急に

kyuu ni

JLPT N4 #37 of 131 in N4

Suddenly

A common adverb meaning 'suddenly', used to describe an abrupt change or action.

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How to form it

Standalone adverb; no specific conjugation required. It can appear at the beginning of a sentence or before a verb/adjective.

What it means

急に is a basic adverb that means 'suddenly' or 'all of a sudden'. You use it when something happens quickly and unexpectedly, without warning. It's very common in everyday conversation and writing alike. For example, if the weather changes quickly or someone's mood shifts without reason, you'd use 急に. It's not a formal or literary word — it's neutral and can be used in any situation. Just place it where you'd put an adverb, usually right before the verb or at the start of the sentence. Keep it simple: if you want to say 'suddenly' in Japanese, 急に is your go-to word.

Example sentences

急に雨が降り出した。

Kyuu ni ame ga furidashita.

It suddenly started raining.

彼は急に大声で笑い出した。

Kare wa kyuu ni oogoe de waraiidashita.

He suddenly burst out laughing loudly.

急に電話がかかってきた。

Kyuu ni denwa ga kakkatte kita.

Suddenly, I got a phone call.

Don’t confuse it with

いきなり

いきなり also means 'suddenly', but it often carries a nuance of something happening without any preparation or in an abrupt, even rude way. 急に is more neutral and simply describes an unexpected change.

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話

When to use it

Neutral and common in both spoken and written Japanese; not overly formal or casual.

Next in the N4 path

38

たところjust finished doing, was just doing

39

てくれるto do a favor; do something for someone

40

ございますto be, to exist (polite form of いる/ある)

41

なさいdo this (soft/firm command)

See the whole Grammar Path →

Questions

What does 急に mean?

Suddenly. A common adverb meaning 'suddenly', used to describe an abrupt change or action.

How do you form 急に?

Standalone adverb; no specific conjugation required. It can appear at the beginning of a sentence or before a verb/adjective.

Example of 急に in a sentence

急に雨が降り出した。 — It suddenly started raining.

いきなり — what is the difference?

いきなり also means 'suddenly', but it often carries a nuance of something happening without any preparation or in an abrupt, even rude way. 急に is more neutral and simply describes an unexpected change.

What JLPT level is 急に?

JLPT N4 (upper beginner), number 37 of 131 in Nihoner's learning order for N4.