一時的に
ichijiteki ni
The English word "temporarily" can be translated into Japanese using 一時的に (ichijiteki ni). Wiktionary also lists 暫く (shibaraku).
Meaning: for a limited period of time (adv)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 一時的に | ichijiteki ni | |
| 暫く | shibaraku | [ɕiba̠ɾa̠kɯ̟] (narrow) |
一時的に is used to describe something that is happening for a limited period of time. It is frequently used in formal announcements to indicate things like service outages, system maintenance or temporary closures.
Which one should you use?
While 一時的に implies a specific temporary state or a specific interruption, 暫く is more colloquial and suggests a duration of "a little while" or "some time" without necessarily implying a return to a previous state. For a much more casual expression meaning "just for a little while", you can use ちょっとだけ.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form 一時的に functions as an adverb and is typically placed before the verb or adjective it modifies.
How do you pronounce it?
ichijiteki ni
Did you know?
- In traditional Kabuki theatre, the phrase しばらく is the title of a famous scene where a hero makes a dramatic entrance and shouts the word to tell everyone to wait 'just a little longer'.
- In Japanese business settings, if you use 一時的に to describe a mistake, it can sound like you are downplaying the error as a mere 'brief glitch'. This can sometimes come across as dismissive of the problem's impact.
- Japanese has multiple words for 'temporary' depending on whether the state is a pause in a sequence or a replacement for something permanent, such as 暫定的に for provisional measures.
Examples in context
- モスクは一時的に閉鎖されていました。The mosque was temporarily closed.This sentence is useful for describing a temporary closure of a location using 一時的に.Tatoeba #9196616 by small_snow, translation #9196603 by Amastan
- このサービスは一時的にご利用いただけません。This service is temporarily out of order.This sentence is useful for describing a temporary service outage using 一時的に.Tatoeba #74445 by fcbond, translation #329274 by fcbond
- 一時的にサーバーがダウンしています。ichijiteki ni sābā ga daun shite imasu.The server is temporarily down.
Example conversation
陽葵 asks 大翔 about his workspace situation.
- 陽葵 Himari大翔さんは今、どこで仕事をしているの？Hiroto-san wa ima, doko de shigoto o shite iru no?Hiroto, where are you working right now?
- 大翔 Hiroto一時的にカフェで作業しているよ。Ichijiteki ni kafe de sagyō shite iru yo.I'm working at a cafe temporarily.
- 陽葵 Himariそうなんだ。集中できる？Sō nanda. Shūchū dekiru?I see. Can you concentrate?
- 大翔 Hirotoうん、意外と静かだよ。Un, igaito shizuka da yo.Yeah, it's surprisingly quiet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “temporarily” translations and entries 暫く, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
