Translation guide
The English word 'very' intensifies adjectives and adverbs. In Japanese, intensification is often expressed through adverbs, prefixes, or by choosing a stronger word. The most common equivalent is とても, but many alternatives exist depending on formality, emotion, and context.
To intensify an adjective or adverb in a neutral or polite way, similar to 'very' in standard English.
The most common and versatile intensifier. Suitable for both spoken and written Japanese, and safe in polite conversation.
このケーキはとてもおいしいです。
This cake is very delicious.
今日はとても暑い。
It's very hot today.
Slightly more formal than とても. Often used in business or polite speech. Can also mean 'terribly' or 'awfully'.
Formal and often used in writing or formal speeches. Less common in casual conversation.
To express strong emotion or emphasis in casual conversation, like 'really' or 'so'.
Very common in casual speech. Conveys a sense of 'amazingly' or 'incredibly'. Derived from すごい.
To emphasize a negative quality, like 'very' in 'very bad' or 'very difficult'.
To intensify an adjective by attaching a prefix, similar to 'very' but more integrated into the word.
To express 'very much' with verbs, like 'like very much' or 'think very much'.
とても can modify verbs expressing emotion, potential, or state, meaning 'very much'.
とても感動しました。
I was very moved.
とても助かります。
It helps me very much.
To express 'very' in exclamatory sentences, often with a sense of 'how' or 'so'.
Pattern meaning 'how very...!' Expresses strong emotion or surprise.
なんて美しいんだろう！
How very beautiful!
なんて馬鹿なんだ！
How very stupid!
とても is neutral and safe for most situations. すごく is more emotional and casual, often used among friends. 非常に is formal and common in writing or business. Choose based on the level of formality and the emotion you want to convey.
とても嬉しいです。
I'm very happy. (polite)
すごく嬉しい！
I'm so happy! (casual)
非常に嬉しく存じます。
I am very pleased. (formal)
In Japanese, some adjectives already contain an intense meaning, so adding とても can sound redundant or unnatural. For example, 素晴らしい (wonderful) already implies a high degree, so とても素晴らしい is less common than just 素晴らしい. Similarly, 大好き (love) already means 'like very much', so とても大好き is incorrect.
大変お世話になりました。
Thank you very much for your help.
大変申し訳ございません。
I am very sorry.
非常に重要な問題です。
It's a very important issue.
この映画は非常に面白かった。
This movie was very interesting.
すごく楽しかった！
It was very fun!
すごく疲れた。
I'm very tired.
Slang, originally from Kansai dialect but now used nationwide among younger speakers. Very casual.
めっちゃいいじゃん！
That's very nice!
めっちゃ寒い。
It's super cold.
Prefix meaning 'super' or 'ultra'. Very casual, often used by young people.
Used with negative verbs or adjectives to mean 'quite' or 'very'. Implies something is more than expected. Often used in the pattern なかなか〜ない.
なかなか難しい問題だ。
It's a very difficult problem.
バスがなかなか来ない。
The bus is very late (doesn't come easily).
Means 'too' or 'excessively', often with a negative connotation. Can be used with both positive and negative adjectives but emphasizes the degree.
あまりにもひどい話だ。
It's a very terrible story.
あまりにも高すぎる。
It's way too expensive.
Prefix 大 (だい) means 'big' or 'great', and intensifies the following word. Common in compounds.
よく can mean 'well' or 'very much' depending on context. With verbs like 知る (know) or 分かる (understand), it means 'very well'.
よく分かりました。
I understood very well.
彼をよく知っています。
I know him very well.
Adding sentence-ending particles ね or よ to とても emphasizes the feeling, like 'very, isn't it?' or 'very, I tell you!'.
とてもきれいだね！
It's very pretty, isn't it!
とても面白かったよ！
It was very interesting!
Japanese often uses onomatopoeic words to express intensity instead of 'very'. For example, キラキラ (sparkling) already implies 'very shiny'. Learning these can make your Japanese more natural.
Japanese often uses onomatopoeic words to express intensity instead of 'very'. For example, キラキラ (sparkling) already implies 'very shiny'. Learning these can make your Japanese more natural.