Japanese Adverbs List: How Much, How Often, Already

Adverbs: how much, how often and already

あまり and ぜんぜん cannot stand with a positive verb: あまり食べません, “I don’t eat (it) much”.

Short answer: Japanese adverbs usually come before the verb or adjective they describe: とても高い (very expensive), よく食べる (eat a lot). Two things to know: some adverbs, like あまり and ぜんぜん, only work with a negative verb, and adjectives turn into adverbs with a simple ending change: 早い → 早く, 静か → 静かに.

How much: degree adverbs

These strengthen or soften an adjective or verb. すごく is the casual, spoken favourite; とても is neutral.

How often

Frequency adverbs sit early in the sentence, usually after the topic.

いつもitsumoalways電車でんしゃdenshatrainでdeby行きますいきますikimasugo

Itsumo densha de ikimasu.“I always go by train.”Why: いつも at the start; the verb, as always, at the end.

ときどきtokidokisometimes料理りょうりryōricookingをo(object)しますshimasudo

Tokidoki ryōri o shimasu.“I sometimes cook.”Why: 料理をする: “do cooking”, a noun + する verb.

お酒おさけosakealcoholはwa(topic)あまりamarinot much飲みませんのみませんnomimasendon’t drink

Osake wa amari nomimasen.“I don’t drink much.”Why: あまり + negative verb: “not much, not often”.

Adverbs that need a negative

Like English “at all” or “hardly”, these only make sense with a negative verb or adjective. ぜんぜん with a positive is heard in casual speech (“totally fine”), but learn the negative use first.

もう and まだ: already and still

もう means “already” with a positive verb and “not any more” with a negative. まだ means “still” with a positive and “not yet” with a negative. The answer “not yet” is まだです.

もう + positive: already

もう + negative: not any more

まだ + positive: still

まだ + negative: not yet

Adverbs from adjectives

い-adjectives change い to く; な-adjectives add に. The result describes how something is done.

Adverb	Meaning	From
hayaku	early, quickly	早い (early)
yoku	well, often	いい (good)
ōkiku	in a big way	大きい (big)
shizuka ni	quietly	静か (quiet)
kirei ni	neatly, cleanly	きれい (clean)
jōzu ni	skilfully	上手 (skilful)

Time adverbs

Words for “soon”, “now” and “first” work like adverbs and usually need no particle.

How sure: adverbs of certainty

These set how confident the sentence is. Several pair with a particular ending.

Adverb	Meaning	Usually ends with
kitto	surely	〜でしょう, 〜と思う
tabun	probably	〜でしょう
moshika shitara	possibly	〜かもしれない
kanarazu	without fail	(positive verbs)
zettai ni	absolutely	positive or negative
masaka	surely not	〜ないでしょう

Where adverbs go

An adverb normally sits just before the verb or adjective it describes. Time and frequency adverbs can also open the sentence.

このkonothis本ほんhonbookはwa(topic)かなりkanariquite難しいむずかしいmuzukashiidifficult

Kono hon wa kanari muzukashii.“This book is pretty difficult.”Why: Right before the adjective.

毎朝まいあさmaiasaevery morningゆっくりyukkurislowlyコーヒーkōhīcoffeeをo(object)飲みますのみますnomimasudrink

Maiasa yukkuri kōhī o nomimasu.“Every morning I take my time over coffee.”Why: Time adverb first, manner adverb later.

たぶんtabunprobably明日あしたashitatomorrowはwa(topic)晴れるはれるhareruclear upでしょうdeshōprobably

Tabun ashita wa hareru deshō.“It will probably clear up tomorrow.”Why: たぶん … でしょう: a matching pair.

Softeners: ちょっと, なんか, 一応

Spoken Japanese uses small adverbs to soften what is said, so it sounds less direct.

Comparing degree: もっと, ずっと, 一番

Adverbs of degree pair naturally with comparisons.

Check yourself

Choose the adverb that fits, then open the answer.

not much肉は（　）食べません。にくは（　）たべませんniku wa ( ) tabemasen
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あまり: needs the negative ません.
already（　）宿題をしましたか。（　）しゅくだいをしましたか( ) shukudai o shimashita ka
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もう: already, with past.
still（　）寝ています。（　）ねています( ) nete imasu
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まだ: still.
not at all（　）分かりません。（　）わかりません( ) wakarimasen
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ぜんぜん + negative.
probably（　）晴れるでしょう。（　）はれるでしょう( ) hareru deshō
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たぶん, matching でしょう.

Adverbs in sentences

Watch where each adverb sits: before the word it describes.

このkonothisラーメンrāmenramenはwa(topic)とてもtotemovery美味しいおいしいoishiitastyですdesu(polite)

Kono rāmen wa totemo oishii desu.“This ramen is really good.”Why: とても right before the adjective it strengthens.

すぐsuguright away行きますいきますikimasugo

Sugu ikimasu.“I’ll be right there.”Why: Present tense + すぐ: a promise about the near future.

もう少しもうすこしmō sukoshia little moreゆっくりyukkurislowly話してくださいはなしてくださいhanashite kudasaiplease speak

Mō sukoshi yukkuri hanashite kudasai.“Could you speak a bit more slowly, please?”Why: The most useful sentence for a learner. ゆっくり is an adverb on its own.