だんだん

だんだん
adverb
gradually
descriptive
1. gradually, little by little
Describes a slow, progressive change over time. Things changing step by step rather than suddenly.
だんだん寒(さむ)くなった。
It gradually got cold.
だんだん好(す)きになりました。
I gradually came to like it.
だんだん暖(あたた)かくなってきました。
It's gradually getting warmer.
～てきた shows change over time
日本語(にほんご)がだんだんわかるようになりました。
I've gradually come to understand Japanese.
毎日(まいにち)勉強(べんきょう)していたら、だんだん上手(じょうず)になってきました。
By studying every day, I've gradually gotten better.

だんだん is an adverb meaning 'gradually' or 'little by little,' describing slow progressive change over time.

Writing

Can be written as 段々(だんだん) but hiragana is more common.

Common patterns

  • だんだん～くなる: to gradually become ~
  • だんだん～てくる: to gradually come to ~
  • だんだん～ていく: to gradually go toward ~
  • だんだんわかる: to gradually understand

Similar words

Related Words

Synonym: 少(すこ)しずつ
Synonym: 徐々(じょじょ)に (more formal)
Synonym: 次第(しだい)に (literary)
Antonym: 急(きゅう)に
Compare: いきなり
Compare: どんどん (rapidly)
Compare: 徐々(じょじょ) (gradually, slowly, little by little)
Compare: じわじわ (gradually)
basic
Added 2026.1.7 21:57 · Revised 2026.9.2 12:02
00500/00832_dandan