26 ways to say "very" in Japanese - with example sentences - Lingual Ninja!

Hello. I'm Kosuke!

Today, let's learn how to say "very" in Japanese!

I recommend you to check the video below before reading this article!

There are so many ways to say "very" in Japanese.

I will show you 26 ways in this article.

However, I think you should not remember all the words.

I would like you to remember at least the first 5 words from this article!

Below is the index of this article!

Index:
1. Summary

2. Very common words
2-1. Totemo
2-2. Sugoku
2-3. Monosugoku
2-4. Kanari
2-5. Hontouni

3. Casual words
3-1. Mechakucha
3-2. Metcha
3-3. Sugoi
3-4. Sugee
3-5. Chou

4. Formal words
4-1. Hijouni
4-2. Taihen
4-3. Makotoni
4-4. Kiwamete

5. Advanced words
5-1. Hanahada
5-2. Taisou
5-3. Jitsuni
5-4. Soutou
5-5. Eraku
5-6. Ooini
5-7. Osoroshiku
5-8. Sorewa-sorewa
5-9. Itatte
5-10. Shigoku
5-11. Kekkou

6. The very
6-1. Masani

7. Conclusion

1. Summary

I will explain about many words in this article.

However, the way to use them is very similar.

You just need to put them in front of adjectives.

You can put them in front of i-adjectives.
You can put them in front of na-adjectives.

You can sometimes even put them in front of verbs.

They make the meaning of the word right after them stronger, just like "very"!

2. Very common words

I would like to show you 5 common words to say "very" in Japanese.

If you remember these 5 words, I think it's enough for now!

2-1. Totemo

"とても(totemo)", or "とっても(tottemo)", is the most common way to say "very" in Japanese.

Hiragana is used when writing the words.

Example:

ふじさんはとてもきれいです。
fu ji sa n wa to te mo ki re i de su

Meaning: "Mt. Fuji is very beautiful."

ふじさん: Mt. Fuji
とても: very
きれい: beautiful, clean

If you don't know about "は(wa)", please check this:
Particle wa >>

If you want to know more about "きれい(kirei)", please check this:
Kirei >>

If you don't know "です(desu)", please check this:
Desu >>

2-2. Sugoku

Kanji: 凄く

"すごく(sugoku)" is also a very common way to say "very" in Japanese.

"Sugoku" is one form of the i-adjective word
"sugoi".

Some meanings include, "terrific", "amazing", "great", "tremendous", and so on...

When you want to say "very", please change the form into "sugoku", and please put it in front of another adjective.

Example:

ラーメンはすごくおいしい。
ra me n wa su go ku o i shi i

Meaning: "Ramen is very delicious."

ラーメン: ramen (Japanese noodle)
すごく: very
おいしい: delicious

If you want to know more about "おいしい(oishii)", please check this:
Oishii >>

2-3. Monosugoku

Kanji: 物凄く

"ものすごく(monosugoku)" is a more emphasized way to say "sugoku".

"Monosugoku" is also one form of the i-adjective word "monosugoi".

Some meanings include, "terrific", "amazing", "great", "tremendous", and so on...

However, it is more emphasized due to the addition of "mono".

The way to use "monosugoku" is the same as "sugoku".

Example:

すしはものすごくおいしい。
su shi wa mo no su go ku o i shi i

Meaning: "Sushi is extremely delicious."

すし: Sushi (Japanese food)
ものすごく: very, extremely
おいしい: delicious

2-4. Kanari

"かなり(kanari)" is also one of the common ways to say "very".

The three words "totemo", "sugoku", "kanari" are the most common ways to say "very" in Japanese.
So please remember those three words!

Example:

きょうはかなりあつい。
kyo u wa ka na ri a tsu i

Meaning: "Today is very hot."

きょう: today
かなり: very
あつい: hot

If you want to know more about "あつい(atsui)", please check this:
Atsui >>

2-5. Hontouni

Kanji: 本当に

"ほうとうに(hontouni)", or "ほんとに(hontoni)", is another way to say "very".

"hontou" is one of na-adjectives, which means "real".

So "hontouni" means "very" and "really".

Example:

きょうはほんとうにさむい。
kyo u wa ho n to u ni sa mu i

Meaning: "Today is very cold."

きょう: today
ほんとうに: very, really
さむい: cold

If you want to know more about "さむい(samui)", please check this:
Samui >>

3. Casual words

If you remember the 5 words above, I think it's enough for now.

However, if you have an opportunity to speak with Japanese friends, they will use more casual words.

I recommend you to skim through this topic, and prepare for it!

3-1. Mechakucha

Kanji: 滅茶苦茶, 目茶苦茶

Originally, "めちゃくちゃ(mechakucha)" means "incoherent", "confused", or "chaotic".

However, when we use it in casual conversations, it sometimes means "very" or "terribly".

Example:

このスープはめちゃくちゃうまい。
ko no su pu wa me cha ku cha u ma i

Meaning: "This soup is very delicious."

この: this
スープ: soup
めちゃくちゃ: very, terribly
うまい: delicious

If you don't know why Kanataka is used for "スープ", please check this:
When should you use Katakana? >>

If you want to know more about "うまい(umai)", please check this:
Umai >>

3-2. Metcha

"めっちゃ(metcha)" is a shorter way to say "めちゃくちゃ(mechakucha)".

This is often used in casual conversations amongst young people.

Example:

このケーキ、めっちゃやばい！
ko no ke ki me t cha ya ba i

Meaning: "This cake is very delicious!"

この: this
ケーキ: cake
めっちゃ: very
やばい: amazing, terrific, delicious, etc.

If you want to know more about "やばい(yabai)", please check this:
Yabai >>

3-3. Sugoi

Kanji: 凄い

I already explained about "すごく(sugoku)".

"すごい(sugoi)" is another form of "sugoku".

However, we can't use "sugoi" as "very" because "sugoi" should be used only for explaining a noun.
So if we use "sugoi" instead of "very", it is grammatically wrong.

However, many Japanese people use this as "very" in a casual conversation.
Native speakers use this, so maybe you can as well, even if it is grammatically incorrect.

Example:

このビルはすごいおおきい。
ko no bi ru wa su go i o o ki i

Meaning: "This building is very large."

この: this
ビル: building
すごい: very
おおきい: large, big

3-4. Sugee

Kanji: 凄ぇ

"すげぇ(sugee)" is a very casual way to say "very".

I don't recommend you to use this in a formal conversation.

This is mainly used among young people.

Example:

このゲームはすげぇむずかしい。
ko no ge mu wa su ge e mu zu ka shi i

Meaning: "This game is very hard."

この: this
ゲーム: game
すげぇ: very
むずかしい: hard, difficult

3-5. Chou

Kanji: 超

"ちょう(chou)" is a very common way to say "very" among young people.

Probably, you will hear this word when speaking with young Japanese people.

Example:

このまんが、ちょうおもしろい！
ko no ma n ga cho u o mo shi ro i

Meaning: "This comic is very interesting."

この: this
まんが: comic
ちょう: very
おもしろい: interesting

4. Formal words

I have already explained about casual ways to say "very" in Japanese.

However, if you work in Japan, I recommend you to remember these formal words!

4-1. Hijouni

Kanji: 非常に

"ひじょうに(hijouni)" is often used in formal conversations.

Regarding the Kanji, "非" means "not".
"常" means "usual".

So "非常に(hijouni)" means "unusually".

We can use this word as "very".

Example:

このタスクはひじょうにむずかしい。
ko no ta su ku wa hi jo u ni mu zu ka shi i

Meaning: "This task is very difficult."

この: this
タスク: task
ひじょうに: very
むずかしい: difficult, hard

4-2. Taihen

Kanji: 大変

"たいへん(taihen)" is another way to say "very" in a formal conversation.

It is very similar to "hijouni".

"Taihen" sometimes means "serious" or "no laughing matter".

However, it also means "very", "greatly", or "exceedingly".

Example:

それはたいへんすばらしい。
so re wa ta i he n su ba ra shi i

Meaning: "It is very nice."

それ: it
たいへん: very
すばらしい: nice

4-3. Makotoni

Kanji: 誠に

"まことに(makotoni)" is a very formal and polite way to say "very" in Japanese.

"Makoto" means "real", and "makotoni" means "really".
So this is similar to "hontouni".

However, "makotoni" is much more polite.

Example:

まことにもうしわけございません。
ma ko to ni mo u shi wa ke go za i ma se n

Meaning: "I am very sorry."

まことに: very, really
もうしわけございません: I'm sorry

You can use the sentence above when you apologize to your client in Japan.

4-4. Kiwamete

Kanji: 極めて

"きわめて(kiwamete)" is often used for academic documents or formal speeches.

"Kiwameru" is a verb which means "going to extremes".

So "kiwamete" means "very" or "extremely".

Example:

じんたいのこうぞうはきわめてふくざつだ。
ji n ta i no ko u zo u wa ki wa me te fu ku za tsu da

Meaning: "The structure of the human body is very complicated."

じんたい: human body
の: of
こうぞう: structure
きわめて: very, extremely
ふくざつだ: complicated

5. Advanced words

If you remember the words I already explained, it's enough.

However, please let me show other words, just in case.

They are sometimes used in Japan.
So please just skim through, and prepare in case you hear them.

5-1. Hanahada

Kanji: 甚だ

"はなはだ(hanahada)" is a somewhat difficult way to say "very".
So I don't think Japanese people should use this word in front of foreign people.

However, it is sometimes used in formal documents.

Please remember, just in case.

Example:

かれのしゅちょうははなはだうたがわしい。
ka re no shu cho u wa ha na ha da u ta ga wa shi i

Meaning: "His argument is very doubtful."

かれの: his
しゅちょう: argument, opinion, claim
はなはだ: very
うたがわしい: doubtful

If you want to know more about "かれ(kare)", please check this:
He and She >>

5-2. Taisou

Kanji: 大層

"たいそう(taisou)" is another way to say "very".

This is sometimes used in formal conversations.

Also, this sounds a little polite.

Example:

かれはたいそうおどろいた。
ka re wa ta i so u o do ro i ta

Meaning: "He was very surprised."

かれ: he
たいそう: very
おどろいた: was surprised

5-3. Jitsuni

Kanji: 実に

"じつに(jitsuni)" is also a formal way to say "very".

The Kanji character "実" means "real".
So "実に(jitsuni)" means "really" and "very".

In Japan, there is a famous TV drama callled "Galileo".

In the drama, there is a physicist, who is the main character of this drama.

He is smart, and always speaks formally.

When he finds an interesting mystery, he always says,
"じつにおもしろい(jitsuni omoshiroi)".

"Omoshiroi" means "interesting".
So it means "very interesting".

Maybe, "jitsuni" is used by smart and formal people, like physicists.

Example:

それはじつにむずかしいもんだいだ。
so re wa ji tsu ni mu zu ka shi i mo n da i da

Meaning: "It is a very difficult problem."

それ: it
じつに: very, really
むずかしい: difficult, hard
もんだい: problem, issue

5-4. Soutou

Kanji: 相当

"そうとう(soutou)" means "considerably", "quite" or "pretty".

It can also mean "very".

Example:

そのえいきょうはそうとうしんこくだ。
so no e i kyo u wa so u to u shi n ko ku da

Meaning: "The impact is very serious."

その: the
えいきょう: impact, influence, effect
そうとう: very, considerably
しんこくだ: serious, critical

5-5. Eraku

Kanji: 偉く

"えらく(eraku)" also means "very".

This word is similar to "sugoku".

"Eraku" is not so formal.

Example:

かれはえらくじょうきげんだ。
ka re wa e ra ku jo u ki ge n da

Meaning: "He is in a very good mood."

かれ: he
えらく: very
じょうきげんだ: is in a good mood

5-6. Ooini

Kanji: 大いに

"おおいに(ooini)" is a similar word to "hijouni".

The Kanji character "大" means "big" or "great".

So "ooini" means "very" or "greatly".

Example:

わたしはかれにおおいにかんしゃしている。
ka ta shi wa ka re ni o o i ni ka n sha shi te i ru

Meaning: "I am very grateful for him."

わたし: I
かれに: for him
おおいに: very
かんしゃしている: be grateful

5-7. Osoroshiku

Kanji: 恐ろしく

"おそろしい(osoroshii)" means "frightful", "awful" and "terrible".

So "おそろしく(osoroshiku)" means "frightfully", "awfully" and "terribly".

However, "osoroshiku" also means "very" or "extremely".

Example:

きょうはおそろしくあつい。
kyo u wa o so ro shi ku a tsu i

Meaning: "Today is very hot."

きょう: today
おそろしく: very, awfully
あつい: hot

5-8. Sorewa-sorewa

When we want to exaggerate the way to say "very", "それはそれは(sorewa-sorewa)" is sometimes used.

"Sorewa-sorewa" includes the meaning of "surprise".

Example:

それはそれはうつくしいじょせいがそこにたっていた。
so re wa so re wa u stu ku shi i jo se i ga so ko ni ta t te i ta

Meaning: "A very beautiful woman was standing there."

それはそれは: very
うつくしい: beautiful
じょせい: woman
そこに: there
たっていた: was standing

When we read "sorewa-sorewa" in the sentence above, we know the speaker was so surprised because of the very beautiful woman.

Totemo
Sugoku
Monosugoku
Kanari
Hontouni

After remembering these 5 words, please remember the other words in preparation for listening to native speakers.

I hope this article helps you study Japanese!
Thank you for reading!