Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "終わります" vs "あまり"
Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.
Japanese Term A
終わります
おわります (owarimasu)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B
あまり
あまり (amari)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both 終わります and あまり are often translated to English but have distinct usages.
終わります (おわります (owarimasu)) represents "to finish, to end" (Level: N5) and typically represents Intransitive verb. Used for events, tasks, or time periods coming to an end. Often paired with が..
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 "終わります"
授業は3時に終わります。
The class finishes at 3 o'clock.
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: "授業は3時に ＿＿＿ 。" (Meaning: "The class finishes at 3 o'clock.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "終わります" fits here because it represents "to finish, to end" in the context: "The class finishes at 3 o'clock.".