Itsumo is the Japanese word for ‘always’, explained

What does “itsumo” mean in Japanese?

Native speakers say “itsumo” to mean ‘always’, ‘every time’, or such in Japanese. This word is very useful when we want to mention a habit or custom in Japanese. In this blog post, I will explain its definition and meanings with its grammatical background. And also, I will explain how to use it through example sentences. My explanations would help Japanese learners to understand “itsumo” more clearly. Then, let’s get started!

Contents

• Definition and meanings of “itsumo”
  • Example #1: how to say “always” in Japanese
  • Example #2: another usage of “itsumo”
• Summary

Definition and meanings of “itsumo”

Let me start with the definition and meanings of “itsumo”.

• itsumo – いつも : an adverb of frequency meaning ‘always’, ‘every time’, or such in Japanese.

Native speakers often use this adverb of frequency to mention someone’s habit or custom in Japanese. Its usage is very similar to that of “always” in English, so Japanese learners, especially those who are familiar with English, can easily understand how to use it.

From the grammatical point of view, this adverb can be broken down into two parts: “itsu” and “mo”. The first one is an indefinite demonstrative pronoun meaning ‘when’ in Japanese; the second is a binding particle working to add the meaning of ‘also’, ‘as well’, or ‘too’. So, this adverb of frequency literally means ‘when also’ in Japanese. This literal interpretation is not completely in line with the meanings, but still very close, I think.

Then, let me explain how to use “itsumo” through the example sentences below.

Example #1: how to say “always” in Japanese

Below are the new words used in the example sentence.

• watashi – 私 (わたし) : a pronoun meaning ‘I’ in Japanese.
• no – の : a case particle used after a noun or pronoun to make its possessive case. In the example, this is used after “watashi” to make its possessive case, “watashi no“, which means ‘my’ in Japanese.
• kareshi – 彼氏 (かれし) : a noun meaning ‘boyfriend’ in Japanese.
• wa – は : a binding particle working as a case marker or topic marker. In the example, this works after “watashi no kareshi” to make the subject in the sentence.
• nihongo – 日本語 (にほんご) : a noun meaning ‘Japanese’ or ‘the Japanese language’ in Japanese.
• wo – を : a case particle used to make the object word in a sentence. In the example, this is used after “nihongo” to make the object in the sentence.
• hanashi – 話し (はなし) : one conjugation of the verb, “hanasu”, which means ‘to speak’, ‘to talk’, or such in Japanese. In the example, it has been conjugated for the better connection with its following word.
• masu – ます : an auxiliary verb used after a verb to make it polite. Probably, this is well known as a part of Japanese masu form. In the example, this is used after “hanashi” to make it sound polite.

This is a typical usage of “itsumo”. When we want to say “always” in Japanese, this adverb of frequency is a very good option.

Example #2: another usage of “itsumo”

Below are the new words used in the example sentence.

• kare – 彼 (かれ) : a pronoun meaning ‘he’ in Japanese.
• jikan – 時間 (じかん) : a noun meaning ‘time’ in Japanese.
• ni – に : a case particle used to say when something happens. In the example, this is used after “jikan” to say that “kare” never comes on time.
• ko – 来 (こ) : one conjugation of the verb, “kuru”, which means ‘to come’ in Japanese. In the example, it has been conjugated for the better connection with its following word.
• nai – ない : an auxiliary verb used after a verb, adjective, or auxiliary verb to deny its meaning. Word orders in Japanese and English are different, but the role of this auxiliary verb is similar to that of “not” in English. In the example, this is used after “ko” to deny its meaning.

This is another typical usage of “itsumo”. It works in the negative sentence and means ‘never’. The opposite meaning of ‘always’ can be ‘never’ also in Japanese. It’s worth knowing, I think.

Summary

In this blog post, I’ve explained the definition and meanings of “itsumo” and its grammatical background. And also, I’ve explained how to use it through the example sentences. Let me summarize them as follows.

• itsumo – いつも : an adverb of frequency meaning ‘always’, ‘every time’, or such in Japanese. Native speakers often use this adverb of frequency to mention someone’s habit or custom in Japanese. Its usage is very similar to that of “always” in English. When this works in a negative sentence, it can mean ‘never’. The opposite meaning of ‘always’ can be ‘never’ also in Japanese. It’s worth knowing.

Hope my explanations are understandable and helpful for Japanese learners.