Japanese dictionary
How to say "very" in Japanese
とてもとても · totemo
"Very" in Japanese is とても (totemo). In casual speech, すごく (sugoku) is common, and in business, 大変 (taihen).
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Ways to say "very" in Japanese
| Japanese | When to use it |
|---|---|
| とてもとても · totemo | Very. |
| すごくすごく · sugoku | Very; really (casual). |
| 大変たいへん · taihen | Very (formal). |
| 非常にひじょうに · hijō ni | Extremely (formal). |
How to use it
"Thank you very much" politely is 大変ありがとうございます or 誠にありがとうございます.
"Not very" uses あまり〜ない: あまり高くない (not very expensive).
Example sentences
- この料理はとてもおいしいです。Kono ryōri wa totemo oishii desu.This food is very good.
- 今日はすごく暑いですね。Kyō wa sugoku atsui desu ne.It's really hot today.
- 大変お世話になりました。Taihen o-sewa ni narimashita.Thank you very much for all your help.
- あまり高くないです。Amari takaku nai desu.It's not very expensive.
- 非常に重要な会議です。Hijō ni jūyō na kaigi desu.It's an extremely important meeting.
- とても楽しかったです。Totemo tanoshikatta desu.I had a very good time.
Questions
What is the difference between とても and すごく?
Both mean very. とても (totemo) is neutral and polite. すごく (sugoku) is casual and emphatic.
How do you say "not very" in Japanese?
Use あまり with a negative: あまり好きではありません (I don't like it very much).
Using Japanese at work?
See Executive JapaneseExecutive Japanese by CCN is one-on-one online Japanese for managers and directors doing business in Japan.