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
非常に
ひじょうに (hijō ni)
N3 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "very" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between なかなか and 非常に.
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, 非常に (ひじょうに (hijō ni)) maps to "very, extremely, exceedingly" (Syllabus Level: N3) and represents An adverb used to express a high degree of something. More formal and stronger 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 "非常に"
この問題は非常に難しいです。
This problem is extremely difficult.
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.". "非常に" represents "very, extremely, exceedingly".