Tabi ni in Japanese: Every Time Something Happens

Kono kyoku o kiku tabi ni, gakusei jidai o omoidasu: every time I hear this song, I remember my student days. Tabi ni links a trigger to what follows it each time.

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What you need to know

Tabi ni in Japanese: Every Time Something Happens

Tabi ni connects a repeated trigger to the reaction or result that follows on each occasion. It attaches to the dictionary form of verbs and to nouns with no, and it keeps the dictionary form even when the whole story is in the past. It is especially natural for feelings, memories and noticeable patterns, and it differs from itsumo, which describes a general habit, and goto ni, which marks regular intervals. This guide covers the forms, the contrasts, the formal kono tabi you will meet in apologies and announcements, and the mistakes to avoid.

Tabi ni links a repeated trigger to what happens each time

Verbs take the dictionary form, even when the story is in the past

Itsumo is a general habit; goto ni marks regular intervals or units

Kono tabi is a formal phrase meaning on this occasion

Every single time

Tabi means occasion, and tabi ni means on each occasion. It connects a trigger that happens repeatedly to a result that follows it every time.

The result is often a feeling or something noticeable, which makes tabi ni a very human pattern for talking about memories, reactions and small running jokes.

JapaneseRomajiMeaning
この曲を聞くたびに、学生時代を思い出します。Kono kyoku o kiku tabi ni, gakusei jidai o omoidashimasu.Every time I hear this song, I remember my student days.
会うたびに、背が伸びているね。Au tabi ni, se ga nobite iru ne.You are taller every time I see you.

How tabi ni attaches

Tabi is a noun, so nouns take no before it and verbs take the dictionary form. The noun version works well with events such as trips, meetings and holidays.

JapaneseRomajiMeaning
旅行のたびに、お土産を買ってきてくれる。Ryokō no tabi ni, omiyage o katte kite kureru.She brings back souvenirs from every trip.
出張のたびに、家族に電話します。Shutchō no tabi ni, kazoku ni denwa shimasu.I call my family on every business trip.
引っ越すたびに、物が減っていく。Hikkosu tabi ni, mono ga hette iku.Every time I move, I own fewer things.
Before tabi niForm to useExample sense
VerbDictionary formEvery time I go
NounNoun plus noEvery business trip
KonoKono tabi, often with waOn this occasion, formal

The dictionary form, even for the past

Learners often want to put the trigger verb in the past when the story is in the past. With tabi ni, the dictionary form stays, and the main clause carries the tense.

This is similar to how mae ni behaves, and it keeps the trigger as a repeating event rather than a single past moment.

JapaneseRomajiMeaning
京都に行くたびに、雨だった。Kyōto ni iku tabi ni, ame datta.It rained every time I went to Kyoto.
電話するたびに、留守だった。Denwa suru tabi ni, rusu datta.Every time I called, nobody was home.
その話をするたびに、みんな笑った。Sono hanashi o suru tabi ni, minna waratta.Everyone laughed every time I told that story.

Tabi ni, itsumo or goto ni?

Three expressions can all translate as every or always, but they frame repetition differently. Tabi ni ties a result to a trigger. Itsumo describes a general habit. Goto ni marks a regular interval or each unit in a series.

JapaneseRomajiMeaning
いつも朝はコーヒーを飲みます。Itsumo asa wa kōhī o nomimasu.I always have coffee in the morning.
三十分ごとにバスが来ます。Sanjuppun goto ni basu ga kimasu.A bus comes every thirty minutes.
コーヒーを飲むたびに、眠れなくなる。Kōhī o nomu tabi ni, nemurenaku naru.Every time I drink coffee, I cannot sleep.
ExpressionWhat it linksTypical use
tabi niA repeated trigger and its resultMemories, reactions, patterns you notice
itsumoA general habit with no specific triggerRoutines and usual behaviour
goto niA regular interval or each unitTimetables, schedules, steps

Feelings and repeated reactions

Tabi ni shines when the result is an emotional or physical reaction. It gives a small story shape: whenever this happens, this is what I feel or do.

These sentences are also useful in conversation because they invite the other person to share their own trigger.

JapaneseRomajiMeaning
この写真を見るたびに、笑ってしまう。Kono shashin o miru tabi ni, waratte shimau.I laugh every time I see this photo.
失敗するたびに、落ち込みます。Shippai suru tabi ni, ochikomimasu.Every time I make a mistake, I feel down.
電話が鳴るたびに、びくっとする。Denwa ga naru tabi ni, bikutto suru.I jump every time the phone rings.

Tabi ni and kono tabi in polite speech

Tabi ni is comfortable in polite conversation and can carry warm, respectful sentiments. Kono tabi, a related formal phrase, opens many business apologies, announcements and thank-you messages.

JapaneseRomajiMeaning
お会いするたびに、元気をいただいています。O-ai suru tabi ni, genki o itadaite imasu.Every time we meet, you lift my spirits.
伺うたびに、丁寧にご対応いただき、ありがとうございます。Ukagau tabi ni, teinei ni go-taiō itadaki, arigatō gozaimasu.Thank you for looking after us so carefully every time we visit.
この度は大変ご迷惑をおかけし、申し訳ございません。Kono tabi wa taihen go-meiwaku o o-kake shi, mōshiwake gozaimasen.We sincerely apologise for the trouble caused on this occasion.
  • Keep the trigger verb in the dictionary form.
  • Use no between a noun and tabi ni.
  • Choose itsumo for habits without a trigger.
  • Choose goto ni for timetables and regular intervals.
  • Recognise kono tabi as formal and occasion-focused, not every time.
Key points

A practical way to improve

Write three tabi ni sentences about songs, places or foods that trigger memories for you, then tell them to your AI Sensei in Unihongo's immersive 3D classroom and answer the follow-up questions. Check the corrections in the session report for any past tense before tabi ni.

  1. 1

    Choose one clear goal

    Focus each session on a situation or skill you can actually use.

  2. 2

    Practice actively

    Say complete answers aloud instead of only reading or recognizing Japanese.

  3. 3

    Review and repeat

    Keep useful corrections and revisit the same skill until it feels natural.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Can I say itta tabi ni for the past?

The standard form is iku tabi ni even when the main clause is in the past: iku tabi ni ame datta, it rained every time I went.

What is the difference between tabi ni and itsumo?

Itsumo describes a general habit without a specific trigger. Tabi ni ties the result to a particular event that keeps recurring.

What does kono tabi wa mean in an apology?

It is a formal way of saying on this occasion, and it opens many business apologies and announcements, such as kono tabi wa go-meiwaku o o-kake shimashita.

Is tabi ni formal?

No, it is neutral and natural in everyday conversation. It works equally well in polite and casual speech.

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