How to Say ‘Little by little’ in Japanese
少しずつ
sukoshi zutsu
[skoo-koh-shee zoots]
💬 Usage Tip: Great phrase for learning progress: [少しずつ] + [上手になります] (“get better”).
🇯🇵 In Japan: The “slow and steady” mindset is valued—[少しずつ] fits that cultural vibe nicely.
Phrase Breakdown
少し
sukoshi
[skoo-koh-shee]
a little; a bit
少し (すこし) means “a little” and often pairs naturally with ずつ to express gradual change.
少しずつ日本語が分かるようになりました。
Little by little, I’ve started to understand Japanese.
ずつ
zutsu
[zoots]
each; at a time; little by little (in equal portions)
In the set phrase 少しずつ, ずつ adds the nuance of gradual progress in small increments.
少しずつ慣れてきました。
I’m getting used to it little by little.
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