JLPT N5 · Degree & extent
程度（ていど）の副詞（ふくし）（すこし／すぐ／もっと など） (teido no fukushi)
Adverbs of degree and manner — すこし／もっと／すぐ
In short · Adverbs go before a verb or adjective and show how much, how soon or in what way. Common N5 ones are すこし (a little), もっと (more), もう (already / more), すぐ (right away) and ゆっくり (slowly).
Pattern
-
副詞＋動詞／形容詞もっとゆっくり歩く (walk more slowly) -
もう＋すこし／すぐもうすこし (a little more), もうすぐ (very soon)
Degree: すこし and もっと
すこし means “a little”. もっと means “more”: もっとゆっくり (more slowly). もうすこし is “a little more”: もうすこし待ってください.
Time: すぐ and もうすぐ
すぐ means “right away”, and もうすぐ means “very soon (it will happen)”. もうすぐ電車が来ます (the train will come soon).
Position
Adverbs sit right before the word they describe. They do not need a particle and do not change their form.
Examples
-
もう すこし 待（ま）ってください。
Mou sukoshi matte kudasai.
Please wait a little more.
-
もっとゆっくり歩（ある）きましょう。
Motto yukkuri arukimashou.
Let’s walk more slowly.
-
もうすぐ電車（でんしゃ）が来（き）ます。
Mousugu densha ga kimasu.
The train will come soon.
Common mistakes
- もう has two meanings: “already” (with the past) and “more / again” (もう少し). Check the context.
- Put the adverb before the word it describes, not after.
More grammar points
- 一番（いちばん） 一番～ — “the most ～”
- の中で[A]が一番（のなかで[A]がいちばん） ～の中で[A]が一番… — the most ～ among a group
- とても とても — “very”
- は〜より・・・です AはBより～です — “A is more ～ than B”
- は は (wa) — the topic particle
- を を (o) — the object particle
- に に (ni) — time, destination, location
- で で (de) — place of action & means
- と と (to) — and / together with
- の の (no) — possessive & noun linker
- へ へ (e) — direction
- も も (mo) — also / too
- か か (ka) — the question marker
- です です (desu) — the copula
- から から・まで — from … to …
- より より (yori) — than (comparison)
- ます 〜ます — the polite verb form
- て て-form — connecting & requests
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