Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "あいます" vs "とても"
Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.
Japanese Term A
あいます
あいます (aimasu)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B
とても
とても (totemo)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both あいます and とても are often translated to English but have distinct usages.
あいます (あいます (aimasu)) represents "to meet, to see (a person)" (Level: N5) and typically represents The polite form of 会う.
On the other hand, とても (とても (totemo)) translates to "very, extremely" (Level: N4) and is used for Adverb used to emphasize the degree of an adjective or verb, meaning 'very' or 'extremely'. Mixing these up can sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers!
Bilingual Sentence for "あいます"
週末に友達にあいます。
I meet my friend on the weekend.
Bilingual Sentence for "とても"
このケーキはとても美味しいです。
This cake is very delicious.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "週末に友達に ＿＿＿ 。" (Meaning: "I meet my friend on the weekend.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "あいます" fits here because it represents "to meet, to see (a person)" in the context: "I meet my friend on the weekend.".