tense

さきに - Sakini - before, doing, ahead, forward

さいしょに - Saisho ni - in the beginning, first

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, still, even now

descriptive words

• きちんと - kichinto - precisely, exactly, orderly
• Chanto - ちゃんと - correctly, in an orderly manner
• ぴったり - Pittari - exactly, perfect, complete
• Hakkiri - hakkiri - clear, clearly, evident
• ぎりぎり - girigiri - at the right time, just barely

ぎりぎり逃げた 
girigiri nigeta

Narrowly escaped;

• いっしょうけんめい - isshoukenmei - using all the power, the best that can be done
• 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, abruptly, unexpectedly

にくい - Nikui - difficult, detestable, arduous, 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's 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, most likely

Degree of...

• zuibun - very, quite, extremely,
• かなり - kanari - quite, relatively, reasonably
• Quite - kekkou - fairly, reasonably, considerably, quite

結構上手ですね 
Kekkou jouzu desu ne;

He is very good..;

• more - motto - but
• as much as possible - dekiru dake - as much as possible, as much as can be done, possible

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

Return as soon as possible;

• ちっとも - chittomo - not at all, not a bit, absolutely
• ほとんど - hotondo - the majority, almost, almost 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
• hodo - about some, more or less, such, thus, similar, in this way
• not so ~ hodo dewanai - not so much, not like,

Conjunctions

• But - Daga - but, although, just, except, though, excepting, entertaining, however
• (な)のに - (na) noni - although, despite, still, however, even though

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

Although I study, I always fail;

(na) node so, 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

• Anyway - tonikaku - in any case, in any manner, by any means
• About - nitsuite - about, by, 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 Poo

ため - tame - For this reason, for his/her 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 present for Yumi

ように~ youni - So, in this way, as

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

Please do as I do;

• marude - まるで - just like, quite, as
• kure guremo - time and again; repeatedly; seriously
• even if - shitemo - even though, although, if
• らしい - Rashii - seems, it seems that, they say that, to 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 the painting very much 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 is an especially wonderful thing!

はず -  hazu - must be, must be, must have

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

This store must have;

• Moreover - sono ue - besides, furthermore, in it
• etc. - nado - and so on, such as, etc.
• すなわち - sunawachi - that is, in other words, or
• mushiro - むしろ - instead (of)
• Moreover - shikamo - besides that, and still

These were some adverbs and small expressions in Japanese, I hope you enjoyed them, and that this list of words was useful.