5 ways to use the words 「どうも」(doumo)

The original meaning of「どうも」is “something we cannot explain in words”.
This vague, fuzzy word is used in many situations.
I’d like to explain 5 different ways to use it.

1.To place an emphasis on the following phrases.
We put 「どうも」before the specific phrases to emphasize them

・どうも　ありがとうございました (Thank you very much)
・どうも　すみません (I’m so sorry)
・どうも　しつれいしました (I’m sorry to bother you)

2. Short greeting
「どうも」 is used to say ‘Hi’, ‘Hello’ in casual occasions.

・どうも　たなかです（Hi, I’m Tanaka）
・a mother:「これが、むすこの　けん　です」(This is my son, Ken)
a son:「どうも」(Hi)

3. Hearsay, guess
When we combine 「どうも」and 「～のようだ／～らしい／～そうだ」,it means “It seems that”, “They say that”


・どうも　きょうは　あめ　らしい　(It seems　as though it will rain today)
・どうも　たなかさんは　おこっている　ようだ (I guess Mr. Tanaka is angry)
・どうも　かぜが　はやっている　そうだ　(They say that a cold is spreading)

4. Unsatisfied/regretful feeling
When we combine 「どうも」and negative sentences, we express that we are unsatisfied about the matters.


・なんど　やっても　どうも　うまくいかない
(I tried again and again but I cannot make it for some reasons)
・あの　はんけつには　どうも　なっとく　できない
(The judgment seems to be right but I’m not convinced of that)

5. Express we don’t know why
This is the most difficult part. We put 「どうも」to express that we don’t know the reason, we don’t know how it happens.


・どうも　ちょうしが　おかしい (I’m not in good shape for some reasons)
・どうも　すうがくは　にがてだ (I don’t know why but I’m poor at math)
・どうも　あのひとは　うんがいい ( He is lucky for some reasons)