とうとう — Finally / At last / In the end
An adverb expressing that something finally happened after a long time — often with a sense of culmination, resignation, or mixed feelings.
Structure
とうとう + [verb]
Examples
とうとう試験に合格した！
Tōtō shiken ni gōkaku shita!
I finally passed the exam!
とうとう = at last (after long effort)
とうとう彼女は来なかった。
Tōtō kanojo wa konakatta.
In the end, she didn't come.
とうとう = ultimately (after waiting, she never showed)
長い間使っていた車が、とうとう動かなくなった。
Nagai aida tsukatte ita kuruma ga, tōtō ugokanaku natta.
The car I had used for a long time finally stopped working.
とうとう = finally (the old car gave out at last)
• とうとう vs ついに: both mean "finally/at last." とうとう often suggests inevitability or resignation (negative or mixed feeling). • Detail: ついに is more triumphant/dramatic. • Summary: Both can be used positively and negatively in practice.
Commonly confused with
The JLPT rarely asks whether you recognise a pattern — it asks which of several similar patterns fits. These are the ones とうとう is tested against.
vs ついに
ついに leans dramatic/triumphant for a long-awaited climax; とうとう more often carries resignation or inevitability, and works well for negative outcomes.
vs やっと
やっと expresses relief that something desired finally happened ("at last!"); とうとう is more neutral about feeling and can describe unwanted endings too.
vs ようやく
ようやく, like やっと, stresses relief after difficulty; とうとう emphasizes culmination/inevitability rather than relief.
More adverbs
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