Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "かえります" vs "あまり"
Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.
Japanese Term A
かえります
かえります (kaerimasu)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B
あまり
あまり (amari)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both かえります and あまり are often translated to English but have distinct usages.
かえります (かえります (kaerimasu)) represents "to return, to go home" (Level: N5) and typically represents Used when returning to a place, typically one's home.
On the other hand, あまり (あまり (amari)) translates to "not much, not very (used with negative)" (Level: N4) and is used for Adverb always used with a negative verb or adjective to express 'not much' or 'not very'. Mixing these up can sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers!
Bilingual Sentence for "かえります"
毎日、会社から家に帰ります。
I go home from work every day.
Bilingual Sentence for "あまり"
私は辛いものが________好きじゃないです。
I don't like spicy food very much.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "毎日、会社から家に帰ります。" (Meaning: "I go home from work every day.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "かえります" fits here because it represents "to return, to go home" in the context: "I go home from work every day.".