Looking for a Japanese adverbs list? A list of fukushi (副詞)?
Yes, that’s right, fukushi means adverb in Japanese.
Now, that you know that important tidbit, let’s move on.
Before you become a genius at Japanese adverbs, I just need to make sure that you know what an adverb is.
So, what’s an adverb? Long story short, It’s a word or phrase that modifies a verb, an adjective, among some others. For example, “he runs quickly.” Quickly is an adverb there and it gives us a better sense of how he runs. For example, he can quickly, slowly, giddily, on occasion, or rarely (because he hates running.) So, now that you know what adverbs are, let’s move onto Japanese adverbs.
1. Introduction to Japanese Adverbs
Here’s a quick crash course in Japanese adverbs. Japanese adverbs (fukushi) are either…
- Adverbs made from adjectives
- i-adjective adverbs (take out the final i and replace it with “ku” to make it an adverb. For example oishii because oishiku)
- na-adjective adverbs (add “ni” to make it an adverb. For example, kirei because kirei ni)
- Or, adverbs not related to adjectives
You’re going to learn both. While the overall list of Japanese Adverbs contains over 120+ words, there are more for you to know. However, don’t worry too much about all these words. If you read part 4 of this guide, you’ll learn how to learn these words and words in general.
Now, let’s move on to the actual “fukushi.”
2. Adverbs From Adjectives
With all the Japanese adjectives out there, this list can be massive. So, if you can remember that “i-adjectives” get a “ku” to replace the final “i,” and that “na-adjectives” get a “ni,” you’ll be fine.
Here’s a list of some basic Japanese adverbs you should know. And if you want some adverbs that are Japanese antonyms, then click that link.
English | Japanese | Romaji | |
1 | cheaply | 安く | yasuku |
2 | quickly | 早く | hayaku |
3 | well | よく | yoku |
4 | quietly | 静かに | shizukani |
5 | simply | 簡単に | kantan’ni |
6 | cleanly | きれいに | kireini |
7 | loudly/noisily | うるさく | usuaku |
8 | badly | 悪く | waruku |
9 | enjoyably | 楽しく | tanoshiku |
10 | deliciously | おいしく | oishiku |
11 | newly | 新しく | atarashiku |
12 | coldly | 寒く | samuku |
13 | with difficulty | 難しく | muzukashiku |
14 | enthusiastically | 熱心に | nesshin ni |
15 | cutely | かわいく | kawaiku |
16 | strongly | 強く | tsuyoku |
17 | weakly | 弱く | yowaku |
3. Japanese Adverbs List – Not Related to Adjectives
Below is a 100+ Japanese adverbs list for adverbs of time, frequency/degree, manner and such. These are “fukushi” not related to adjectives.
English | Japanese | Romaji | |
1 | a little | 少し | sukoshi |
2 | a lot | たくさん | takusan |
3 | about, approximately | ほぼ | hobo |
4 | afterall | やはり | yahari |
5 | afterall | やっぱり | yappari |
6 | already | もう | mou |
7 | always | いつも | itsumo |
8 | as much as possible, if possible | なるべく | narubeku |
9 | at last, finally | ようやく | youyaku |
10 | barely | 僅かに | wazukani |
11 | certainly/indeed | たしかに | tashikani |
12 | completely | 全て | subete |
13 | completely | 全部 | zenbu |
14 | consequently | その結果 | sono kekka |
15 | considerably | 相当 | soutou |
16 | daily | 日々 | hibi |
17 | day after tomorrow | 明後日 | asatte |
18 | day before yesterday | 一昨日 | ototoi |
19 | definitely | 絶対に | zettai ni |
20 | enough, sufficiently | 十分 | juubun |
21 | eventually | 最終的に | saishuutekini |
22 | every day | 毎日 | mainichi |
23 | every month | 毎月 | maiktsuki |
24 | every morning | 毎朝 | maiasa |
25 | every night | 毎晩 | maiban |
26 | every time | 毎回 | maikai |
27 | every week | 毎週 | maishuu |
28 | every year | 毎年 | maitoshi |
29 | exactly | 丁度 | choudo |
30 | extremely | 極めて | kiwamete |
31 | fairly | かなり | kanari |
32 | finally | やっと | yatto |
33 | finally | ついに | tsuini |
34 | finally | とうとう | toutou |
35 | frequently | しばしば | shibashiba |
36 | generally | 一般に | ippan ni |
37 | Giving it all you can | 一生懸命 | isshoukenmei |
38 | gradually, little by little | だんだん | dandan |
39 | gradually, little by little | 徐々に | jojoni |
40 | hardly | めったに | mettani |
41 | immediately | 今すぐ | ima sugu |
42 | in addition, | その上 | sonoue |
43 | in succession | 次々(に) | tsugitsugi |
44 | in the future | 未来に | mirai ni |
45 | in the future | 未来に | mirai ni |
46 | increasingly, more and more | ますます | masumasu |
47 | just a little | ちょっと | chotto |
48 | last month | 先月 | sengetsu |
49 | last night | 昨夜 | sakuya |
50 | last week | 先週 | senshuu |
51 | later | 後で | ato de |
52 | likewise | 同様に | doyou ni |
53 | maybe | たぶん | tabun |
54 | meanwhile | その間 | sono aida |
55 | more or less, though not quite satisfactorily | 一応 | ichiou |
56 | mostly, nearly, almost [zero] | ほとんど | hotondo |
57 | never | 決して | kesshite |
58 | nevertheless | それなのに | sorenanoni |
59 | next month | 来月 | raigetsu |
60 | next week | 来週 | raishuu |
61 | normally | 通常 | tsuujou |
62 | not at all | 全然 | zenzen |
63 | not at all | ぜんぜん | zenzen |
64 | not very | あまり | amari |
65 | not very | たいして | taishite |
66 | not very | あまり | amari |
67 | now | 今 | ima |
68 | occasionally | たまに | tamani |
69 | often | よく | yoku |
70 | often | しょっちゅう | shouchuu |
71 | often | たびたび | tabitabi |
72 | passably | まあまあ | maamaa |
73 | previously | 前に | maeni |
74 | probably | おそらく | asoraku |
75 | quietly, freely, leisurely | のんびり | nonbiri |
76 | quite | なかなか | nakanaka |
77 | quite | だいぶ | daibu |
78 | rarely | あまり | amari |
79 | rarely | めったに~ない | metta ni~nai |
80 | rather | むしろ | mushiro |
81 | really, actually | 実に | jissai ni |
82 | really | 本当に | hontou ni |
83 | reasonably | そこそこ | sokosoko |
84 | recently | 最近 | saikin |
85 | slowly | ゆっくり | yukkuri |
86 | some day | いつか | itsuka |
87 | sometimes | ときどき | tokidoki |
88 | soon | 間もなく | Mamonaku |
89 | soon | すぐに | sugu ni |
90 | soonish, any time now | そろそろ | sorosoro |
91 | surely | きっと | kitto |
92 | the other day | 先日 | senjitsu |
93 | this evening/tonight | 今夜 | konya |
94 | this morning | 今朝 | kesa |
95 | thoroughly | すっかり | sukkari |
96 | today | 今日 | kyou |
97 | tomorrow | 明日 | ashita |
98 | usually/normally | 普通 | futsuu |
99 | usually/normally | 普段 | fudan |
100 | very | とても | totemo |
101 | very | 大変 | taihen |
102 | very | ずいぶん | zuibun |
103 | very much | 非常に | hijouni |
104 | without exception | 必ず | kanarazu |
105 | yesterday | 昨日 | kinou |
106 | yet | まだ | mada |
4. How to Learn Japanese Adverbs
First and foremost, you need to remember how to create “fukushi” from adjectives.
So, as a reminder, remember…
- I-adjective adverbs (take out the final i and replace it with “ku” to make it an adverb. For example oishii because oishiku)
- Na-adjective adverbs (add “ni” to make it an adverb. For example, kirei because kirei ni)
The reason I mention these rules three times now is because repetition is the mother of all learning. You can read something once… and forget it. You can read this all twice and still forget it.However, if you read it 5, 10 or 20 times over a period of time, it’ll get lodged into your brain. Just like how you should now remember that “fukushi” means “adverb.”
So, how do you learn this big Japanese adverbs list?
- Do not try to cram it all. Ever read a dictionary in a 3 or 4 hour sitting? Of course you didn’t. It’s painful and it’s not a good use of your time.
- Review occasionally. How? Print this page. Print the PDF. Re-read once every week or so, by reading these words and saying them out loud. Maybe spend 5 to 10 minutes maximum.
If you want the Japanese Adverbs PDF, click on the image below to download. Yours free.
- More importantly, read actual Japanese. You’ll come across these words… and you’ll wonder, “hmm, I definitely saw 実に before.” You’ll go look up it up and what do you know, it’s that adverb you learned here. And because you’re now coming across it a 4th or 5th time, you’ll never forget it.
– The Main Lingua Junkie