
Kanari can also be used with nouns if you glue them together with the ‘ no‘ particle, although you should note that using it that way comes off as kanari casual. The only catch is you have to make the Japanese “ r” sound to say it, which can be a little tricky for beginners.Īnd actually this word is a little more flexible than totemo.
Japanese totemo pro#
It’s meaning and usage is exactly the same as totemo so you can start using it like a pro right away, there are no hidden nuance traps waiting to bite your leg off and your Japanese will instantly sound much more confident and natural. Kanari is a fabulous word, I can’t recommend it enough. So to help Japanese learners cure their addiction to this intoxicatingly easy word, I’ve collected 7 alternatives to help you lay off the totemo juice and expand your linguistic horizons. Of these words, totemo is easily one of the most overused.


While heavy reliance on a select few power-words may be sufficient for travelers, for anyone who wants to understand everyday Japanese as it is spoken by native speakers, or perhaps someday even sound intelligent speaking Japanese, these words can be almost like an invisible barrier to more advanced vocabulary. “Power-words” like totemo great for speed-learning, and non-Japanese pick up on these words with unparalleled ease… However, all too often those learners end up clinging to these words to a far greater degree than they should and for a much longer time than they should.

Because it is so easy to pronounce, so broad in meaning and so simple in grammar, it is one of the most useful words in the Japanese language. Totemo means “ very” in Japanese, also sometimes pronounced とっても/ tottemo with a kicked “t” for added emphasis.
