From adjectives to adverbs: く・に
Adj-い → く + verb／Adj-な → に + verb
い-adjective: い → く; な-adjective: + に. The adverb goes before the verb. よく = well, often.
In short
To describe how you do an action: はやい → はやく はしります (to run fast), しずか → しずかに はなします (to speak quietly). These adverbs go before the verb.
- はやく おきます。hayaku okimasuI get up early.
- しずかに してください。shizuka ni shite kudasaiPlease be quiet.
- じを きれいに 書きます。ji o kirei ni kakimasuI write neatly.
The basics
To describe how an action is done (“speak slowly”, “write neatly”), you turn the adjective into an adverb: い becomes く for い-adjectives, and you add に for な-adjectives.
| Adjective | Adverb | Example |
|---|---|---|
| はやい (fast) | はやく | はやく 来て ください |
| おおきい (big) | おおきく | おおきく 書きます |
| いい (good) | よく | よく わかります |
| しずか (quiet) | しずかに | しずかに して ください |
| きれい (pretty) | きれいに | きれいに 書きます |
In practice
The adverb goes right before the verb it describes.
- もっと ゆっくり はなして ください。motto yukkuri hanashite kudasaiPlease speak more slowly.
- へやを きれいに しました。heya o kirei ni shimashitaI tidied the room. (word for word: I made it clean)
- あさ はやく おきます。asa hayaku okimasuI get up early in the morning.
よく: well, often
よく (from いい) has two very common meanings: “well” (よく わかります, I understand well) and “often” (よく 行きます, I go often). The context decides.
Common mistakes
- Using the adjective as it is before the verb: “はやい おきます” is wrong, it's はやく.
- Saying いく: the adverb of いい is よく.
- Forgetting に with a な-adjective: しずかに, きれいに.
5 exercises on this point
Particles to choose, sentences to put back in order, translations: marked straight away, then reviewed at the right time. This JLPT N5 point is on the Mita Line (Positions and sizes) of the Tokyo subway.