Translation guide
A guide to expressing 'each time' in Japanese, covering repeated events, gradual changes, and emphatic patterns.
Express that something happens on every occasion of a specific action or event.
Used after a verb in dictionary form to mean 'every time one does V'. It emphasizes that the same result or action occurs on each occasion.
彼は会うたびに新しい話をしてくれる。
Every time I meet him, he tells me a new story.
Express that something changes little by little with each repetition of an event.
Used to indicate a progressive change with each instance. Often paired with words like 増える (increase) or 減る (decrease).
一雨ごとに暖かくなる。
It gets warmer with each rainfall.
彼は会うごとに成長している。
He grows every time I see him.
Stress that something happens without exception on every single occasion.
Adding 必ず (without fail) after たびに emphasizes that the action always occurs.
彼は来るたびに必ず手土産を持ってくる。
Every single time he comes, he brings a gift without fail.
Similar emphasis with ごとに.
Both mean 'every time', but たびに focuses on the occasion itself, while ごとに often implies a more systematic or regular repetition. ごとに is also used for intervals (e.g., 1時間ごとに 'every hour'). For gradual changes, ごとに is more natural.
会うたびに彼は違う帽子をかぶっている。
Every time I meet him, he's wearing a different hat. (focus on each meeting)
会う人ごとに同じ質問をする。
He asks the same question to every person he meets. (systematic repetition)
While 毎回 means 'every time', it is often used as an adverb meaning 'every time (in a series)' and can sound unnatural when directly translating 'each time' in a subordinate clause. Use たびに or ごとに instead.
この写真を見るたびに悲しくなる。
Every time I see this photo, I feel sad.
彼が電話してくるたびに私は忙しい。
Each time he calls, I'm busy.
Every time I hear this song, I remember my hometown.
Used after a noun to mean 'every time of N'. Common with event nouns like 旅行 (trip), 試験 (exam), etc.
旅行のたびにお土産を買う。
Every time I go on a trip, I buy souvenirs.
試験のたびに緊張する。
I get nervous every time I have an exam.
Similar to たびに, but ごとに can imply a more regular, systematic repetition. Often used when the event is seen as a discrete unit.
彼は会う人ごとに同じ話をする。
He tells the same story to every person he meets.
一雨ごとに暖かくなる。
It gets warmer with each rainfall.
A conditional pattern that can express 'whenever' or 'every time'. It implies a natural, habitual consequence.
春になると花が咲く。
Every time spring comes, flowers bloom.
彼は酒を飲むと顔が赤くなる。
Every time he drinks alcohol, his face turns red.
A more emphatic or colloquial version of たびに. Often used in casual speech.
彼女は会うたんびに文句を言う。
Every single time I see her, she complains.
Can also be used for gradual changes, though ごとに is more common for this nuance.
読むたびに新しい発見がある。
Every time I read it, I discover something new.
彼女は会う人ごとに必ず挨拶する。
She greets every single person she meets without fail.
✕ 彼は来る毎回、プレゼントを持ってくる。
He brings a present every time he comes. (unnatural)
○ 彼は来るたびにプレゼントを持ってくる。
He brings a present every time he comes. (natural)
✕ 彼は来る毎回、プレゼントを持ってくる。
He brings a present every time he comes. (unnatural)
○ 彼は来るたびにプレゼントを持ってくる。
He brings a present every time he comes. (natural)