Meaning and Usage
"今晩" (こんばん) means "tonight" or "this evening" and is commonly used in everyday conversation to refer to the current night's time period.
Common Contexts
It is often used when making plans, talking about the weather, or describing activities happening during the evening or night.
Collocations and Patterns
- 今晩は (こんばん は): Used as a topic marker to talk about tonight.
- 今晩の + noun: To specify something related to tonight, e.g., 今晩の予定 (tonight's plans).
- 今晩も (こんばん も): To indicate "tonight as well" or "again tonight."
Register and Politeness
"今晩" is neutral and appropriate in both casual and polite speech. It is a standard time expression.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse 今晩 (こんばん) with 今日の夜 (きょうのよる), which also means "tonight" but can sound more formal or specific. 今晩 is more natural in spoken Japanese for general evening references.