とても難しい
totemo muzukashii
The English phrase "very difficult" is expressed in Japanese as とても難しい (totemo muzukashii).
This phrase is used to describe something that requires a great deal of effort or skill to accomplish.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the adverb totemo (very) and the i-adjective muzukashii (difficult).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For more formal situations, you can use 大変難しい or 非常に難しい. If you are in an informal setting, you can use めちゃくちゃむずかしい or the colloquial, slangy めっちゃ難しい when speaking with friends.
How do you pronounce it?
totemo muzukashii
Did you know?
- In Japanese, the word 難しい can also be a polite way to say 'no' when someone asks you a favor. Instead of a blunt refusal, saying 'it is difficult' implies that the request is impossible to fulfill.
- In some contexts, the phrase 難しい can be used to describe a taste or a smell that is 'acquired' or too sophisticated for the average person.
- The slang version めっちゃ ('meccha') is a contraction of the Kansai dialect word めちゃくちゃ, which originally referred to a state of complete disorder or ruins.
Examples in context
- それはとても難しい質問です。That's a very difficult question.This sentence shows how to use とても難しい to describe a question.Tatoeba #5132411 by pekerappo, translation #5132189 by CK
- それはとても難しいことです。That's very difficult.This sentence shows how to use とても難しい to describe a thing or situation.Tatoeba #11851885 by small_snow, translation #5774134 by CK
- 言葉を翻訳することはとても難しい。Translating languages is very difficult.This sentence shows how to use とても難しい to describe the act of translating languages.Tatoeba #672327 by arihato, translation #684692 by notrwanda
- この問題は大変難しいです。This problem is very difficult.
- このゲームのレベルはめちゃくちゃむずかしいよ！The levels in this game are extremely difficult!
- この計算問題はばり難しいでぇー！This math problem is extremely difficult!
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two students are talking about a recent exam.
- 陽葵 Himari昨日の試験はどうだった？Kinou no shiken wa dou datta?How was yesterday's exam?
- 健太 Kentaとても難しい試験だったよ。Totemo muzukashii shiken datta yo.It was a very difficult exam.
- 陽葵 Himari健太君は解けた？Kenta-kun wa toketa?Were you able to solve them, Kenta?
- 健太 Kenta半分もできなかったよ。Hanbun mo dekinakatta yo.I couldn't even do half of them.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
