Posted inN2 Grammar

Mastering 「再び (futatabi)」: Adding Nuance to Repetition

Posted inN2 Grammar
Japanese Grammar Template
Meaning & Usage

✨ Basic Meaning

The basic meaning is “again,” “once more,” or “a second time.”

🎯 Primary Function

Used to indicate that an action or state is repeated after a period of time or an interruption.

📋 Grammar Structure

再び + Verb / Noun

🎭 Usage Contexts

🏢 Formal Situations

Often used in formal writing, speeches, and polite conversation.

😊 Informal Situations

Less common in very casual conversation; もう一度 or また are more frequent.

✍️ Written Language

Frequently appears in literature, news articles, official documents, and formal correspondence.

🗣️ Spoken Language

Used in spoken language, particularly in more formal or deliberate contexts, or when emphasizing the repetition after a significant break.

💡 Common Applications

Referring to events or actions that happen again after stopping.
Used to describe something that occurs for a second time, especially after a previous instance.
Example: 戦争が終わったが、再び平和な時代が訪れるかはわからない。 (The war ended, but it is uncertain if a peaceful era will visit again.)
Emphasizing a return to a previous state or condition.
Highlights the act of returning to a state or place that was previously experienced.
Example: 故郷を離れたが、いつか再び戻ってきたいと思っている。(I left my hometown, but I hope to return again someday.)
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📊
Frequency
Moderately frequent, especially in written Japanese and formal spoken contexts. Less frequent than また or もう一度 in daily casual conversation.
🎚️
Difficulty
Intermediate to Advanced (Appropriate for JLPT N2)
Example Sentences
彼は一度失敗したが、再び挑戦することにした。
He failed once, but he decided to challenge again.
遠い昔に訪れたこの場所へ、再び足を運んだ。
I visited this place, which I had been to long ago, again.
失った信頼を再び取り戻すのは難しい。
It is difficult to regain lost trust.
Notes & Nuances

📌 Important Points

Often implies a significant interval or change between repetitions.
Unlike また (mata) or もう一度 (mou ichido), which can refer to immediate or simple repetitions, 再び (futatabi) often suggests a longer period, a more significant break, or a return after something has fundamentally changed or ended.
Example: 風邪が治ったと思ったのに、また熱が出た。(I thought my cold was cured, but I got a fever *again* – simple repetition). 一度引退した彼が、再びリングに戻ってきた。(He once retired, but he returned to the ring *again* – implies a significant event/break).
More formal/literary than また or もう一度.
Using 再び adds a slightly more formal, literary, or emphatic tone compared to the more common また or もう一度.
Example: ご迷惑をおかけし、誠に申し訳ございませんでした。再びこのようなことがないよう、十分に注意いたします。(We sincerely apologize for causing you trouble. We will take sufficient care so that this does not happen *again*.)

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ Using 再び in very casual, everyday simple repetitions.
✅ Use また (mata) or もう一度 (mou ichido) instead.
「また明日ね」 (See you again tomorrow) is natural. 「再び明日ね」 is unnatural.
❌ Using 再び for negative commands or strong intentions not to repeat.
✅ Use 二度と (nidoto) instead.
「こんな失敗は二度としない。」 (I will never make such a mistake again.) is correct. 「こんな失敗は再びしない。」 is unnatural in this context.

🏛️ Cultural Context

Politeness Level: Relatively high compared to また or もう一度. Often used in formal apologies or commitments.
Social Situations: Appropriate in business, formal speeches, writing, or when expressing significant events or intentions.
Regional Variations: Standard Japanese; no significant regional variations in meaning or usage.

🔍 Subtle Differences

再び vs. もう一度
再び implies a more significant gap or return; もう一度 is a simpler, often more immediate repetition.
When to use: Use 再び for returns after an interruption or long time. Use もう一度 for simply repeating an action one more time (e.g., “Please say it again.”).
再び vs. また
再び is more formal/literary; また is the general, versatile word for “again” in various contexts (simple repetition, “see you again,” etc.).
When to use: Use 再び in formal writing or speech, or when emphasizing a return after a break. Use また in most everyday situations.
再び vs. 二度と
再び means “again” (repetition happens or might happen); 二度と means “never again” (strong negation of future repetition).
When to use: Use 再び when the repetition is a fact or possibility. Use 二度と when expressing a strong resolve or command that something should not happen again.

📝 Conjugation Notes

再び is an adverb, so it directly precedes the verb or noun it modifies. No conjugation is needed for 再び itself.

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

ふたたび (fu-ta-ta-bi). The emphasis is relatively flat, perhaps a slight rise on 「た」 and then level or slightly falling.

🧠 Memory Tips

Associate 「再」 with “re-” or “again” (e.g., 再開 = restart, 再生 = replay/regeneration). 「再び」 uses this kanji.

Practice Exercises
彼は一度失敗したが、＿＿＿挑戦することにした。
二度と
再び
もう一度
よく
すみません、もう一度言っていただけますか？ (Which word cannot replace もう一度 here?)
再び
また
もう一度
はい
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