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JLPT N4Adverbs

たとえば— For example / For instance

An adverb meaning "for example." Introduces a concrete example to support or illustrate a general statement.

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Pro lessonUNIT 94 · ADVERBS

Structure · 形

たとえば、+ [Example]

Examples · 例文

  • 日本語には難しい文法がある。たとえば、敬語などだ。

    Nihongo ni wa muzukashii bunpō ga aru. Tatoeba, keigo nado da.

    Japanese has difficult grammar. For example, keigo and so on.

    たとえば introduces the specific example; 〜など = "and such / and so on"

  • たとえば、毎日30分運動するといいですよ。

    Tatoeba, mainichi sanjuppun undō suru to ii desu yo.

    For example, it would be good to exercise 30 minutes every day.

    たとえば offers a concrete suggestion/example

  • スポーツが好きです。たとえば、テニスとか水泳とかです。

    Supootsu ga suki desu. Tatoeba, tenisu toka suiei toka desu.

    I like sports. For example, tennis, swimming, and so on.

    たとえば introduces concrete examples; とか〜とか = non-exhaustive list

Usage notes · 注意

  • Key Concept: たとえば is equivalent to "for example / for instance." Related: たとえ〜ても (even if...) is a separate pattern.
  • Note: 例えば is the kanji form.

Commonly confused with

The JLPT rarely asks whether you recognise a pattern — it asks which of several similar patterns fits. These are the ones たとえば is tested against.

vsたとえ〜ても

たとえ〜ても means "even if..." (a concessive conditional) and is unrelated in function; たとえば simply introduces an example.

More adverbs

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