Translation guide
Used to confirm that something expected or predicted actually happened. Often expresses mild surprise that things turned out as anticipated.
The speaker had a hunch or expectation, and it turned out to be true.
The most common and natural way to say 'sure enough' in casual conversation. Implies 'as I thought' or 'just as I expected.'
やっぱり雨が降ってきた。
Sure enough, it started raining.
彼はやっぱり遅刻した。
Sure enough, he was late.
The more formal or written version of やっぱり. Used in the same way but sounds more polished.
やはり彼の予想は当たっていた。
Sure enough, his prediction was correct.
Literally 'as expected'. Often used when the outcome is somewhat negative or ironic, but not always. Slightly more literary than やっぱり.
案の定、彼はまた忘れ物をした。
Sure enough, he forgot something again.
案の定、電車は遅れていた。
Sure enough, the train was delayed.
Means 'just as I thought'. More explicit about personal expectation. Can be used in both casual and formal contexts.
思った通り、彼女は来なかった。
Sure enough, she didn't come.
The speaker checks something and finds that a suspicion or guess was correct.
Again, the most natural choice. Used when you look into something and find your guess was right.
調べてみたら、やっぱり彼が犯人だった。
When I looked into it, sure enough, he was the culprit.
Formal equivalent of やっぱり for verification contexts.
Used in storytelling to build up to a predictable outcome.
Often used in narratives to mean 'sure enough' or 'as expected', sometimes with a dramatic tone. Can also mean 'really' or 'indeed' in questions.
はたして、彼の言った通りになった。
Sure enough, it turned out just as he said.
やっぱり is the everyday word for 'sure enough' and can be used in almost any situation. 案の定 is slightly more formal and often carries a nuance of 'as I feared' or 'predictably (negative)', though it can be neutral. Use やっぱり for most casual speech.
やっぱり彼は来なかった。
Sure enough, he didn't come. (neutral/casual)
案の定、彼は来なかった。
Sure enough, he didn't come. (slightly more formal, perhaps expected bad outcome)
やっぱり is extremely common in spoken Japanese. It can be used as a standalone interjection when you realize your guess was correct, similar to saying 'I knew it!' in English.
あ、やっぱり！
Ah, sure enough! / I knew it!
Upon checking, sure enough, there was a mistake.