Grammar Info

N4 Lesson 5: 10/20

大体(だいたい)

Most・mostly, Adequately・generally, For the most part, Roughly・approximately, In the first place

Structure

だいたい + Phrase
だいたい + Number(1)
だいたい + の + Noun

(1) Degree

Details

  • Register

    Standard

  • 使用域

    一般

About だいたい

大体(だいたい) is an adverb that is used to highlight the 'main point' of something in Japanese, and therefore has several different nuances. 大体(だいたい) will regularly be translated as 'mostly', 'generally', or 'for the most part'.
As with other adverbs that highlight amounts, 大体(だいたい) can be used to modify entire phrases, or can be used directly before a noun as 大体(だいたい)の + noun.
  • だいたいでいいから何時(なんじ)くらいに着(つ)くか教(おし)えて。
    Since a general time is okay, can you let me know around when you will arrive?
  • 水曜日(すいようび)はだいたい5時(じ)に起(お)きています。
    On Wednesdays, I generally wake up at 5 am.
  • だいたいの人(ひと)たち薔薇(ばら)という漢字(かんじ)を書(か)けません。
    Most people do not know how to write the kanji 'bara'. (薔薇(ばら) is the kanji for 'rose')
In a similar way to そもそも, a noun/adverb which means 'in the first place', 大体(だいたい) can also have this meaning. This nuance is frequently quite obvious, as the rest of the sentence will highlight a desired outcome that unfortunately did not happen.
  • だいたいなんでお前(まえ)がここにいるの？
    Why are you here in the first place? (No one wants you here)
Although these 2 primary uses of 大体(だいたい) may seem quite different, they are both just expressing what is 'essentially' correct, most common, the original, etc.
Fun Fact
A common synonym for 大体(だいたい) is 根本(ねもと), a noun which means 'the source', or 'the origin' or something. In this way, 大体(だいたい) just expresses the way something is, without receiving any alterations (regardless of whether any subsequent alterations are positive or negative). This is where the 'in essence' meaning comes from.
  • と言(い)うことは私(わたし)たちが言(い)っていることはだいたい一緒(いっしょ)なのね。
    In that case, what we are both saying is the same in essence.

Examples

  • 「日本語(にほんご)がだいたい分(わ)かる。」

    'I roughly understand Japanese.'

  • 焼(や)きたてパンについて話(はな)しているカップル、
    彼女(かのじょ)：「どう？」
    彼氏(かれし)：「だいたいいいと思(おも)うんだけど、」

    Couple talking about freshly baked bread:
    Girlfriend: 'How is it?'
    Boyfriend: 'I think it is mostly good, but…' (adequately)

  • 「彼女(かのじょ)はだいたいの状況(じょうきょう)を知(し)っています。」

    'She has the general idea of the situation.'

  • 電話(でんわ)にでている子供(こども)：「父(ちち)はだいたい５時(じ)ごろ帰(かえ)ります。」

    Child answering the phone: 'Dad usually comes home around 5.'

    だいたい is very often used with words like ころ（ごろ）,くらい（ぐらい）, etc.

  • このサイトにいる人(ひと)は、だいたい真面目(まじめ)な人(ひと)だと思(おも)う。外国語(がいこくご)を学(まな)ぶときはそれが必要(ひつよう)だからね。

    I think that people on this site are mostly diligent. Because you need that when learning a foreign language.

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だいたい – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (2 in total)

  • flowsnake

    flowsnake

    [だいたい is very often used with words like ころ（ごろ）, くらい（ぐらい）, etc.]

    Does this emphasize the “approximate” part of those other words, or is some other meaning added?

  • mrnoone

    mrnoone

    @flowsnake

    Hey and sorry for the late answer

    Yes, だいたい is used together with those to emphasize that it is not the exact amount, but “more or less” about that much and to make the sentence a bit more casual.

    I hope it helps,
    Cheers!

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