When you hear 「大変な」, your first thought might be "difficult." And you're not wrong, but it's important to understand the nuance. While it can certainly mean difficult or tough, it also carries a sense of seriousness or awfulness, often implying a situation that is a big deal or a significant problem.
For instance, if someone says 「大変な仕事ですね」 (taihen na shigoto desu ne), they could be saying it's a difficult job, but it could also imply it's a very demanding or serious job. Similarly, 「大変なことになった」 (taihen na koto ni natta) means "something serious/awful has happened." It’s about the magnitude of the difficulty or the problematic nature of a situation, not just the challenge itself.
Wusstest du?
The kanji 大 (tai) means 'big' or 'great', and 変 (hen) means 'strange' or 'change'. So, literally, a 'big change' or 'big strangeness'.
Beispiele nach Niveau
大変な仕事ですが、やりがいがあります。
It's a tough job, but it's rewarding.
昨日は大変な雨でしたね。
The rain yesterday was awful, wasn't it?
引越しは大変な作業だ。
Moving is a serious task.
大変なことになった。
Something serious happened.
この問題は大変難しい。
This problem is extremely difficult.
宿題が多すぎて大変だ。
There's too much homework, it's tough.
彼は大変な努力家だ。
He is a very hardworking person.
大変お待たせいたしました。
I am very sorry to have kept you waiting.
日本語の勉強は大変だけど、とても楽しいです。
Studying Japanese is difficult, but it's very fun.
「〜けど」is a conjunction meaning 'but' or 'although'.
この仕事は大変ですが、やりがいがあります。
This job is tough, but it's rewarding.
「〜が」is a conjunction meaning 'but' or 'although'.
昨日は大変な一日でした。
Yesterday was a serious/tough day.
「〜でした」is the past tense of 'desu'.
彼は大変な努力家です。
He is an awful/serious hard worker.
「〜家」is a suffix meaning 'person who is good at/devoted to'.
この問題は大変難しいです。
This problem is extremely difficult.
「とても」or「大変」can be used as adverbs to mean 'very' or 'extremely'.
大変お待たせいたしました。
I'm very sorry to have kept you waiting.
「お待たせいたしました」is a polite expression for 'I have kept you waiting'.
事故で大変なことになった。
Something awful happened due to the accident.
「〜になる」means 'to become' or 'to turn into'.
大変申し訳ありません。
I am very sorry.
「申し訳ありません」is a very polite way to say 'I'm sorry'.
今年の夏は記録的な猛暑で、農家の方々にとっては作物の管理が大変な作業となっています。
This summer's record-breaking heatwave has made crop management a very difficult task for farmers.
〜にとって (ni totte): For; to
新しいプロジェクトの立ち上げに伴い、初期段階では予期せぬ問題が多発し、チームは大変な苦労をしました。
With the launch of the new project, many unexpected problems occurred in the initial stages, and the team had a really tough time.
〜に伴い (ni tomonai): As; due to; with
彼のビジネスは急速に成長しており、その成功の裏には計り知れない努力と大変な決断があったに違いありません。
His business is growing rapidly, and behind that success, there must have been immeasurable effort and difficult decisions.
〜に違いありません (ni chigai arimasen): Must be; I'm sure
留学生活は言葉の壁や文化の違いなど、慣れないことばかりで大変なことも多いですが、それ以上に学びが多いです。
Life as an international student is full of unfamiliar things like language barriers and cultural differences, which can be tough, but there's even more learning to be had.
〜ばかりで (bakari de): Only; nothing but
その地域は歴史的に災害が多く、住民は自然の脅威と共存するため、大変な工夫を凝らしてきました。
That region has historically experienced many disasters, and residents have made great efforts to coexist with the threats of nature.
〜を凝らす (o korasu): To concentrate; to elaborate
膨大なデータを分析し、そこから意味のあるパターンを見つけ出すのは、まさに大変な作業の連続です。
Analyzing vast amounts of data and finding meaningful patterns from it is truly a continuous series of difficult tasks.
〜の連続 (no renzoku): A series of
多忙なスケジュールの中で、仕事と家庭のバランスを取るのは誰にとっても大変な課題だと思います。
I think balancing work and family life amidst a busy schedule is a difficult challenge for anyone.
〜にとって (ni totte): For; to
世界経済の変動は、中小企業にとって先行きが見通しにくい大変な状況を生み出しています。
Fluctuations in the global economy are creating a difficult situation for small and medium-sized enterprises, making it hard to predict the future.
〜にくい (nikui): Hard to do; difficult to do
Redewendungen & Ausdrücke
"大変なことになる"
Things will get serious/difficult.
このままでは大変なことになるよ。
neutral"大変な目に遭う"
To have a terrible/tough experience.
彼は昨日、大変な目に遭ったらしい。
neutral"大変な労力"
Great effort; tremendous work.
プロジェクト成功のためには大変な労力が必要だ。
formal"大変な騒ぎ"
A big fuss/commotion.
そのニュースで大変な騒ぎになった。
neutral"大変な状況"
A difficult/serious situation.
私たちは今、大変な状況にいる。
neutral"大変なことになるぞ"
You're in for it!/It's going to be bad!
そんなことしたら大変なことになるぞ。
informal"大変な仕事"
A tough/demanding job.
これは本当に大変な仕事だ。
neutral"大変な問題"
A serious problem.
この大変な問題を解決しなければならない。
neutral"大変な時間"
A difficult/hard time.
試験のために大変な時間を過ごした。
neutral"大変な人"
A difficult/troublesome person (often used informally as a mild complaint).
彼は本当に大変な人だよ。
informalWortfamilie
Substantive
So verwendest du es
When something is 大変 (taihen), it means it's a big deal. The meaning changes based on context, but generally, it implies difficulty, seriousness, or a tough situation. It can describe a difficult task, a serious problem, or even a very busy day.
A common mistake is thinking 大変 (taihen) always means 'very' like in 大変嬉しい (taihen ureshii - very happy). While it can be used as an intensifier, its primary meaning when describing a situation is difficulty or seriousness. Don't use it to simply mean 'very' for just any adjective. For example, you wouldn't typically say 大変きれい (taihen kirei - very beautiful) unless you mean 'beautiful to an overwhelming degree' or 'seriously beautiful' in a way that suggests a profound impact, which is a nuanced usage.
Tipps
Basic Meaning of たいへんな
The most common meaning of 「大変な」 (たいへんな) is difficult or tough. It describes situations that require a lot of effort or are challenging to deal with.
Using たいへんな for Effort
You can use 「大変な」 to express that something requires a lot of effort or is a big task. For example, 「大変な仕事」 (たいへんなしごと) means a difficult job.
たいへんな for Serious Situations
It can also describe a serious or grave situation. If someone says 「大変なことになった」 (たいへんなことになった), it means something serious has happened.
Expressing Awfulness with たいへんな
In some contexts, 「大変な」 can convey that something is awful, terrible, or unpleasant. For instance, 「大変な天気」 (たいへんなてんき) could mean terrible weather.
Distinguishing たいへんな from むずかしい
While both mean difficult, 「大変な」 often implies difficulty due to effort, seriousness, or trouble. 「難しい」 (むずかしい) usually refers to intellectual difficulty or complexity, like a difficult puzzle.
たいへん as an Adverb
Note that 「大変」 (たいへん) without the 「な」 is often used as an adverb meaning very or extremely. For example, 「大変おいしい」 (たいへんおいしい) means very delicious. Don't confuse it with the adjective form.
たいへんな and Empathy
In Japanese culture, using 「大変ですね」 (たいへんですね) to someone who is busy or facing a challenge is a common way to express empathy or sympathy, essentially saying 'That sounds tough' or 'You must be having a hard time'.
Not Just Physical Difficulty
「大変な」 doesn't just refer to physical difficulty. It can apply to mental, emotional, or situational challenges as well.
Practice with Examples
The best way to grasp 「大変な」 is through exposure. Look for examples in sentences and try to infer its meaning from the surrounding words. This will help you understand its various applications.
Wortherkunft
From '大変' (taihen) meaning 'great change' or 'serious event'.
Ursprüngliche Bedeutung: Originally referred to a great change or a serious event. Over time, it came to describe situations that are difficult or tough to handle.
Sino-Japanese (kango)Kultureller Kontext
When a Japanese person says something is 大変 (taihen), it often carries a sense of empathy and understanding of the difficulty involved, rather than just a simple statement of fact. It can be used in a variety of situations, from describing a tough job to a serious problem, or even as an exclamation of surprise or difficulty.
Teste dich selbst 72 Fragen
このテストはとても___。
The sentence means 'This test is very difficult.' '大変' (taihen) means difficult or tough, which fits the context.
日本語の勉強は___ですが、楽しいです。
The sentence means 'Studying Japanese is difficult, but fun.' '大変' (taihen) fits the meaning of difficult in this context.
今日の仕事はとても___でした。
The sentence means 'Today's work was very tough/hard.' '大変' (taihen) is the appropriate word to describe work that was tough.
引っ越しは___ですが、頑張ります。
The sentence means 'Moving is tough, but I will do my best.' '大変' (taihen) accurately describes the difficulty of moving.
レポートを書くのは___時間かかりました。
The sentence means 'Writing the report took a long and difficult time.' While 'ながい' (long) could also fit, 'たいへん' emphasizes the difficulty of the task.
雨の日、傘がないと___ですね。
The sentence means 'On a rainy day, it's tough/difficult if you don't have an umbrella.' '大変' (taihen) describes the difficult situation.
Choose the best English meaning for 「たいへん」 in this sentence: 「これはとてもたいへんです。」
「たいへんです」 (taihen desu) means 'It's difficult' or 'It's tough'.
Which Japanese word best describes a 'tough day'?
「大変な」 (taihen na) means 'difficult' or 'tough', so 「大変な一日」 (taihen na ichinichi) means 'a tough day'.
You hear someone say, 「大変ですね！」 (Taihen desu ne!). What are they likely expressing?
「大変ですね！」 (Taihen desu ne!) is a common expression to show sympathy or acknowledge someone's difficult situation.
「大変な」 can be used to describe something that is easy.
「大変な」 (taihen na) means difficult or tough, not easy.
If you say 「大変だ！」 (Taihen da!), it means something serious or awful is happening.
「大変だ！」 (Taihen da!) can be an exclamation meaning 'Oh no!' or 'This is serious!'
The phrase 「大変お疲れ様でした」 (Taihen otsukaresama deshita) means 'You did an easy job'.
「大変お疲れ様でした」 (Taihen otsukaresama deshita) is a polite way to say 'You must be very tired' or 'You worked very hard', acknowledging a difficult effort.
This is a difficult job.
I heard serious news.
The test was tough.
Read this aloud:
これは大変な間違いです。
Focus: たいへん (taihen), まちがい (machigai)
Du hast gesagt:
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Read this aloud:
今日は大変な一日でした。
Focus: きょう (kyou), いちにち (ichinichi)
Du hast gesagt:
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Read this aloud:
大変なことになりました。
Focus: こと (koto), なりました (narimashita)
Du hast gesagt:
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This means 'This is serious/difficult'. It's a common phrase to express trouble or difficulty.
This translates to 'It's a tough job, isn't it?'. 'な' is used to connect '大変' to the noun '仕事'.
This means 'Today was a tough day.' 'でした' makes the sentence past tense.
この仕事は本当に＿＿＿です。
The sentence describes the job as difficult or tough. '大変な' (taihen na) fits this context perfectly. '簡単な' (kantan na) means easy, 'きれいな' (kirei na) means pretty/clean, and '静かな' (shizuka na) means quiet.
試験勉強は＿＿＿ですが、頑張ります。
Studying for exams is often tough. '大変な' (taihen na) expresses this difficulty. '好きな' (suki na) means favorite, '暇な' (hima na) means free time, and '便利な' (benri na) means convenient.
昨日は＿＿＿雨が降りました。
To describe a heavy or serious rain, '大変な' (taihen na) is appropriate, meaning 'awful' or 'serious' in this context. '小さい' (chiisai) means small, '暑い' (atsui) means hot, and '速い' (hayai) means fast.
新しいプロジェクトは＿＿＿ことになりそうです。
A new project often comes with challenges, so '大変な' (taihen na) suggests it will be tough. '簡単な' (kantan na) means easy, '楽しい' (tanoshii) means fun, and '嬉しい' (ureshii) means happy.
引越しはいつも＿＿＿です。
Moving house is generally considered a difficult or tough task, making '大変な' (taihen na) the correct choice. '静かな' (shizuka na) means quiet, 'きれいな' (kirei na) means pretty/clean, and '有名な' (yūmei na) means famous.
それは＿＿＿ニュースですね。
To describe serious or awful news, '大変な' (taihen na) is the most fitting word. '良い' (ii) means good, '新しい' (atarashii) means new, and '古い' (furui) means old.
This is a difficult problem.
It's tough work, but I'll do my best.
Yesterday was an awful day.
Read this aloud:
大変な状況ですね。
Focus: たいへんな
Du hast gesagt:
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Read this aloud:
この試験は大変だ。
Focus: たいへんだ
Du hast gesagt:
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Read this aloud:
大変なことになりました。
Focus: たいへんなことになりました
Du hast gesagt:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
You had a very busy and difficult day at work/school. Write a short message to a friend describing your day using 「大変な」. (Approx. 20-30 characters)
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
今日は大変な一日だったよ。疲れた！
Imagine your friend is having a difficult time with their Japanese studies. Write a short encouraging sentence using 「大変な」 to acknowledge their struggle. (Approx. 15-25 characters)
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
日本語の勉強は大変だね。でも、頑張って！
You are making plans with a friend, but you have a serious/important task to do first. Write a sentence explaining your situation using 「大変な」. (Approx. 20-30 characters)
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
ごめん、その前に大変な用事があるんだ。
What is Tanaka-san doing with her new job?
Read this passage:
田中さんは新しい仕事で、毎日大変な勉強をしています。
What is Tanaka-san doing with her new job?
「大変な勉強」 means 'difficult/tough studying'. The context suggests she is putting in a lot of effort.
「大変な勉強」 means 'difficult/tough studying'. The context suggests she is putting in a lot of effort.
What did the friend say about the homework?
Read this passage:
「この宿題は本当に大変だね。」と、友達が言いました。
What did the friend say about the homework?
「本当に大変だね」 directly translates to 'It's really difficult, isn't it?'.
「本当に大変だね」 directly translates to 'It's really difficult, isn't it?'.
How would you describe yesterday's rain based on the passage?
Read this passage:
昨日の雨は大変な雨だった。道が全部水浸しになった。
How would you describe yesterday's rain based on the passage?
「大変な雨」 here implies a very heavy or serious rain, which is supported by the consequence: 「道が全部水浸しになった」 (the roads were all flooded).
「大変な雨」 here implies a very heavy or serious rain, which is supported by the consequence: 「道が全部水浸しになった」 (the roads were all flooded).
Choose the most appropriate word to complete the sentence: 昨日のテストは本当に＿＿＿＿＿でした。
The sentence means 'Yesterday's test was really difficult.' '大変な' (taihen na) fits the context of describing a difficult test.
Which sentence correctly uses '大変な' to express a serious situation?
The sentence 'これは大変な問題だ。' (Kore wa taihen na mondai da.) means 'This is a serious problem.' '大変な' is used here to indicate the seriousness of the issue.
Select the best translation for: 'That was a tough day at work.'
The phrase '大変な一日' (taihen na ichinichi) accurately conveys 'a tough day' or 'a difficult day'.
「大変な」はポジティブな意味でも使われることがある。
While '大変' can sometimes be used in expressions like '大変よくできました' (you did extremely well), '大変な' as an adjective generally carries a negative connotation of difficulty or seriousness.
「大変な」は「簡単な」の反対の意味である。
「大変な」 (difficult, tough) is indeed the opposite of 「簡単な」 (easy, simple).
この映画は大変なストーリーだったので、とても感動した。
In this context, '大変なストーリー' implies a story that was emotionally impactful or challenging, leading to being deeply moved. This is a valid usage.
このプロジェクトは本当に___仕事でした。
文脈から、プロジェクトが難しかったり、骨の折れる仕事だったことがうかがえます。そのため、「大変な」が最も適切です。
期末試験の準備で、毎晩___勉強しています。
期末試験の準備は通常、骨の折れる作業なので、「大変な」を使ってその大変さを表現するのが適切です。
彼の病状は___ことになり、手術が必要です。
手術が必要な病状は深刻であるため、「大変な」が状況の深刻さを最もよく表しています。
この状況を乗り越えるのは、私たちにとって___挑戦です。
「挑戦」という言葉から、その状況が困難であることを示唆しています。「大変な」がこの文脈で最も適切です。
引越しはいつも___作業ですが、新しい家は楽しみです。
引っ越しは肉体的にも精神的にも骨の折れる作業であることが多いため、「大変な」が適切です。
締め切りが迫っており、今は本当に___時期です。
締め切りが迫っている状況は、ストレスが多く、困難な時期を意味します。「大変な」が最も適切な表現です。
You are writing a journal entry about a particularly challenging day at work. Describe the difficulties you faced and how you felt, using '大変な' at least once.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
今日は本当に大変な一日だった。新しいプロジェクトで予期せぬ問題が次々と発生し、解決策を見つけるのに苦労した。夕方にはもうへとへとで、心から疲れたと感じた。
You are drafting an email to a friend, explaining why you haven't been able to meet up recently. Mention a '大変な' situation that has been occupying your time and energy.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
最近、本当に大変な状況に陥っていて、なかなか会う時間が取れなくてごめんね。新しい責任が増えて、毎日が目まぐるしく過ぎていくばかりだよ。落ち着いたらすぐに連絡するね。
Write a short paragraph for a blog post discussing the challenges of learning Japanese for English speakers. Use '大変な' to describe one of these difficulties.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
英語話者にとって、日本語学習は本当に大変な道のりです。特に漢字の習得は、多くの学習者にとって大きな壁となります。しかし、その分、理解できたときの達成感は格別です。
この状況で「大変な状況」とは具体的にどのようなことを指していますか？
Read this passage:
ある会社で、重要なプレゼンテーションの準備が難航していた。担当者は連日深夜まで働き、何度も内容を見直したが、なかなか完璧なものに仕上がらなかった。上司もその大変な状況を理解し、できる限りのサポートを申し出た。
この状況で「大変な状況」とは具体的にどのようなことを指していますか？
パッセージでは、担当者が深夜まで働き内容を見直しても「なかなか完璧なものに仕上がらなかった」とあり、このことが「大変な状況」として説明されています。
パッセージでは、担当者が深夜まで働き内容を見直しても「なかなか完璧なものに仕上がらなかった」とあり、このことが「大変な状況」として説明されています。
この文脈で「大変な仕事」とは、どのようなニュアンスで使われていますか？
Read this passage:
彼は新しいプロジェクトのリーダーに任命されたが、その責任の重さに驚いた。予算の管理からチームメンバーの調整まで、すべてが彼にかかっていた。まさに大変な仕事だが、彼はこの挑戦を楽しみにしていた。
この文脈で「大変な仕事」とは、どのようなニュアンスで使われていますか？
「責任の重さに驚いた」「予算の管理からチームメンバーの調整まで、すべてが彼にかかっていた」という記述から、責任が重く難しい仕事であることがわかります。
「責任の重さに驚いた」「予算の管理からチームメンバーの調整まで、すべてが彼にかかっていた」という記述から、責任が重く難しい仕事であることがわかります。
「私たちの生活に大変な影響を与えている」とは、具体的にどのような影響を指しますか？
Read this passage:
最近、世界中で気候変動による異常気象が多発している。干ばつや洪水、猛暑など、私たちの生活に大変な影響を与えている。この問題に対して、国際社会全体での協力が求められている。
「私たちの生活に大変な影響を与えている」とは、具体的にどのような影響を指しますか？
「干ばつや洪水、猛暑など」といった異常気象が多発しているという文脈から、「大変な影響」は深刻で困難な変化を指しています。
「干ばつや洪水、猛暑など」といった異常気象が多発しているという文脈から、「大変な影響」は深刻で困難な変化を指しています。
This sentence means 'It must have been a difficult decision for him.' The particles and word order combine to express a probable difficult situation.
This sentence means 'This project requires a tremendous amount of effort.' '大変な労力' (taina rōryoku) implies significant effort.
This sentence means 'I heard that he is in a serious situation.' '大変な状況' (taina jōkyō) refers to a difficult or serious state.
Choose the most appropriate synonym for 大変な in the context of a difficult situation.
「困難な」directly translates to 'difficult' or 'hardship', which is a close synonym for 大変な when referring to a difficult situation. The other options mean 'easy', 'calm/fine', and 'safe' respectively.
Which sentence uses 大変な to express a 'serious' or 'grave' situation?
In this context, 大変な modifies 'mistake' (間違い) to imply a 'serious' or 'grave' error. The other options use 大変な to mean 'difficult/tough' or 'great/tremendous' effort, not 'serious' in the sense of gravity.
Select the sentence where 大変な is used to convey an 'awful' or 'terrible' experience.
When paired with 'experience' (経験), 大変な can imply an 'awful' or 'terrible' one, especially when describing a negative event. The other options use 大変な as an intensifier for 'rain' or 'interesting', or to mean 'busy/tough'.
When used to describe a task, 大変な always implies that the task is impossible to complete.
大変な often implies difficulty or toughness, but it does not necessarily mean the task is impossible. Many difficult tasks are still completable, often with extra effort.
「大変な」 can be used to emphasize the extent or degree of something, similar to 'very' or 'extremely'.
Yes, 大変な can function as an intensifier, similar to adverbial usage, to emphasize the degree of an adjective or verb, such as 大変美味しい (very delicious) or 大変助かりました (it was a great help).
In the phrase 「大変なことになった」, 大変な strictly refers to a physically demanding situation.
「大変なことになった」 (Taihen na koto ni natta) translates to 'something serious/awful has happened' or 'things have become difficult/terrible'. It doesn't strictly refer to physical demands, but rather to the gravity or difficulty of a situation in general.
/ 72 correct
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Basic Meaning of たいへんな
The most common meaning of 「大変な」 (たいへんな) is difficult or tough. It describes situations that require a lot of effort or are challenging to deal with.
Using たいへんな for Effort
You can use 「大変な」 to express that something requires a lot of effort or is a big task. For example, 「大変な仕事」 (たいへんなしごと) means a difficult job.
たいへんな for Serious Situations
It can also describe a serious or grave situation. If someone says 「大変なことになった」 (たいへんなことになった), it means something serious has happened.
Expressing Awfulness with たいへんな
In some contexts, 「大変な」 can convey that something is awful, terrible, or unpleasant. For instance, 「大変な天気」 (たいへんなてんき) could mean terrible weather.
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いくつか
B1An unspecified small number of things; some, a few.
ちょっと
A2A little; a moment; a bit. Small amount or short time.
すこし
A2A little; a few.
さっき
A2A little while ago; a short time past.
能力
A1Nouryoku refers to the mental or physical power, skill, or capacity required to perform a specific task or function. It can describe both innate talent and skills acquired through learning and practice.
異常
A1A word used to describe something that deviates from the normal state, standard, or expected pattern. It often implies a problem, malfunction, or an extraordinary occurrence that requires attention or investigation.
～について
A2About, concerning; indicates topic.
〜について
B1About, concerning; on the subject of.
～ぐらい
A2about, approximately
ぐらい
A2About; approximately; to the extent of.
