Grammar Info

N3 Lesson 4: 21/21

それぞれEach, Respectively

Structure

それぞれ + Phrase
それぞれ + の + Noun

Details

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About それぞれ

それぞれ is a noun in Japanese that is used similarly to 'each' in English. Like other nouns that can be used adverbially (ほとんど, 沢山(たくさん), and かなり for example), それぞれ regularly comes before a whole sentence, or before a specific noun preceded by の.

Fun Fact

それぞれ comes from the same kanji as 其(それ), the word used to highlight 'that' (close to the listener) in Japanese. Due to this, the literal meaning of それぞれ is 'that and that' (interpreted simply as 'everyone', or 'each).

Examples

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    それぞれ行(い)きたいところに行(い)きましょう。

    Let's go to each of the places we want to go (respectively).

    生(い)き物(もの)はそれぞれ食(た)べるものが違(ちが)う。

    Living things each eat different things respectively.

    それぞれ好(す)きな運動(うんどう)をした。

    We each (respectively) did exercises that we like.

    これからはそれぞれの道(みち)を行(い)くことに決(き)めた。

    We decided that we will each (respectively) go our separate ways from now on.

    人(ひと)それぞれ癖(くせ)というものがあります。

    Each (respective) person has a habit.

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それぞれ – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (5 in total)

  • matt_in_mito

    matt_in_mito

    I actually thought so too until I read this, so I checked with a Japanese friend and she said it doesn’t look quite right, but you can say 癖は人それぞれです, which would also be natural.

  • Ambo100

    Ambo100

    I also thought it sounded strange but it does appear to be used quite naturally in Japanese as shown in these examples.

    It also has its own definition at Jisho.org

    Expression:
    to each his own; people differ; different people (have different likes)

  • dokidokiwakuwaku

    dokidokiwakuwaku

    Would anyone happen to know the difference in usage between this point and べつべつ? Thank you!

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