Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Very" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "very", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
なかなか
なかなか (nakanaka)
N3 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
至って
いたって (itatte)
N3 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "very" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between なかなか and 至って.
In Japanese, なかなか (なかなか (nakanaka)) is typically associated with "very; considerably; easily (with negative); more than expected" (Syllabus Level: N3) and represents Refers to a situation being highly considerably, more than expected, or with negative verbs, expresses that something does not happen easily.
On the other hand, 至って (いたって (itatte)) maps to "very; extremely; exceedingly" (Syllabus Level: N3) and represents An adverb used to emphasize a high degree of something, often implying a surprising or unexpected extent. It's a slightly more formal expression than 'とても'.. A literal translation of "very" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "なかなか"
システムの初期ローディング遅延のバグ原因は複雑であり、シニアエンジニアであっても_______解決策が見出せませんでした。
Because the cause of the initial loading delay bug of the system was complex, even the senior engineer could not easily find a solution.
Bilingual Context for "至って"
彼女の態度は至って普通だった。
Her attitude was extremely ordinary.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "システムの初期ローディング遅延のバグ原因は複雑であり、シニアエンジニアであっても_______解決策が見出せませんでした。" (Meaning: "Because the cause of the initial loading delay bug of the system was complex, even the senior engineer could not easily find a solution.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "なかなか" fits here because it means "very; considerably; easily (with negative); more than expected" in the context of: "Because the cause of the initial loading delay bug of the system was complex, even the senior engineer could not easily find a solution.". "至って" represents "very; extremely; exceedingly".