How to Use そろそろ and もうすぐ Most People Don’t Know
そろそろ and もうすぐ might have been pretty confusing words for Japanese learners, but don’t worry about it. It’s not that difficult to figure them out. After reading this, your Japanese skill will improve! Let me introduce how you correctly use そろそろ and もうすぐ today!
そろそろ(sorosoro)
It’s about time
“そろそろ” is “It’s about time”, so it means NEAR FUTURE than “もうすぐ”. What is the difference between “そろそろ電車が来る” and “もうすぐ電車が来る?” Although they are quite similar, native speakers think “そろそろ電車が来る” is near future than “もうすぐ電車が来る”. Time-wise, “そろそろ電車が来る” is within 5 minutes and “もうすぐ電車が来る” is within 10 to 20 minutes in this time.




もうすぐ(mousugu)
Soon / Around the corner
“もうすぐ” is”Soon and Around the corner” and “もうすぐ” means pretty longer future than “そろそろ”. The way to use them is that “もうすぐバスが来ます。(The bus will come here soon.)” and time-wise, it will take 10 to 20 minutes. And “そろそろバスが来ます。(It’s about time the bus came here.)” and time-wise 5 to 10 minutes. Next, what is the difference between “もうすぐ寝ます” and “そろそろ寝ます?”, “もうすぐ寝ます” is that a person will go to bed within 1 hour, and “そろそろ寝ます” is that he/she will go to bed within 30 minutes. Again it depends on people feel the length of time though.



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