Japanese Grammar Guide: 急に (kyuu ni)

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Japanese Grammar Guide: 急に (kyuu ni)
Meaning & Usage

✨ Basic Meaning

Suddenly, abruptly, or unexpectedly.

🎯 Primary Function

An adverb used to describe an action or state change that happens quickly and without prior notice.

📋 Grammar Structure

急に + Verb
急に + i-Adjective (often with ~naru)
急に + na-Adjective (often with ~naru)
急に + Verb (Negative Form)

🎭 Usage Contexts

🏢 Formal Situations

Used in business reports or news to describe unexpected events.

😊 Informal Situations

Commonly used in daily conversation to talk about surprises or sudden changes.

✍️ Written Language

Frequently found in novels, essays, and news articles.

🗣️ Spoken Language

Highly frequent in spoken Japanese to emphasize the suddenness of an event.

💡 Common Applications

Natural Phenomena
Used when weather changes without warning.
Example: 急に雨が降る (Suddenly rain)
Physical Movement
Used for sudden changes in motion or physical actions.
Example: 急に止まる (Stop suddenly)
Situational Changes
Used when events occur that were not anticipated.
Example: 急に予定が入る (A schedule suddenly comes in)
📊
Frequency
Very High
🎚️
Difficulty
JLPT N4 (Lower Intermediate)
Tag:

Related Kanji

JLPT N4 Kanji List

Related Vocabulary

JLPT N4 Vocabulary List
Example Sentences
Example #1
急に雨が降り出した。
Furigana: きゅうに あめが ふりだした。
Romaji: Kyuu ni ame ga furidashita.
English: It suddenly started raining.
Example #2
彼は急に立ち上がった。
Furigana: かれは きゅうに たちあがった。
Romaji: Kare wa kyuu ni tachiagatta.
English: He suddenly stood up.
Example #3
バスが急に止まった。
Furigana: バスが きゅうに とまった。
Romaji: Basu ga kyuu ni tomatta.
English: The bus stopped abruptly.
Example #4
急に用事ができた。
Furigana: きゅうに ようじが できた。
Romaji: Kyuu ni youji ga dekita.
English: I suddenly have something to attend to (business/errand).
Example #5
彼女は急に泣き始めた。
Furigana: かのじょは きゅうに なきはじめた。
Romaji: Kanojo wa kyuu ni nakihajimeta.
English: She suddenly started crying.
Example #6
予定が急に変更になった。
Furigana: よていが きゅうに へんこうになった。
Romaji: Yotei ga kyuu ni henkou ni natta.
English: The schedule was suddenly changed.
Example #7
急に寒くなりましたね。
Furigana: きゅうに さむくなりましたね。
Romaji: Kyuu ni samuku narimashita ne.
English: It has suddenly become cold, hasn’t it?
Example #8
犬が急に走り出した。
Furigana: いぬが きゅうに はしりだした。
Romaji: Inu ga kyuu ni hashiridashita.
English: The dog suddenly started running.
Example #9
お腹が急に痛くなった。
Furigana: おなかが きゅうに いたくなった。
Romaji: Onaka ga kyuu ni itaku natta.
English: My stomach suddenly started to hurt.
Example #10
急にそんなことを言われても困ります。
Furigana: きゅうに そんなことを いわれても こまります。
Romaji: Kyuu ni sonna koto o iwarete mo komarimasu.
English: I’m at a loss even if you say such a thing so suddenly.
Notes & Nuances

📌 Important Points

Emphasizing Speed of Change
It emphasizes that the change happened over a very short period of time.
Example: 急に寒くなった。
Lack of Preparation/Warning
It highlights that there was no warning before the person got angry.
Example: 急に怒り出した。

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ 急に雨 (Kyuu ni ame)
✅ 急な雨 (Kyuuna ame)
‘Kyuu ni’ is an adverb and modifies verbs. To modify a noun, use ‘Kyuu na’ (na-adjective).

🏛️ Cultural Context

Politeness Level: Neutral. Suitable for all politeness levels.
Social Situations: Used often when apologizing for a last-minute change or request (e.g., Kyuu ni sumimasen).
Regional Variations: Standard throughout Japan.

🔍 Subtle Differences

急に (Kyuu ni) vs. 突然 (Totsuzen)
‘Totsuzen’ is more formal and sounds more like ‘out of the blue’. ‘Kyuu ni’ is more common in daily life.
When to use: Use ‘Totsuzen’ in formal writing or dramatic contexts. Use ‘Kyuu ni’ for general situations.
急に (Kyuu ni) vs. いきなり (Ikinari)
‘Ikinari’ often implies ‘without the expected steps/process’. ‘Kyuu ni’ focuses on the time aspect.
When to use: Use ‘Ikinari’ when someone skips a greeting and starts shouting, or eats the main course first.

📝 Conjugation Notes

急に is the adverbial form of the na-adjective 急だ (kyuu-da). It does not conjugate itself but precedes the word it modifies.

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

Ensure a clear ‘u’ sound in ‘kyuu’. Don’t shorten it to ‘kyu’.

🧠 Memory Tips

Connect the kanji ‘急’ (urgent/hurry) with the concept of ‘sudden’. Think of an ‘Emergency’ (kyuukyuu) vehicle arriving suddenly.

Other Grammar

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