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Question to Teacher: What is the difference between ZENBU and SUBETE?
Course 3 Lesson 4: The Concert (New Words)

Dandere

Post Date: 2012-01-15 11:20:02

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2011 Jun 26

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Is there a difference between "Zenbu" (All) and "Subete" (All)? When I've used subete Japanese people have always corrected it to zenbu.

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YesJapan Teacher (Kanako)

Post Date: 2012-01-27 17:51:19

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This is a good question.

I would like to know how you have used the word SUBETE to Japanese people. Could you give me some example sentences?

Thank you!

Dandere

Post Date: 2012-01-29 01:12:46

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2011 Jun 26

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たとえば、「もらったプレゼントのすべてがだいすきです。」
あと、「すべてはおいしそうですね。」

Is there a reason for changing subete to zenbu in the above sentences? Or is it just a matter of personal choice?

YesJapan Teacher (Kanako)

Post Date: 2012-02-01 17:48:01

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Let me translate your example sentences for other students first.

1) もらったプレゼントのすべてがだいすきです。
Moratta purezento no subete ga daisuki desu.
I love all the gifts that I received.

2)すべてはおいしそうですね。
Subete wa oishisou desu ne.
All of them (everything) look delicious.

It is ok to use SUBETE in the above sentences. However, Japanese people tend to use ZENBU more than SUBETE in daily conversation. It sounds more natural to them.

You can also say:

1)

もらったプレゼントはぜんぶ、だいすきです。
Moratta purezento wa zenbu daisuki desu.

もらったプレゼントはどれも、だいすきです。
Moratta purezento wa doremo daisuki desu.

2)

ぜんぶ、おいしそうですね。
Zenbu oishisou desu ne.

どれも、おいしそうですね。
Doremo oishisou desu ne.

The useful word どれも (DOREMO) is introduced in Course 5 Lesson 3 (Grammar Part: 2).

There are times when you can not use ZENBU.
For example, when you say "all people", you must say すべてのひと (SUBETE NO HITO) or ぜんいん (ZEN-IN）. You can never say ぜんぶのひと (ZENBU NO HITO).