いつも

See also: いづも

Japanese

Alternative spelling
何時も

Etymology

From いつ (itsu, “when”) +‎ も (mo, “even, also”).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) いつも [íꜜtsùmò] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [it͡sɨmo̞]

Adverb

いつも • (itsumo) 

1. always, invariably, all the time
2. usually
3. (with a negative verb) never

Usage notes

If this term is part of a comparison phrase such as いつもは (itsumo wa), いつも通り (itsumodōri), or いつもより (itsumo yori), it means “usually” instead of “always”.

This term is sometimes spelled in romaji as two separate words: itsu mo. However, it is idiomatically a single word like the English word whenever.

Noun

いつも • (itsumo) 

1. the usual, ordinary

   いつもの昼(ちゅう)食(しょく)を食(た)べた。

   Itsumo no chūshoku o tabeta.

   He ate his usual (for) lunch.

   これは例(れい)外(がい)で、いつもとは違(ちが)います。

   Kore wa reigai de, itsumo to wa chigaimasu.

   This is an exception, and is different from the usual.

See also

• 常(つね)に (tsune ni, “always”)
• 大(たい)抵(てい) (taitei, “usually”)