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How sure: adverbs

Stage 3Stance, attitude & mannerChunk 31 of 32 · items 361–364 of 484

The certainty dial runs from a soft guess to full commitment, and 'of course' takes the point for granted.

tabun

drama rank #1323

probably; maybe

多分 たぶん

The default hedge: it commits softly to any claim and is often closed with deshou, kamo or to omou.

casual

tabun daijoubu da yo.

It's probably fine.

多分大丈夫だよ。

polite

tabun daijoubu desu yo.

It's probably fine.

多分大丈夫ですよ。

osoraku is the stiffer, more formal 'probably'; tabun is fine in desu/masu speech.

Learn alongside: kitto, zettai

kitto

drama rank #275

surely; I bet

きっと

A confident guess about something you can't check, such as someone else's feelings, an outcome or the future.

casual

kitto daijoubu da yo.

I'm sure it'll be fine.

きっと大丈夫だよ。

polite

kitto daijoubu desu yo.

I'm sure it'll be fine.

きっと大丈夫ですよ。

To commit to your own plan, say zettai iku (or kanarazu iku); kitto iku sounds like a heartfelt promise rather than a plan. kitto kite ne (be sure to come) is fine.

Learn alongside: tabun, zettai

zettai

drama rank #268

definitely; absolutely (not)

絶対 ぜったい

The strongest commitment either way, as in zettai iku (definitely going) and zettai dame (absolutely not). It is constant in promises and refusals.

casual

zettai daijoubu da yo.

It'll definitely be fine.

絶対大丈夫だよ。

polite

zettai daijoubu desu yo.

It'll definitely be fine.

絶対大丈夫ですよ。

zettai ni is the same word; casual speech usually drops the ni. For polite commitments, kanarazu (without fail) is safer, but it doesn't do 'never' the way zettai ikanai does.

Learn alongside: tabun, kitto

mochiron

polite mochiron desudrama rank #264

of course

もちろん もちろんです

Says something goes without saying, either before a statement or alone as a warm 'of course!' reply.

casual

mochiron iku yo.

Of course I'm coming.

もちろん行くよ。

polite

mochiron ikimasu yo.

Of course I'm coming.

もちろん行きますよ。

As a reply to a request, mochiron! means 'sure, happy to'.