いつも
itsu mo[it͡sɨmo̞]
The English word 'always' is translated to Japanese as いつも (itsu mo).
いつも is a versatile way to express always in both formal and informal situations.
Meaning: at all times (adv)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of いつ, meaning 'when' and も, meaning 'also' or 'even', which together function as 'always' or 'all the time'.
Which one should you use?
While いつも means 'always' in the sense of frequency or habit, it is different from 常に, which is a more formal and literary way to say 'constantly' or 'invariably'.
How do you pronounce it?
itsu mo
Did you know?
- While いつも means 'always', the word いつもの adds a possessive particle to mean 'the usual'. It is commonly used at cafes or restaurants to order 'the usual' without specifying the item.
- The particle も in いつも creates a 'universal' meaning. This is a pattern seen in other words like どこでも for 'anywhere' and なんでも for 'anything'.
- Depending on the tone, いつも can be used sarcastically to point out a bad habit. A phrase like いつもそうだ can translate to 'it is always like that' when complaining about a recurring problem.
Examples in context
- いつも忙しいの？Are you always busy?This example shows how to use いつも to ask about a constant state of being busy.Tatoeba #8723018 by bunbuku, translation #1476466 by Eldad
- いつもこうなの？Is it always like this?This example uses いつも to ask if a certain condition is a constant state.Tatoeba #8730580 by bunbuku, translation #3636434 by CK
- いつも遅れてた。I always arrived late.This example demonstrates using いつも to describe a habitual action in the past.Tatoeba #11817240 by small_snow, translation #3823181 by CK
- 彼女はいつも遅いです。She is always late.
- いつもお世話になっております。I always appreciate your help.
- 社内での安全は常に最優先です。Safety within the company is always our top priority.
- 私たちは常に品質にこだわります。We always strive for quality.
- 彼はずっと笑顔ですね。He always has a smile on his face.
- ずっと応援していますよ。I'm always cheering for you.
- いつまでも一緒にいたいです。I want to be with you always.
- いつまでも忘れませんよ。I will never forget you, always.
- 772 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ren and Yui are talking about their morning routines.
- 蓮 Ren結衣はいつも早起きだね。Yui wa itsumo hayaoki dane.Yui, you are always an early riser.
- 結衣 Yuiうん、習慣なんだ。Un, shuukan nanda.Yeah, it's a habit.
- 蓮 Ren僕はいつも二度寝しちゃうよ。Boku wa itsumo nidone shichau yo.I always fall back asleep.
- 結衣 Yuiそれは大変だね。Sore wa taihen dane.That must be tough.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “always” translations and entries いつも, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
