なるべく: 'As Much As Possible' / 'If Possible'
What it means
なるべく tells the listener (or yourself) to do something to the greatest extent that's reasonable. It softens an instruction or a goal: you're aiming for it, within the limits of what's practical.
なるべく早く来てください。
なるべく はやく きてください。
Please come as early as you can.
Not 'definitely arrive early' — just 'as early as is feasible.'
ヤッタンはなるべく日本語で話すようにしている。
ヤッタンは なるべく にほんごで はなすように している。
Yattan tries to speak in Japanese as much as possible.
健康のために、野菜をなるべく毎日食べる。
けんこうの ために、やさいを なるべく まいにち たべる。
For my health, I eat vegetables every day as much as I can.
The key flavor is effort within reason. You're committing to try hard, but you're leaving room for circumstances that might get in the way.
How to form it
なるべく is an adverb, so it simply sits in front of the verb (or verb phrase) it modifies. Nothing conjugates.
| Pattern | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| With a verb | なるべく + verb | なるべく歩く (walk as much as possible) |
| With a request | なるべく + 〜てください | なるべく静かにしてください |
| With a goal | なるべく + 〜ようにする | なるべく早く寝るようにする |
| With an adjective/adverb | なるべく + 早く / たくさん | なるべく安く (as cheaply as possible) |
Position is flexible: it can come right at the start of the sentence or just before the verb. Both なるべく野菜を食べる and 野菜をなるべく食べる are fine.
More examples
モチはなるべくお金を使わないようにしている。
モチは なるべく おかねを つかわないように している。
Mochi tries not to spend money as much as possible.
なるべく works with the negative too — 'avoid as much as you can.'
先生は「なるべく辞書を使わないで読んでみて」と言った。
せんせいは「なるべく じしょを つかわないで よんでみて」と いった。
The teacher said, 'Try to read it without a dictionary as much as you can.'
弟はなるべく宿題を後回しにしたがる。
おとうとは なるべく しゅくだいを あとまわしに したがる。
My little brother wants to put off his homework as much as possible.
明日は雨らしいので、なるべく早く家を出よう。
あしたは あめらしいので、なるべく はやく いえを でよう。
It looks like rain tomorrow, so let's leave the house as early as we can.
Common mistakes
- Reading it as an absolute "definitely." なるべく softens to "to the extent feasible," not "guaranteed." なるべく行きます means "I'll go if I reasonably can," not "I will definitely go." If you mean a firm promise, say 必ず行きます.
- Trying to conjugate it. なるべく is an adverb and never changes shape. There's no なるべきます or なるべくな — it just sits before the verb.
- Attaching が or を to it. It's not a noun. Don't write なるべくが or なるべくを; place it directly in front of what it modifies.
- Confusing なるべく with できるだけ in tone. They overlap heavily, but できるだけ ("as much as you possibly can") is slightly stronger and more common in everyday speech. なるべく can feel a touch softer and more polite. In most sentences you can swap one for the other.
Quick recap
- なるべく = "as much as possible" / "if possible" — a reasonable, best-effort goal.
- It's an adverb: it never conjugates and takes no particle. Just place it before the verb.
- It pairs naturally with 〜てください (requests) and 〜ようにする (ongoing efforts).
- It does not mean "definitely" — for that, use 必ず.
- Near-synonym: できるだけ, which is slightly stronger and more common.
Your turn
Choose the sentence that uses なるべく correctly.
Start the 5-question drill →Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between なるべく and できるだけ?
They mean almost the same thing: 'as much as possible.' できるだけ is slightly stronger and more common in casual speech, while なるべく can feel a touch softer and more polite. In most sentences you can swap one for the other freely.
Does なるべく mean 'definitely'?
No. It means 'to the extent that's reasonable / if possible.' なるべく行きます is 'I'll go if I reasonably can,' not a firm promise. For 'definitely,' use 必ず.
Where does なるべく go in the sentence?
It's an adverb, so it goes before the verb or the word it modifies. Both なるべく野菜を食べる and 野菜をなるべく食べる are natural — position is flexible.
Can I use なるべく with a negative verb?
Yes. なるべく〜ないようにする ('try not to … as much as possible') is very common: なるべくお金を使わないようにする ('try to avoid spending money').