素早い
subayai[sɨba̠ja̠i]
The English word "swift" can be translated into Japanese as either 速い or 素早い (subayai).
Meaning: fast, quick, rapid (adj)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 素早い | subayai | [sɨba̠ja̠i] (narrow) |
| 速い | hayai | [ha̠ja̠i] (narrow) |
In Japanese, there are different ways to express the concept of being swift depending on whether you are describing pure speed or agility. 速い is a versatile term used to describe something that is fast, quick or swift in terms of velocity. For example, it can describe the speed of a bird in flight or the passage of time. 素早い is used to describe movements that are not just fast, but also agile, nimble or snappy.
Which one should you use?
While both terms can be translated as "fast", they have distinct nuances. 速い refers specifically to speed or velocity. In contrast, 素早い refers to the quickness of a movement or a reaction, often implying nimbleness.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
subayai
Did you know?
- When describing a 'quick-witted' person, Japanese speakers use 頭の回転が速い, which literally means 'the rotation of the head is fast'.
- The word 素早い contains the character 素, which usually means 'element' or 'plain'. In this specific context, it emphasizes the purity and efficiency of a motion.
- If you confuse 速い (fast) with its phonetic twin 早い (early), you might accidentally tell someone to 'be early' instead of 'be fast'.
Examples in context
- ツバメは飛ぶのが速い。The swallow is swift in flight.This sentence uses 速い to describe the speed of a bird's flight.Tatoeba #202567 by small_snow, translation #39801 by AlanF_US
- 人生は短く、時がたつのは速い。Life is short and time is swift.This sentence uses 速い to describe the swift passage of time.Tatoeba #143977 by bunbuku, translation #270589 by CK
- この車は急速に加速します。This car accelerates swiftly.
- これは速度の速い電車です。This is a swiftly moving train.
- 彼は素早い動きで敵をかわした。Kare wa subayai ugoki de teki o kawashita.He dodged the enemy with swift movements.
Example conversation
Two friends are watching a video of a martial arts match.
- 陽葵 Himariあの選手の動き、すごく素早いね。Ano senshu no ugoki, sugoku subayai ne.That athlete's movements are really swift, aren't they?
- 蓮 Ren本当だね。まるで影みたいだ。Hontō da ne. Marude kage mitai da.True. He's like a shadow.
- 陽葵 Himari蓮君もあんな風に動ける？Ren-kun mo anna fū ni ugokeru?Can you move like that too, Ren?
- 蓮 Renいや、僕は全然無理だよ。Iya, boku wa zenzen muri da yo.No, that's impossible for me.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “swift” translations and entries 素早い, 速い, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
