Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| とても | totemo | [to̞te̞mo̞] (narrow) | |
| 非常に | hijō ni | ||
| 凄く | sugoku | [sɨɡo̞kɯ̟] (narrow) | |
| 大変 | taihen | [ta̠ihẽ̞ɴ] (narrow) | |
| 随分 | zuibun | [d͡zɨibɯ̟̃ɴ] (narrow) | |
| めっちゃ | metcha | [me̞t̚t͡ɕa̠] (narrow) | slang |
| 超 | chō | slang | |
| ばり | bari | [ba̠ɾʲi] (narrow) | |
| なまら | namara | ||
| どえらい、でら | doerai, dera | ||
| 大いに | ōini | [o̞ːi ɲ̟i] (narrow) |
All these terms are used as adverbs to indicate that something exists or is happening to a high degree.
Which one should you use?
While とても is a standard way to say "very", 非常に is more formal and objective, making it suitable for written reports or news. 凄く is a more colloquial and emotive option. Unlike the general intensifiers, 随分 implies a sense of surprise or that something has exceeded expectations, often translating to "quite" or "considerably".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For formal or written situations, use 非常に or the polite form 大変 to express degree. An older-fashioned formal term meaning "exceedingly" is 甚(いた)く. In everyday spoken language, すごく is widely used to mean "very" or "awfully" and めちゃくちゃ is common for "very" or "extremely". For casual conversation among friends, you can use the slang terms めっちゃ or 超, the latter of which functions similarly to the English "super".
Is it said differently in some regions?
Several terms are specific to certain regions: ばり is used in the Kyushu region, なまら is used in the Hokkaido dialect and どえらい or でら are used in parts of central Japan, such as the Nagoya area.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
While most forms modify adjectives, 大いに is used specifically with verbs to mean "greatly" or "to a great extent", such as "to enjoy greatly".
How do you pronounce it?
totemo
Did you know?
- The word とても was originally used only with negative verbs to mean 'not at all'. Its use as a positive intensifier meaning 'very' only became common around 1910-1920.
- While めっちゃ is used nationwide as slang, its origins are rooted in the Kansai dialect of Osaka and Kyoto.
Examples in context
- 今とても眠い。I'm very sleepy now.This sentence demonstrates using とても to express being very sleepy.Tatoeba #172772 by kmt, translation #241702 by CK
- とてもいいよ。It's very good.This sentence shows how to use とても to say something is very good.Tatoeba #200671 by bunbuku, translation #37872 by CK
- 今日は超寒い。It's very cold today.This sentence shows the use of the slang intensifier 超 to say it is very cold.Tatoeba #1166436 by bunbuku, translation #242709 by CK
- 新幹線は非常に速いです。The bullet train is very fast.
- 昨日の試合はめちゃくちゃ熱かった！Yesterday's match was very intense!
- 今日はすごく暑いですね。Today is very hot, isn't it?
- 1325 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A woman and a man are talking about a new movie at a cafe.
- 陽葵 Himariあの映画、とても面白かったね。Ano eiga, totemo omoshirokatta ne.That movie was very interesting, wasn't it?
- 陽太 Yotaうん、とても感動したよ。Un, totemo kandou shita yo.Yeah, I was very moved.
- 陽葵 Himari陽太さんは、どんな場面が好きだった？Hinata-san wa, donna bamen ga suki datta?Hinata, which scene did you like?
- 陽太 Yota最後のエンドロールの場面かな。Saigo no endorōru no bamen kana.I guess it was the scene during the end credits.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “very” translations and entries とても, 凄く, 大変, 随分, めっちゃ, 超, ばり, なまら, 大いに, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries とても, 凄く, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
