早い（はやい）
JLPT N5 · i-adjective
Pitch accent: nakadaka (middle-high) — pitch drops after mora 2
Meaning: early / fast
Conjugation
| Form | Japanese | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| te-form | 早くて | はやくて |
| ta-form (past) | 早かった | はやかった |
| nai-form (negative) | 早くない | はやくない |
See the full conjugation table for "早い" →
Example sentences
- 今朝はいつもより早く起きた。 — I woke up earlier than usual this morning.
- 一年が過ぎるのは本当に早い。 — A year really does go by fast.
Idioms & proverbs containing “早い”
- 早い者勝ち (はやいものがち) — first come, first served; the early bird catches the worm
- 手が早い (てがはやい) — being a fast worker
- 手の早い (てのはやい) — fast (worker)
- 足が早い (あしがはやい) — to be fast at walking and running
Related words
See it used in real works
- Example sentences from Japanese novels & web fiction (Massif)
- Hear “早い” pronounced in real videos (YouGlish)