大変
たいへん
very; difficult, hard
na-adjective
Conjugation Table
Present
大変だ
Negative
大変じゃない
Past
大変だった
Past Negative
大変じゃなかった
Te Form
大変で
Adverbial
大変に
Conditional
大変なら
Presumptive
大変でしょう
Example Sentences
この仕事は大変です。
This job is hard.
Kono shigoto wa taihen desu.
昨日は大変でした。
Yesterday was tough.
Kinō wa taihen deshita.
毎日勉強するのは大変じゃない。
Studying every day isn't hard.
Mainichi benkyō suru no wa taihen janai.
Grammar Notes & Usage Tips
•Placement and Usage**: 大変 (たいへん) can be used before adjectives and verbs to emphasize them, much like "very" in English. For example, 大変おいしい (たいへんおいしい) means "very delicious." Remember, when used before a verb, the structure is 大変 + verb in its plain form.
•As a Na-Adjective**: When 大変 is used to describe a noun (meaning "difficult" or "troublesome"), it acts as a na-adjective, so it needs the particle な between 大変 and the noun. For example, 大変な仕事 (たいへんなしごと) means "a difficult job."
•Conjugation for Different Forms**: Since 大変 is a na-adjective, to form the negative or past tense, you need to conjugate it like a noun. For example, 大変じゃない (たいへんじゃない) means "not difficult," and 大変だった (たいへんだった) means "was difficult."
•Common Mistake with Context**: Be careful not to confuse the "very" usage with the "difficult" usage. Context is key: if you say 大変です (たいへんです) by itself, it usually means "It's tough/difficult," so ensure the context is clear to avoid misunderstandings.
•な-adjective: Uses な before nouns, conjugates like a noun