Can you say 「普段に○○」 or does it have to be「 普段は○○」？


Can you say 「普段に○○」 or does it have to be「 普段は○○」?




Both are possible but in (subtly) different contexts.

Roughly 普段に means _for non-special occasions, daily uses_ and its implication
is that something different is used for special occasions. 普段は means _usually_
, with implication being that the speaker is doing otherwise for some reason.

  1. このセーターを普段に着る
  2. このセーターを普段は着る

普段に(1) means _I wear this sweater for non-special occasions_. The focus of the
sentence is simply on _this sweater_ , and it is saying that the sweater is
nothing special and the speaker wears it for daily use. Practically, you see
it in combinations like 普段に使う, 普段に着る etc. A relevant related phrase in this
sense is
[普段使い](https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/word/%E4%B8%8D%E6%96%AD%E4%BD%BF%E3%81%84/#jn-193245).

普段は(2) means _I usually wear this sweater_ , and the implication is that the
speaker will wear something different for some reason (by the function of は,
you may already know this or can search on this site).

An additional set of examples to clarify the difference:

  3. このドレスを普段に着る
  4. このドレスを普段は着る

3 is rather unlikely unless the speaker is someone who has a party almost
everyday. 4 is fine (assuming the speaker is a party goer) and it means _I
wear this dress normally (on a occasion like this or for most parties)_.

* * *

Note that all of the above sentences (esp. 1) may sound a little strange by
themselves. They would appear more like このセーターを普段に着るのは躊躇する _I hesitate to wear
this sweater daily (because I cherish it so much or it is so expensive)_.

