N5 Adverbs

a little, a bit, slightly

ちょっと / chotto: hear "cho" + "tap" + "toe" in the word. Picture a conductor saying "cho!", a quick tap, and a tapping toe turning into a clear scene for "a little"; that little scene ties chotto to "a little".

exactly, precisely, just

ちょうど / choudo: hear "cho" + "ooh" + "door" in the word. Picture a conductor saying "cho!", someone saying "ooh", and a big door turning into a clear scene for "exactly"; that little scene ties choudo to "exactly".

gradually, by degrees, little by little

だんだん / dandan: hear "dart" + "hum" + "dart" in the word. Picture a small dart, a humming "n" sound, and a small dart turning into a clear scene for "gradually"; that little scene ties dandan to "gradually".

how, "as above" mark

どう / dou: hear "door" + "ooh" in the word. Picture a big door beside someone saying "ooh" turning into a clear scene for "how"; that little scene ties dou to "how".

thanks, thank you, much (thanks)

どうも / doumo: hear "door" + "ooh" + "moat" in the word. Picture a big door, someone saying "ooh", and a little moat turning into a clear scene for "thanks"; that little scene ties doumo to "thanks".

why, how, in what way

どうして / doushite: hear "door" + "ooh" + "she" in the word. Picture a big door, someone saying "ooh", and someone saying "she" turning into a clear scene for "why"; that little scene ties doushite to "why".

please, kindly, pray

どうぞ / douzo: hear "door" + "ooh" + "zone" in the word. Picture a big door, someone saying "ooh", and a marked-off zone turning into a clear scene for "please"; that little scene ties douzo to "please".

for the first time, only after ... is it ..., only when ... do you ...

はじめて / hajimete: hear "ha" + "gee" + "may" in the word. Picture a laughing "ha!", a surprised "gee!", and a calendar page for May turning into a clear scene for "for the first time"; that little scene ties hajimete to "for the first time".

alone, one person, being alone

ひとり / hitori: hear "he" + "toe" + "reel" in the word. Picture someone pointing and saying "he", a tapping toe, and a film reel turning into a clear scene for "alone"; that little scene ties hitori to "alone".

most, number one, number one, first

いちばん / ichiban: hear "eek" + "cheese" + "bar" in the word. Picture someone squeaking "eek!", a wedge of cheese, and a colorful bar turning into a clear scene for "most, number one"; that little scene ties ichiban to "most, number one".

how about, how, in what way

いかが / ikaga: hear "eek" + "car" + "gasp" in the word. Picture someone squeaking "eek!", a small car, and a dramatic gasp turning into a clear scene for "how about"; that little scene ties ikaga to "how about".

how much, salted salmon roe

いくら / ikura: connect the sound to "eek!". Picture someone shouting "eek!" as they rush toward the scene in a scene for "how much" so the sound points straight back to the meaning.

how many, how old

いくつ / ikutsu: connect the sound to "eek!". Picture someone shouting "eek!" as they rush toward the scene in a scene for "how many" so the sound points straight back to the meaning.

together, together (with), at the same time

いっしょに / isshoni: hear "eek" + "hiss" + "show" in the word. Picture someone squeaking "eek!", a quick hiss, and a small stage show turning into a clear scene for "together"; that little scene ties isshoni to "together".

always, all the time, at all times

いつも / itsumo: hear "eek" + "tsk" + "moat" in the word. Picture someone squeaking "eek!", a tiny "tsk!" spark, and a little moat turning into a clear scene for "always"; that little scene ties itsumo to "always".

still, not yet, still, as yet

まだ / mada: hear "ma" + "dart" in the word. Picture a motherly "ma!" beside a small dart turning into a clear scene for "still, not yet"; that little scene ties mada to "still, not yet".

before

まえに / maeni: hear "ma" + "eh" + "knee" in the word. Picture a motherly "ma!", someone tilting their head and saying "eh?", and a bent knee turning into a clear scene for "before"; that little scene ties maeni to "before".

everyone, everybody, all

みんな / minna: hear "me" + "hum" + "knot" in the word. Picture someone pointing to themselves, a humming "n" sound, and a tight knot turning into a clear scene for "everyone"; that little scene ties minna to "everyone".

more, (some) more, even more

もっと / motto: hear "moat" + "tap" + "toe" in the word. Picture a little moat, a quick tap, and a tapping toe turning into a clear scene for "more"; that little scene ties motto to "more".

already, yet, by now

もう / mou: hear "moat" + "ooh" in the word. Picture a little moat beside someone saying "ooh" turning into a clear scene for "already"; that little scene ties mou to "already".

why, how, for what reason

なぜ / naze: hear "knot" + "zest" in the word. Picture a tight knot beside a bright lemon zest curl turning into a clear scene for "why"; that little scene ties naze to "why".

immediately, right away, at once

すぐに / suguni: hear "Sue" + "goo" + "knee" in the word. Picture someone named Sue, a splash of goo, and a bent knee turning into a clear scene for "immediately"; that little scene ties suguni to "immediately".

sometimes, occasionally, at times

ときどき / tokidoki: hear "toe" + "key" + "door" in the word. Picture a tapping toe, a bright key, and a big door turning into a clear scene for "sometimes"; that little scene ties tokidoki to "sometimes".

very, awfully, exceedingly

とても / totemo: hear "toe" + "tea" + "moat" in the word. Picture a tapping toe, a cup of tea, and a little moat turning into a clear scene for "very"; that little scene ties totemo to "very".

often, well, greed, craving

よく / yoku: hear "yo" + "coo" in the word. Picture a friendly "yo!" beside a soft "coo" sound turning into a clear scene for "often, well"; that little scene ties yoku to "often, well".

slowly, unhurriedly, without haste

ゆっくり / yukkuri: hear "you" + "click" + "coo" in the word. Picture someone pointing to you, a quick click, and a soft "coo" sound turning into a clear scene for "slowly"; that little scene ties yukkuri to "slowly".

not at all, (not) at all, (not) in the slightest

ぜんぜん / zenzen: hear "zest" + "hum" + "zest" in the word. Picture a bright lemon zest curl, a humming "n" sound, and a bright lemon zest curl turning into a clear scene for "not at all"; that little scene ties zenzen to "not at all".

little, few, a little, a bit

すこし / sukoshi: hear "Sue" + "coat" + "she" in the word. Picture someone named Sue, a big coat, and someone saying "she" turning into a clear scene for "little, few"; that little scene ties sukoshi to "little, few".