Introduction
Understanding how often you do something is essential in any language. In Japanese, frequency adverbs help you describe these actions clearly. In this post, we will learn about common frequency adverbs and how to use them in sentences.
What It Means
Frequency adverbs tell us how often an action happens. Common frequency adverbs include:
毎日 (mainichi) – every day
よく (yoku) – often
ときどき (tokidoki) – sometimes
ぜんぜん (zenzen) – never; not at all
あまり (amari) – not often; not very much
When You Use It
Use frequency adverbs to describe how often you perform an activity. Positive adverbs like 毎日 (mainichi), よく (yoku), and ときどき (tokidoki) do not need a negative ending. However, ぜんぜん (zenzen) and あまり (amari) must be used with negative verbs.
Examples
1. Using 毎日 (mainichi), よく (yoku), and ときどき (tokidoki):
– 私は毎日テレビを見ます。
(Watashi wa mainichi terebi o mimasu.)
I watch TV every day.
– 私はよく映画を見ます。
(Watashi wa yoku eiga o mimasu.)
I often watch movies.
– 私はときどき食堂へ行きます。
(Watashi wa tokidoki shokudou e ikimasu.)
I sometimes go to the cafeteria.
2. Using ぜんぜん (zenzen) and あまり (amari):
– 私はぜんぜん本を読みません。
(Watashi wa zenzen hon o yomimasen.)
I do not read books at all.
– マリアさんはあまり音楽を聞きません。
(Maria-san wa amari ongaku o kikimasen.)
Maria does not listen to music much.
Note
- When using ぜんぜん (zenzen) and あまり (amari), remember to end the sentence with ません (masen) to make it negative. This is crucial to correctly convey the frequency.
- Traditionally, ‘ぜんぜん’ (zenzen) is used with negative verbs to mean ‘not at all,’ like in ‘私はぜんぜん本を読みません,’ which means ‘I do not read books at all.’ Recently, people also use ‘ぜんぜん’ with positive endings in casual conversations to emphasize something is completely true or okay. For example, ‘ぜんぜん大丈夫’ (zenzen daijoubu) means ‘totally fine.’ This usage is informal and not suitable for formal situations.
Conclusion
Mastering frequency adverbs will help you accurately describe your daily activities in Japanese.
