Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "大変" vs "それから"
Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.
Japanese Term A
大変
たいへん (taihen)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B
それから
それから (sorekara)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both 大変 and それから are often translated to English but have distinct usages.
大変 (たいへん (taihen)) represents "tough, difficult, serious (na-adjective); very, extremely (adverb)" (Level: N5) and typically represents Can be an な-adjective.
On the other hand, それから (それから (sorekara)) translates to "after that, then, and then" (Level: N5) and is used for Used to connect actions or events in chronological order, indicating a sequence. It can also mean 'and also' when adding items.. Mixing these up can sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers!
Bilingual Sentence for "大変"
この仕事は時間がかかって大変です。
This job takes a long time and is tough.
Bilingual Sentence for "それから"
まずシャワーを浴びます。それから、朝ごはんを食べます。
First, I take a shower. After that, I eat breakfast.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "この仕事は時間がかかって ＿＿＿ です。" (Meaning: "This job takes a long time and is tough.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "大変" fits here because it represents "tough, difficult, serious (na-adjective); very, extremely (adverb)" in the context: "This job takes a long time and is tough.".