Translation guide
A guide to expressing 'each time' in Japanese, covering repeated events, gradual changes, and emphatic patterns.
Express that something happens on every occasion of a specific action or event.
Used after a verb in dictionary form to mean 'every time one does V'. It emphasizes that the same result or action occurs on each occasion.
Every time I meet him, he tells me a new story.
Every time I hear this song, I remember my hometown.
Used after a noun to mean 'every time of N'. Common with event nouns like 旅行 (trip), 試験 (exam), etc.
Every time I go on a trip, I buy souvenirs.
I get nervous every time I have an exam.
Similar to たびに, but ごとに can imply a more regular, systematic repetition. Often used when the event is seen as a discrete unit.
He tells the same story to every person he meets.
It gets warmer with each rainfall.
A conditional pattern that can express 'whenever' or 'every time'. It implies a natural, habitual consequence.
Every time spring comes, flowers bloom.
Every time he drinks alcohol, his face turns red.
A more emphatic or colloquial version of たびに. Often used in casual speech.
Every single time I see her, she complains.
Express that something changes little by little with each repetition of an event.
Used to indicate a progressive change with each instance. Often paired with words like 増える (increase) or 減る (decrease).
It gets warmer with each rainfall.
He grows every time I see him.
Can also be used for gradual changes, though ごとに is more common for this nuance.
Every time I read it, I discover something new.
Stress that something happens without exception on every single occasion.
Adding 必ず (without fail) after たびに emphasizes that the action always occurs.
Every single time he comes, he brings a gift without fail.
Similar emphasis with ごとに.
She greets every single person she meets without fail.
Both mean 'every time', but たびに focuses on the occasion itself, while ごとに often implies a more systematic or regular repetition. ごとに is also used for intervals (e.g., 1時間ごとに 'every hour'). For gradual changes, ごとに is more natural.
Every time I meet him, he's wearing a different hat. (focus on each meeting)
He asks the same question to every person he meets. (systematic repetition)
While 毎回 means 'every time', it is often used as an adverb meaning 'every time (in a series)' and can sound unnatural when directly translating 'each time' in a subordinate clause. Use たびに or ごとに instead.
He brings a present every time he comes. (unnatural)
Every time I see this photo, I feel sad.
Each time he calls, I'm busy.
○ 彼は来るたびにプレゼントを持ってくる。
He brings a present every time he comes. (natural)