means "to a remarkable degree", and you use it when you work that degree out from what you can see: "she must have been really happy". It goes before a verb or adjective, and the sentence usually carries a guess –
,
,
,
.
is the same word in conversation.
、。
He must have been exhausted – he fell asleep standing up on the train.
。
You must have been really hungry.
、。
He seemed terribly nervous – his voice was shaking.
Without that guess or a comparison, よほど does not work as a plain "very".
- × このケーキはよほどおいしいです → このケーキはとてもおいしいです
"Far more" in a comparison
With or , よほど says one side is far better, worse or easier than the other.
。
Making it yourself is far cheaper.
、。
This book is far more interesting than that film.
Usage notes
These go beyond guessing at a degree and comparing.
"I almost did"
With a volitional verb and , よほど says you came close to doing something and then didn't.
。
I very nearly quit my job.
、。
I almost said no, but I decided to take it on.
よほどの + noun
before a noun means "considerable" or "extraordinary".
is the set phrase for "unless something serious happens".
、。
Unless something serious happens, it won't be cancelled.
。
You can't do this job without real determination.
Lingaku