Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "As" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "as", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
なるべく
なるべく (narubeku)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
やっぱり
やっぱり (yappari)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "as" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between なるべく and やっぱり.
In Japanese, なるべく (なるべく (narubeku)) is typically associated with "as much as possible, as ~ as one can" (Syllabus Level: N4) and represents Adverb. Used to encourage or suggest doing something to the greatest extent possible or practical..
On the other hand, やっぱり (やっぱり (yappari)) maps to "as expected, after all, just as I thought" (Syllabus Level: N4) and represents Casual form of やはり. Used to express that something turned out to be as one expected, or to reconfirm something. It can also mean 'after all' in the sense of making a final decision or preference.. A literal translation of "as" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "なるべく"
なるべく早く来てください。
Please come as early as possible.
Bilingual Context for "やっぱり"
雨が降ってきた。やっぱり傘を持ってくればよかった。
It started raining. I should have brought an umbrella after all.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: " ＿＿＿ 早く来てください。" (Meaning: "Please come as early as possible.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "なるべく" fits here because it means "as much as possible, as ~ as one can" in the context of: "Please come as early as possible.". "やっぱり" represents "as expected, after all, just as I thought".