Rephrase Your Words ⑥ Find precise ways to say “すごい”

Today’s Theme

“すごい” appears everywhere in conversation.
We hear “すごい人”, “すごくおいしい”, “すごいですね！” to show surprise, awe, or praise.

But because it is so convenient, it can be hard to know what exactly is “すごい” and in what way.
Here we sort “すごい” by function and pick alternatives that fit the goal.
To keep it friendly for new learners, we use short, upbeat sentences.

Why it feels vague

“すごい” originally meant “frightening; very large in degree.”
Today it is often positive, but depending on context it can express approval, disapproval, surprise, or strong feeling.

Use	Meaning	Example	How it comes across
Emphasizing degree	Very ~	「すごく寒いです」 (It’s very cold.)	Only the strength of temperature is told
Praise	Excellent	「すごい技術ですね」 (That’s great skill.)	Used when you want to compliment
Surprise / awe	Unexpected and impressive	「すごい！できたんですか？」 (Wow, you did it?)	Emotion is in focus
Negative intensity	Too strong / problematic	「すごい音がする」 (The noise is loud.)	Shows discomfort or trouble

Even with the same “すごい,” the function changes by situation.
When you rephrase, decide first “what,” “how much,” and “with what feeling” you want to say.

Rephrase directions (with kana and IPA)

Clarify the kind of feeling or evaluation you want to show, then choose a natural alternative. Japanese stays in 「」; translations are in parentheses.

Rephrase type	Intention	Example	Reading (kana)	Pronunciation (IPA)	Function
Give praise	Rate a person or thing highly	「素晴らしい成果です。」 (This is an excellent result.)	すばらしい　せいか　です	[sɯ̥.ba.ɾa.ɕiː seː.ka desɯ]	Calmly praise ability and effort
Express awe	Show surprise or respect	「本当に感動しました。」 (I’m truly moved.)	ほんとうに　かんどうしました	[hoɴ.toː.ni kaɴ.doː.ɕi.ma.ɕi.ta]	State that your heart was moved
Show degree	Tell how strong or much	「とても静かです。」 (It’s very quiet.)	とても　しずか　です	[to.te.mo ɕi.zö.ka desɯ]	Use instead of “すごく” to be specific
Point out surprise	Stress an unexpected result	「思った以上に早いですね。」 (It’s faster than I thought.)	おもった　いじょうに　はやい　ですね	[o.moʔ.ta i.ʑoː.ni ha.jai de.sɯ.ne]	Shows the gap from your expectation
Clarify negative meaning	Say something is too strong/big	「音がとても大きいです。」 (The sound is very loud.)	おとが　とても　おおきい　です	[o.to.ga to.te.mo oː.kiː desɯ]	Explains discomfort without being blunt

Note

IPA is approximate. Vowel length and the nasal 「ん」 vary by speaker; check with the kana.

Usage examples (service and business | with kana and IPA)

Scene	What you want to say	Appropriate rephrase	Reading (kana)	Pronunciation (IPA)	Function
Service (looking at a guest’s work)	Awe and praise	「素敵な作品ですね。丁寧に作られています。」 (A lovely piece. It’s crafted with care.)	すてきな　さくひん　ですね。ていねいに　つくられています。	[sɯ̥.te.ki.na sa.kɯ̥.çĩn de.sɯ.ne teː.neː.ni tsɯ̥.kɯ̥.ɾa.ɾe.te.i.ma.sɯ]	More specific than just saying “すごい,” and points to the effort
Service (explaining crowding)	Emphasize a negative situation	「本日は非常に混み合っております。」 (We are extremely busy today.)	ほんじつは　ひじょうに　こみあっております。	[hoɴ.dʑi.t͡sɯ̥.wa çi.dʑoː.ni ko.mi.aʔ.te o.ɾi.ma.sɯ]	Objective description that leads to an apology
Internal (praising a junior)	Evaluate ability	「よく準備されていますね。安心しました。」 (You prepared well. I feel reassured.)	よく　じゅんび　されていますね。あんしん　しました。	[jo.kɯ dʑɯɴ.bi sa.ɾe.te.i.ma.sɯ.ne aɴ.ɕiɴ ɕi.ma.ɕi.ta]	Praise concrete actions and encourage next steps
External (reacting to a report)	Thanks and admiration	「大きな成果ですね。助かりました。」 (That’s a big result. Thank you.)	おおきな　せいか　ですね。たすかりました。	[oː.ki.na seː.ka de.sɯ.ne ta.sɯ.ka.ɾi.maɕ.ta]	Names the outcome and states gratitude
With colleagues (casual)	Surprise and admiration	「思ったより早く終わりましたね。驚きました！」 (You finished earlier than I thought. I’m impressed!)	おもったより　はやく　おわりましたね。おどろきました！	[o.moʔ.ta.jo.ɾi ha.ja.kɯ o.wa.ɾi.maɕ.ta.ne o.do.ɾo.ki.maɕ.ta]	Shares emotion to build rapport

Grammar notes

“すごい” is an adjective, but in modern use we often turn it into an adverb (“すごく〜”).
Because it can cover many feelings at once, it is convenient but abstract, so learners struggle to pin down the meaning.

The basic rule for rephrasing is:

Make clear “what” is great and “how” it is great.

Keep these structures in mind:

When praising, pair the target with its feature using “が”: Example: 「仕事が早くて正確です。」 (Your work is quick and accurate.)
When sharing emotion, add adverbs like “本当に” (truly) or “とても” (very) before the feeling.
When showing surprise, include a basis like “思った以上に” (more than I thought) or “予想より” (more than expected).
When stating negative intensity, name the problem with a noun: “とても大きい音です” (The sound is very loud), “かなり時間がかかります” (It takes quite a bit of time).

Example:

× 「すごい人ですね。」
○ 「仕事が早くて正確な方ですね。」 (You work fast and accurately.)

Summary

“すごい” is multifunctional (emotion, praise, emphasis) and can become unclear if overused.
To avoid ambiguity, decide whether you want to show praise, awe, degree, or surprise.
The core of rephrasing is being specific—name the target and its feature together.
For polite delivery, read the kana and IPA aloud and pick expressions that fit the scene.

Extra | 4-panel comic

A short 4-panel comic shows situations where we rephrase “すごい.” Use it as a relaxed reading and speaking prompt.

4-panel comic about rephrasing “すごい”