【JLPT N5】Grammar：一番 / ichiban

sentence pattern: 一番 / ichiban

【Grammar Type】
Adverb

【Essential Meaning】
Most / -est

【Construction】

ichiban + (i-Adjective / Na-Adjective)

E.g. いちばん高たかい
ichiban takai [The highest]

E.g. いちばん静しずかだ
ichiban sizukada [The quietest]

ichiban + i-Adjective Stem + ku

E.g. いちばん高たかく
ichiban takaku[Most highly]

ichiban + Na – Adjective Stem + Ni

E.g. いちばん静かに
ichiban sizukani [Most quietly]

NOTE

• いちばん (ichiban/一番) is a superlative marker. With adjectives, it is equivalent to the superlative adjective suffix “-est” as in “Biggest“, “Ugliest“, or “Longest“. With adverbs, it is equivalent to “Most X“, as in “Most highly” or “Most quickly“.
• Note that since いちばん(ichiban/一番) is an adverb, it can not be affixed directly to nouns. For example, “#1 Friend” can not be expressed as いちばん(ichiban/一番)ともだち(tomodachi/友達) in Japanese. Instead, an adjective such as いい [ii/Good] can be used in conjunction with 一番(ichiban)(e.g. 一番いちばんいいともだち [ichiban ii tomodachi /Best Friend]). That being said, the adjective or adverb that follows 一番(ichiban) is sometimes omitted in casual speech if the context is obvious.
  • E.g. 松本さんと池田さんと清水さんのなかで、だれが一番(よく)できますか。matsumoto-san to ikeda-san to shimizu-san no nakade, darega ichiban yoku dekimasuka. [Among Matsumoto-san, Ikeda-san, and Shimizu-san, who can do it the best?]
  • Here, the adverb よく [yoku/Well] may be omitted since it is clear from context that the speaker is referring to how well the three teachers can do something.

Example Sentences

• 日本料理で、すき焼きが一番好きです。
  • nihonryouri de, sukiyaki ga ichiban sukidesu.
  • I like sukiyaki best among Japanese dishes.
• 映画の中でコメディが一番好きです。
  • eiga no nakade komedi ga ichiban sukidesu.
  • I like comedies the best among movies.
• この学校で、トムさんが一番背が高いです。
  • kono gakkoude, tomu-san ga ichiban se ga takai desu.
  • Tom is the tallest person in this school.
• この教室で、ジェシカさんが一番頭がいいです。
  • kono kyousitsude, jesika-san ga ichiban atama ga iidesu.
  • Jessica is the smartest person in this class.
• 音楽で、ロックが一番好きです。
  • ongaku de rokku ga ichiban sukidesu.
  • I like rock music the best.
• 一年で、夏が一番暑いです。
  • ichinende, natsu ga ichiban atsuidesu.
  • Summer is the hottest time of the year.
• 兄弟で誰が一番背が高いですか。
  • kyoudai de darega ichiban se ga takai desuka.
  • Which of your siblings is the tallest?
• ジョンさんの国でどこが一番きれいですか。
  • jon-san no kuni de dokoga ichiban kirei desuka.
  • What is the most beautiful place in your country, John?
• ジェームスさんの国でいつが一番寒いですか。
  • je-musu san no kuni de itsu ga ichiban samuidesuka.
  • When is it the coldest in your country, James?