Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "買う" vs "とても"
Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.
Japanese Term A
買う
かう (kau)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B
とても
とても (totemo)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both 買う and とても are often translated to English but have distinct usages.
買う (かう (kau)) represents "to buy" (Level: N5) and typically represents Commonly used for purchasing items. Polite form is 買います.
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 "買う"
週末に新しい本を買いました。
I bought a new book 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: "週末に新しい本を買いました。" (Meaning: "I bought a new book on the weekend.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "買う" fits here because it represents "to buy" in the context: "I bought a new book on the weekend.".