Japanese Conversation · Level 2
86 words
Japanese word
早
Pronunciation
Romajihaya
Meaning
- adverbalready
Example
早、来たのですか？haya ki ta no de su ka
Did you get here already?
More examples
早、会議が終わったんですね。haya kai gi ga o wa tta n de su ne
The meeting is over already.
Core concept
Shows that an expected action has not happened and presses for it to happen now.
Similar words
もうmō: Indicates that an action or change has occurred by the expected time.
既にsudeni: Indicates that an action has already occurred or that a condition is already true.
Definition in Japanese
まだ行われていないことをすぐにするよう、いらだちを込めて促すさま。ma da okona wa re te i na i ko to o su gu ni su ru yō i ra da chi o ko me te unaga su sa ma
Word origin
The adverb 早 (haya) comes from 早い (hayai, "early; fast") through its adverbial form 早く (hayaku, "early; quickly"), with the final ku dropped in casual speech.
Usage tips
- In casual conversation, 早 (haya) can appear as a clipped opening before a request, a pattern that sounds too blunt for formal speech.