JLPT N2 Adverbs (Main)

相変わらず

あいかわらず as usual (as ever)

Positive or negative. Formal and informal. Versatile.

As always, but with the possibility of change

彼女は相変わらず美しい

相変わらずだね

(You never change do you)

相変わらず元気ですね

Genki as always

vs

いつも通りas per usual. Doesnt imply you were expecting a change

あっという間に

あっというまに in an instant, in the blink of an eye

Colloquial but could be used formally too

休暇(きゅうか)はあっという間に過ぎた

My vacation went by quickly/in an instant

Vs

たちまち、in an instant and surprisingly so

すぐに：right away, immediately

一瞬で(いっしゅんで): in a moment

いずれ ／ そのうち

someday, sometime, to point out an inevitability or eventuality

Formal. A casual alternative would be そのうち

彼はいずれその秘密(ひみつ)を知るでしょう

いずれご連絡いたします

vsそのうち

君はそのうち必ず成功する

そのうちやり方がわかるよ

Vs

やがて: slightly formal, soon

いつか: at some point/someday (dreams, hopes)

一応

いちおう once,tentatively,in outline,for the time being、just in case

Casual to semi formal

(Just in case)一応準備はしたけど、何か足りない気がする

(More or less)

一応合格しましたけど自信がないです

Vs

とりあえず：for now/the time beimg

一時的に：temporarily, for a temporary period

かろうじて：barely achieved something with difficulty、like zぎりぎり but more formal

一段と

いちだんと greater,more,further,still more

Formal, not used casually. もっと for casual。

このプロジェクトにおいて、一段とご協力をお願い申し上げます。

一向に～ない

いっこうに

(not) at all

Formal text and conversation. 全然(ぜんぜん) is the casual alternative

一向に存じません

(I know nothing in the slightest)

問題は一向に解決しなかったんです

(The problem wasnt resolved in the slightest)

一斉に

いっせいに simultaneously in a coordinated fashion

Neutral, can be used at all levels.

たまたま is used for coincidental simultaneous things

花火が一斉に打ち上げられた(うちあげられた)

The fireworks were launched all at once

Vs たまたま

私達はたまたま同じ電車に乗った

いっそ

rather, sooner, preferably when making a drastic decision.

いっそ一人で旅行に行った方がいいかもしれない

Maybe its better that i just travel alone

この仕事を辞めて、いっそ転職しようかな

Maybe i should just quit and search for a job instead

vs。むしろ

むしろ is for a more appropriate/logical option

よりむしろ for an unexpected option

一層

いっそう Much more, still more, all the more、even further. To indicate advancement, intensity or significance.

Formal, written

彼の成功で、会社の期待が一層高まった

Differnce between:

段と：a marked improvement or change

いっそ：an extreme decision

さらに：formal and informal, more like simple furthermore

いったん

temporarily, for the time being, for a short time, briefly

Neutral, all levels.

いったん家に帰ってから、また出かけるつもりです

Also used as 'once'

いったん決めたことは変えられない

Vs. others

一時: emphasises the time, いったん emphasises the state

ほとまず: emphasises a temporary measure with inferred next steps

とりあえず：less emphasis on the continuation or next steps. "For now" without obligation of further steps.

いつの間にか

いつのまにか before I knew it、before one realises

Neutral, most levels. Common in conversation.

いつのまにか、そとは暗くなっていた

いつのまにか、春になっていた

Vs.

知らぬ間に：older, old fashioned

ふと：suddenly, by chance

いつまでも

forever、endlessly, no matter how long.

Neutral. All levels.

彼はいつまでも若く見える

いつまでも忘れないでください

Vs

永遠に(えいえんに)：eternally, forever, in an absolute sense and more poetic and formal

ずっと: continuously and for a long time

今更

いまさら now, at this late hour、at this point.

Emp. Lateness, regret, frustration or futility

Neutral, all levels

今更あやまっても遅いよ

Its too late to apologise now

Vs others

もう遅い: more directly "its too late"

今ごろ：around this time but without negative or regretful nuance

いまだに

even now、expresses something will continue, remain unchanged, or persist, often with a surprised, frustrated or disbelief nuance.

Neutral, all levels.

彼はいまだにそのことを気にしている

いまだに連絡がない

いまだに彼女のことを忘れられない

vs

まだ: まだ still in neutral terms

相変わらず： emphasising continues in its state as you expected

今でも: neutral version, can be more positive

今でも

even now (neutral to positive)

今でもその歌が大好きです

I still love that song even today

今に

before long, even now

Neutral

今に雨が降り出すよ

Vs.

もうすぐ also means soon and is more common and neutral. 今に infers a stronger sense of inevitability

今にも

いまにも at any time, soon

今まで

いままで until now

うんざり

tedious, boring, being fed up with、 to the point of being disgusted

Informal and conversational

毎日同じ話を聞かされて、うんざりしている

I'm fed up with being made to listen to the same story everyday

この仕事にはもううんざりだ

vs

退屈(たいくつ): bored, unstimulated

飽きる(あきる): get tired of, lose interest in. More neutral than うんざり

イライラ: irritatedly, frustratedly

うんと

a great deal; very much、considerably

Informal, used in conversation to exaggerate or hightlight the extent of something

昨日はうんと寝たから、今日は元気だ

うんとお金があればいいのに

It would be great if i had a lot of money

vs

たくさん a little more neutral (多くの) for formal

いっぱい when talking about physical quantities

ずいぶん considerable or quite, more surprising connotation

おおよそ

approximately, roughly, about

Neutral but slightly more formal than 大体、better in written and polite convo.

ここから駅までおおよそ10分です

このイベントにはおおよそ500人が参加しました

大体 more casual

約 more numerical

ほぼ almost complete

大いに

おおいに very, much, greatly

Quite formal. Written and speeches

この成果を大いに喜んでいます

大いに楽しんでください

vs

非常に more common and broad. 大いに is more emphatic and formal.

とても and たくさん more casual

思いっきり

with all one's strength, to the fullest extent, wholeheartedly

Informal and conversational

この映画を思いっきり楽しんでください

試合で思いっきりプレーした

Vs

精一杯(せいいっぱい) emphasises your ability and more determination focused

たっぷり is plent or a lot used especially for quantities

思い切り is the more formal version and better for writing

思いがけず

unexpectedly, surprisingly

Neutral to slightly formal

思いがけずすばらしい景色が見えた

彼が思いがけず私を助けてくれた

vs

予想外(よそうがい) beyond expectation

突然 suddenly, abruptly,

偶然(ぐうぜん) by chance, coincidentally

思い切って

resolutely, boldly, daringly

Informal to neutral

思い切って新しい仕事を始めることにした

I decided ro resolutely start a new job

思い切って告白した(こくはくした)

I bravely comfessed my feelings

勝手に

かってに as one pleases、selfishly, arbitrarily, without permission

Informal, conversation

彼は勝手に私のパソコンを使った

勝手に決めないでください

(please dont make decisions arbitrarily)

Vs

自由に freely, at will、more positive to neutral

一方的に unilaterally、in a way that benefits one side

無断で, without permission, more neutral

必ずしも

かならずしも (not) always,(not) necessarily,(not) all,(not) entirely

ぎっしり

tightly

ぐっと

firmly, fast, much, more

くれぐれも

repeatedly,sincerely,earnestly

こっそり

stealthily, secretly

さすがに

as one would expect

さっさと

quickly, promptly

早速 さっそく

immediately

ざっと

roughly,in round numbers

さらに

furthermore

至急 しきゅう

urgent; pressing

次第に

しだいに

gradually

じっくり

deliberately, carefully

徐々に

じょじょに slowly,little by little,gradually,steadily,quietly

少しも〜ない

not one bit, not even a little

すっと

straight,all of a sudden

ずっと

for a long time; all the time

すでに

already

ずらっと

line, row

ずらりと

forming an array

せっかく

with much trouble

せめて

at least

続々と

ぞくぞくと one after another

絶えず

たえず constantly

直ちに

ただちに at once,immediately,directly,in person

たった今

just now (used with the past tense; indicates completion)

たっぷり

full,in plenty,ample

度々

たびたび often, repeatedly, frequently

ちっとも～ない

not at all, not in the least

ちっらと

at a glance, by accident

ちらりと

fleeting (glimpse, glance, etc.)

ついに

finally, at last

どうしても

by all means,at any cost,no matter what

とうとう

finally, at last

とっくに

long ago,already,a long time ago

突然 とつぜん

suddenly

どっと

suddenly

何とか

なんとか somehow,anyhow,one way or another

何となく

somehow

何とも（～ない）

nothing at all

果たして

はたして as was expected,really

ばったり

to meet by chance

必死に

ひっしに desperately

ぴったり

exactly,neatly,sharp

ひとりでに

by itself,automatically,naturally

真っ先に

まっさきに, first, foremost, before all else

まばたき

to blink

むしろ

rather,better,instead

もう少しで

almost, nearly

もしかすると。もしかしたら。もしかして

maybe

やがて

before long; soon

やっと

finally

要するに

ようするに in a word,after all,the point is ..,in short ..

ようやく

finally

割合に

comparatively

割と

わりと relatively, comparitively

割に

わりに comparatively; in proportion