How to say "basically" in Japanese

• ほとんどJLPT N4approx.Common
  adverbCovers 'basically' in its 'practically, almost' sense, describing degree or extent — something that is basically the same, or basically all of a quantity. It is not the word for the sentence-opening 'basically' that introduces a summary.
  夕食ゆうしょくの準備じゅんびはほとんどできています。↗

  The dinner is almost ready.
• 要はようはCommon
  adverbCovers the sentence-opening 'basically' that gives the gist: 'the point is.' It states the essential point or bottom line of a matter, typically when summing up a discussion or saying what really matters.
  要ようは母親ははおやたちが忙いそがし過すぎるということだ。↗

  The point is that the mothers are too busy.
• つまりJLPT N3approx.Common
  adverbAlso covers the sentence-opening 'basically', in the sense of 'in short' or 'ultimately': it sums up or restates what was just said to draw a conclusion. Close to 要は, but framed as a recap.

Use 「ほとんど」 for 'basically' meaning 'practically' or 'almost' (degree or extent); for the sentence-opening 'basically' that introduces a summary, choose 「要は」 to stress the essential point or 「つまり」 to sum up.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• ほとんどalmost
• 要はようはin short
• 基本的にきほんてきにbasically
• 原則としてげんそくとしてas a rule
• つまりin short