だんだん・どんどん
Describe change that builds over time
You'll be able to say a change happens gradually or that it keeps picking up pace.
空がだんだん暗くなってきました。
sora ga dandan kuraku natte kimashita.
What do you think this sentence means?
The sky has gradually grown darker.
Describe gradual or rapid progress
だんだん presents change as gradual. どんどん emphasizes energetic, steady, or rapid forward progress. Both describe a process rather than one isolated event.
蓮は本をどんどん読んでいます。
ren wa hon o dondon yonde imasu.
Ren is reading one book after another.
Form and use だんだん・どんどん
だんだん often occurs with なる. どんどん can describe actions such as reading one book after another. Choose according to the pace and feel of the development.
蓮は本をどんどん読んでいます。
ren wa hon o dondon yonde imasu.
Ren is reading one book after another.
日本語がだんだん分かるようになりました。
nihongo ga dandan wakaru you ni narimashita.
I gradually became able to understand Japanese.
十月になって、だんだん寒くなってきました。
juugatsu ni natte, dandan samuku natte kimashita.
Now that it's October, it's gradually gotten colder.
日本語の勉強がだんだんおもしろくなってきました。
nihongo no benkyou ga dandan omoshiroku natte kimashita.
Studying Japanese has gradually become more interesting.
新しい仕事にもだんだん慣れてきました。
atarashii shigoto ni mo dandan narete kimashita.
I've gradually gotten used to my new job, too.
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