Meaning and Usage
"いつも" is an adverb meaning "always," "usually," or "every time." It expresses a habitual or consistent action or state. When used with negative verbs, it can mean "never." It is very common in daily conversation and can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
Common Collocations and Patterns
- いつも + verb: Indicates a habitual action (e.g., いつも食べる - always eat).
- いつも + negative verb: Means "never" (e.g., いつも遅刻しない - never late).
- いつも通り (いつもどおり): "as usual," used to describe something happening in the usual way.
Usage Notes
Speakers use "いつも" to emphasize regularity or consistency. It often appears in positive statements but can also negate actions when combined with negative verbs. Avoid confusing "いつも" with "たいてい" (usually), which implies a high frequency but not necessarily always.
Common Mistake
Learners sometimes misuse "いつも" with negative verbs to mean "sometimes" or "rarely," but with negatives, it means "never." For example, "いつも行かない" means "never go," not "sometimes don't go."