急に
🃏 Flashcard
急に
kyuu ni
Tap to reveal usage
suddenly
N4
Tap to test your recall · +10 XP
📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level
N4
Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences
Reading
kyuu ni
Post ID
50721
Patterns today
0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes
suddenly
📖 How to use it
A common adverb meaning 'suddenly', used to describe an abrupt change or action.
Attaches to
Standalone adverb; no specific conjugation required. It can appear at the beginning of a sentence or before a verb/adjective.
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.
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.
Not 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.
Register
Neutral and common in both spoken and written Japanese; not overly formal or casual.
🎯 Quick Quiz
What does this grammar pattern mean or do?
急に
📚 How to Master This Pattern
Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat 急に three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.
Flip Before Reading
Always try to recall the usage before flipping the card. Struggle = learning. Every failed recall makes the next one stick harder.
Write Two Sentences
Compose two original sentences using 急に. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.
Spaced Review
Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.
🔗 More JLPT N4 Patterns
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern 急に mean?
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Suddenly
What JLPT level is 急に?
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Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N4 — Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.
How do you use 急に in a sentence?
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Attach 急に (kyuu ni) 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 急に formal or casual Japanese?
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急に is used in both casual and polite contexts. It appears frequently in everyday conversation, textbooks, and simple written materials.
How can I remember 急に long-term?
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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.