Meaning & Usage
✨ Basic Meaning
Surely, certainly, definitely, without fail.
🎯 Primary Function
To express the speaker’s strong conviction or high degree of certainty (near 100%) regarding an action, state, or event.
📋 Grammar Structure
きっと + Verb (Plain or Polite Form)
きっと + i-Adjective (Plain or Polite Form)
きっと + na-Adjective + (だ/です)
きっと + Verb/Adjective (Negative Form)
🎭 Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Used but less common than more formal certainty expressions like 「確かに」(tashika ni) or in highly formal documents. Appropriate in polite speech.
Informal Situations
Extremely common in casual speech among friends and family.
Written Language
Common in essays, letters, and narrative prose, but generally avoided in objective academic or business reports.
Spoken Language
Highly frequent, used to emphasize conviction and assurance.
💡 Common Applications
Expressing Strong Prediction (Future)
Used to express a very strong conviction about a future event (usually 90-100% probability). Often paired with speculation/certainty markers like でしょう or に違いない.
Example: 彼はきっと時間通りに来るでしょう。 (Kare wa kitto jikandōri ni kuru deshou.)
Giving Strong Assurance or Encouragement
Used to reassure someone or give a strong promise, providing a high level of confidence in the outcome.
Example: 心配しないで、きっと大丈夫だよ。 (Shinpai shinaide, kitto daijōbu da yo.)
Making Strong Inferences (Present/Past)
Used when the speaker makes a strong, logical assumption about a current state or a past action based on available evidence.
Example: 鍵がない。きっと家に忘れてきたんだ。 (Kagi ga nai. Kitto ie ni wasurete kita n da.)
Frequency
High (Very common in daily conversation and narrative writing)
Difficulty
N4 – Moderate (Easy to understand, nuanced to use correctly alongside similar adverbs)
Tag:
Example Sentences
Example #1
明日はきっと晴れるでしょう。
Furigana: あしたは きっと はれる でしょう。
Romaji: Ashita wa kitto hareru deshou.
English: Tomorrow will definitely be sunny.
Example #2
彼はきっと仕事に成功しますよ。
Furigana: かれは きっと しごとに せいこう しますよ。
Romaji: Kare wa kitto shigoto ni seikō shimasu yo.
English: He will certainly succeed in his business.
Example #3
彼女は今きっと家にいるはずだ。
Furigana: かのじょは いま きっと いえ に いる はずだ。
Romaji: Kanojo wa ima kitto ie ni iru hazu da.
English: She must surely be at home now.
Example #4
きっと素敵な思い出になりますね。
Furigana: きっと すてきな おもいで に なりますね。
Romaji: Kitto suteki na omoide ni narimasu ne.
English: It will surely become a wonderful memory.
Example #5
約束したから、きっと来てくださいね。
Furigana: やくそく したから、きっと きてくださいね。
Romaji: Yakusoku shita kara, kitto kite kudasai ne.
English: Since we promised, you must definitely come, okay?
Example #6
このケーキはきっと美味しいに違いない。
Furigana: この ケーキは きっと おいしいに ちがいない。
Romaji: Kono kēki wa kitto oishii ni chigainai.
English: This cake must surely be delicious.
Example #7
大丈夫、きっとうまくいくよ。
Furigana: だいじょうぶ、きっと うまく いくよ。
Romaji: Daijōbu, kitto umaku iku yo.
English: Don’t worry, it will definitely go well.
Example #8
そんなことはきっと起こらない。
Furigana: そんな ことは きっと おこらない。
Romaji: Sonna koto wa kitto okoranai.
English: That kind of thing certainly won’t happen.
Example #9
彼はきっと会議を忘れたのだ。
Furigana: かれは きっと かいぎ を わすれた のだ。
Romaji: Kare wa kitto kaigi o wasureta no da.
English: He must certainly have forgotten the meeting.
Example #10
一生懸命勉強すれば、きっと試験に合格できます。
Furigana: いっしょうけんめい べんきょう すれば、きっと しけん に ごうかく できます。
Romaji: Isshōkenmei benkyō sureba, kitto shiken ni gōkaku dekimasu.
English: If you study hard, you will definitely pass the exam.
Notes & Nuances
📌 Important Points
Reinforcement with Speculative Forms
“Kitto” works seamlessly with speculation forms (like だろう/でしょう) to turn simple speculation into a strong prediction or conviction.
Example: 明日はきっと雨が降るだろう。 (Ashita wa kitto ame ga furu darō.)
Conveys Speaker’s Personal Conviction
While both express high certainty, ‘きっと’ often conveys the speaker’s personal feeling or belief, whereas ‘絶対に’ (zettai ni) conveys objective fact or a firm, undeniable command/statement.
Example: 彼はきっと来る。 (Kare wa kitto kuru.) vs. 彼は絶対に来る。(Kare wa zettai ni kuru.)
Used for Encouragement and Hope
It is frequently used in encouraging contexts to boost morale or confidence, emphasizing a positive outcome.
Example: 私たちはきっと勝てる！ (Watashitachi wa kitto kateru!)
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ この雨はきっと午後にはやむだろう (when the speaker is only guessing).
✅ Use ‘たぶん’ (tabun) for lower probability (50-70%).
A common mistake is using ‘きっと’ when the speaker is only moderately sure. ‘きっと’ implies a very high level of certainty (90% or more).
❌ 彼は成功する、きっと。
✅ Use it before the modified verb/adjective.
As an adverb, it must precede the element it modifies. Placing it at the end of a sentence is incorrect.
🏛️ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: Neutral. The politeness of the sentence is determined by the final predicate (e.g., です/ます form) rather than the adverb itself.
Social Situations: Frequently used for encouragement, strong advice, or firm promises to show commitment or conviction to the listener.
Regional Variations: Standard across Japan.
🔍 Subtle Differences
きっと (kitto) vs. たぶん (tabun)
Kitto expresses high certainty (90%+), reflecting the speaker’s strong conviction. Tabun expresses possibility or moderate probability (50-70%).
When to use: Use ‘kitto’ when you feel very sure; use ‘tabun’ when you are just guessing or thinking it’s more likely than not.
きっと (kitto) vs. 絶対に (zettai ni)
Zettai ni means ‘absolutely’ (100% certainty, often objective or a strict command). Kitto means ‘certainly/surely’ (strong personal conviction, 90%+).
When to use: Use ‘kitto’ for personal predictions and assurances; use ‘zettai ni’ for non-negotiable facts or strong prohibitions/requirements.
📝 Conjugation Notes
「きっと」 is an adverb, so it does not conjugate. It modifies the verb, adjective, or noun phrase that follows it. It is often used with forms that express confirmation or inference (e.g., でしょう, に違いない, はずだ).
🔊 Pronunciation Tips
Pronounce ‘ki-tto’ with a small pause (sokuon, represented by the small ‘tsu’ っ) between the ‘ki’ and ‘to’. This double consonant sound gives the word its emphatic and definitive feel.
🧠 Memory Tips
Think of the ‘Kit’ in KiTto as a ‘Kit’ of tools you are certain will work. Or, associate it with the strong, firm sound it has compared to the softer ‘Ta’ in たぶん (tabun).
Other Grammar
I’m a software engineer based in Japan, with experience in developing web and mobile applications. I’m passionate about technology, especially in DevOps, AI, and app development using platforms like AWS, Flutter, and Node.js. My goal is to build a website that shares knowledge about the Japanese language and IT, helping everyone learn and grow more easily in the digital era.