(Joy shouting “Sugoi!” casually vs. Joy saying “Subarashii” politely)
“Wow! That’s amazing!”
“That is a splendid idea.”
In Japanese, すごい (Sugoi) is casual and energetic. すばらしい (Subarashii) is polite and refined. Using them correctly changes your image completely. Let’s learn with Joy and Ken!
🗣 Conversation Scene
Joy and Ken are watching a street magic show.
どうやったんですか！？
(Wow! That magic just now was “amazing”! How did he do that!?)
技術（ぎじゅつ）も すばらしい ですね。プロみたいです。
(It really is. His technique is “splendid/excellent” too. He looks like a pro.)
💡 Explanation
Think about: Casual Reaction vs. Polite Judgment.
Point 1: Sugoi (すごい) = Wow / Awesome / Terrible
This is a strong, visceral reaction. It is very casual. It emphasizes the “degree” of something (very big, very loud, very good).
- あの選手（せんしゅ）は すごい です！
(That athlete is awesome/amazing!) - すごい 人（ひと）ですね。
(What a crowd! / That’s a huge amount of people.)
Point 2: Subarashii (すばらしい) = Splendid / Excellent
This expresses deep admiration or praise for high quality. It is polite and implies value, beauty, or effort. It is purely positive.
- すばらしい 演奏（えんそう）でした。
(It was a splendid musical performance.) - あなたの考（かんガ）えは すばらしい です。
(Your idea is excellent.)
📊 Comparison Table
🚧 Joy’s Mistake
(Talking to the company president about his speech)
❌ Wrong: 社長（しゃちょう）、スピーチ、すごかった です！
(This sounds childish, like a kid saying “Wow, cool!” to an adult. It can be rude.)
✅ Right: 社長（しゃちょう）、スピーチ、すばらしかった です！
(It was excellent/moving. This shows respect.)
🔥 Practice Quiz
Tap to check the answer!
