Meaning and Usage
"今朝" (けさ) means "this morning" and is used to refer specifically to the morning of the current day. It is a common word in daily conversation and formal speech.
Common Contexts
You will often hear "今朝" when talking about events or conditions that happened earlier the same day, such as weather, meetings, or news.
Collocations and Patterns
- 今朝は (けさは): used to describe something about this morning, e.g., 今朝は寒かった (This morning was cold).
- 今朝の + noun: to specify something related to this morning, e.g., 今朝のニュース (this morning's news).
- 今朝から (けさから): starting from this morning.
Register and Politeness
"今朝" is neutral and can be used in both casual and polite contexts. It is more formal than simply saying "今日の朝" (きょうのあさ), which also means "this morning" but is less common.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse "今朝" with "今晩" (こんばん, tonight) or "今日の朝". Remember "今朝" always refers to the morning of the current day, never to past or future mornings.