to go to the trouble of (わざわざ) – Japanese Grammar わざわざ (wazawaza)

Q: What JLPT level is わざわざ?

JLPT N3 — Intermediate · Expressing nuance & contrast

Q: How do you use わざわざ in a sentence?

Attach わざわざ to the appropriate verb or noun form. To go to the trouble of

Q: Is わざわざ formal or casual Japanese?

わざわざ can be used in both casual conversation and polite speech depending on context.

わざわざ

N3 GRAMMAR ⏱ 0s study 📖 0 today

wazawaza

to go to the trouble of

とは限らない towa kagiranai につれて ni tsurete まさか masaka と言うと to iu to ば～のに ba~noni だらけ darake て済む te sumu てごらん te goran もしも〜たら moshimo~tara ずにはいられない zuni wa irarenai と言えば to ieba べきだ beki da とみえる / とみえて to mieru / to miete どうしても doushitemo っぱなし ppanashi 最中に saichuu ni わけにはいかない wake niwa ikanai というのは to iu nowa ことになっている koto ni natteiru せいで sei de とは限らない towa kagiranai につれて ni tsurete まさか masaka と言うと to iu to ば～のに ba~noni だらけ darake て済む te sumu てごらん te goran もしも〜たら moshimo~tara ずにはいられない zuni wa irarenai と言えば to ieba べきだ beki da とみえる / とみえて to mieru / to miete どうしても doushitemo っぱなし ppanashi 最中に saichuu ni わけにはいかない wake niwa ikanai というのは to iu nowa ことになっている koto ni natteiru せいで sei de

🃏 Flashcard

わざわざ

wazawaza

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to go to the trouble of

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📊 Pattern Stats

JLPT Level N3

Intermediate · Expressing nuance & contrast

Reading wazawaza

Post ID 50984

Patterns today 0

0 / 10 daily goal

📝 Usage Notes

to go to the trouble of

📖 How to use it

Expresses doing something deliberately despite the effort or inconvenience, often implying it wasn't necessary.

Attaches to Used as an adverb, placed before the verb or clause it modifies. No conjugation needed.

わざわざ means 'to go to the trouble of' or 'to make a special effort to do something'. It emphasizes that the action was unnecessary or extra, and the speaker often feels it was too much. It can be used for both positive and negative situations, but it carries a nuance of 'you didn't have to' or 'why did you bother?'.

In conversation, it often appears with expressions of gratitude or mild complaint. For example, if someone brings you a gift from afar, you say わざわざ to show you appreciate the trouble. On the other hand, if someone goes out of their way to criticize you, you can use it to express annoyance.

It is a common word in both speaking and writing, but in polite speech it is often softened with phrases like わざわざ～していただいて (for someone else's action) or わざわざ～する必要はない (no need to bother).

わざわざ来てくれたのに、留守でごめんね。

Wazawaza kite kureta noni, rusu de gomen ne.

I'm sorry I wasn't home even though you went to the trouble of coming.

そんなに遠い店までわざわざ行かなくてもいいよ。

Sonna ni tooi mise made wazawaza ikanakute mo ii yo.

You don't have to go all the way to that far store on purpose.

わざわざ教えてくれてありがとう。

Wazawaza oshiete kurete arigatou.

Thank you for taking the trouble to tell me.

Not せっかくわざわざ focuses on the effort despite inconvenience, often implying it was unnecessary. せっかく focuses on the value of an opportunity or effort, implying it should be used well, as in せっかく来たから、楽しもう (Since we came all this way, let's enjoy it). Use わざわざ when the effort seems excessive; use せっかく when you want to highlight the rarity or value.

Register Neutral; used in both speech and writing, but in very polite speech it is often combined with ～いただく or ～くださる to show respect to the other person's effort.

🎯 Quick Quiz

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わざわざ

📚 How to Master This Pattern

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🔗 More JLPT N3 Patterns

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わざと

on purpose; intentionally~

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rather than~; more than~

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

What does the grammar pattern わざわざ mean? ▼

To go to the trouble of

What JLPT level is わざわざ? ▼

Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N3 — Intermediate · Expressing nuance & contrast. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.

How do you use わざわざ in a sentence? ▼

Attach わざわざ (wazawaza) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.

Is わざわざ formal or casual Japanese? ▼

わざわざ is used in both casual and polite contexts. It appears frequently in everyday conversation, textbooks, and simple written materials.

How can I remember わざわざ long-term? ▼

Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.