JLPT N5 Grammar: よく – The Adverb for “Well” in Japanese

By ProDev Teach | Updated May 2025

???? Meaning & Usage

The word **よく** (yoku) is an adverb in Japanese that means “well,” “often,” or “frequently.” It is commonly used to describe how well someone does something or how frequently something occurs. It is an important word to learn because it appears in many everyday situations.

Structure:

• **Verb (ます form) + よく** – Used to express doing something well (e.g., **よく勉強します** – I study well).
• **Adjective + よく** – Used to express frequency or habit (e.g., **よく遊びます** – I play often).

Usage examples:

• **よく** can be used to describe actions that are done frequently or with high quality.
• It is often used in both positive and negative contexts to describe habits or qualities.

???? Example Sentences

• 私はよく本を読みます。
  I often read books.
• 彼女はよく勉強します。
  She studies well.
• よく寝ました。
  I slept well.
• 彼はよく料理を作ります。
  He often cooks.
• 私はよく日本語を勉強します。
  I often study Japanese.

???? Grammar Notes

• **よく** is used to describe how well something is done, or how often something happens.
• It is generally used with the **ます form** of verbs (polite form) but can also be used in casual speech depending on the context.
• **よく** is often used with verbs that describe actions or behaviors, such as study, eat, play, and sleep.
• When describing habits, **よく** can also be used with nouns, adjectives, or other adverbs to express frequency.

???? Practice Exercises

1. Fill in the blanks with **よく**:

1. 私は______本を読みます。
2. 彼は______日本語を話します。
3. 彼女は______走ります。
4. 私は______音楽を聞きます。

✔ Sample Answers:

• 私は**よく**本を読みます。
• 彼は**よく**日本語を話します。
• 彼女は**よく**走ります。
• 私は**よく**音楽を聞きます。

2. Translate into Japanese using **よく**:

1. I often eat breakfast in the morning.
2. She plays soccer very well.
3. He studies Japanese well.
4. I sleep well at night.

✔ Sample Answers:

• 私は朝によく朝ごはんを食べます。
• 彼女はサッカーをよくします。
• 彼は日本語をよく勉強します。
• 私は夜よく寝ます。

???? Vocabulary List

• 本（ほん） – book
• 勉強（べんきょう） – study
• 料理（りょうり） – cooking
• 音楽（おんがく） – music
• 寝る（ねる） – sleep

???? Kanji List

• 本（ほん） – book
• 勉強（べんきょう） – study
• 料理（りょうり） – cooking
• 音楽（おんがく） – music
• 寝る（ねる） – sleep

???? Related Grammar

• たくさん – Used to express a large quantity, often in place of **よく** when referring to frequency (e.g., **たくさん勉強します** – I study a lot).
• とても – Used to describe the degree of an action, often interchangeable with **よく** when emphasizing how well something is done (e.g., **とても上手に歌います** – I sing very well).
• 上手（じょうず） – Used to describe skill or proficiency, similar to **よく** when describing how well someone performs (e.g., **彼は上手に料理を作ります** – He cooks well).

???? Summary

• Meaning: **よく** means “well” or “often” and is used to describe how well something is done or how often something happens.
• Usage: It is often used with verbs to indicate frequency or quality of an action. It can also describe frequency when used with adjectives or nouns.
• Level: JLPT N5

???? Related Grammar & Vocabulary

• JLPT N5 Grammar List – 60 Essential Grammar Points
• そう思います – I think so
• そうだ – I heard that
• た-form – past tense; completed action
• て-form – connects actions; request form
• てください – please do ~
• と – and; with; if/when
• ところ – about to; in the middle of
• とき – when
• は – topic marker

thuandao

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.