「今日は座ったままレッスンをします。」
= Kyou wa suwatta mama ressun wo shimasu.
= I will give you a lesson sitting down.
Hi, everyone!
Today’s lesson is on how to use まま ( = mama).
How to form :
★noun + の(=no) + まま ( = mama)
Ex. 昔のまま ( = mukashi no mama) = the way it used to be
Ex. 原文のまま ( = genbun no mama) = sic (as found in the original source/as it appeared in the original )
★adjective + まま ( = mama)
☆i-adjective + まま ( = mama)
～い( ~i) + まま ( = mama)
Ex. 若いまま ( = wakai mama) to stay young
☆na-adjective + まま ( = mama)
～な( = na)+ まま ( = mama)
Ex. 不便なまま ( = fuben na mama) = to remain inconvenient
☆demonstrative adjective
Ex. この ( = kono)／その ( = sono)／あの ( = ano)+ まま ( = mama)
Ex. このまま = kono mama = just like this, the way it is, this way
Ex. あのまま= ano mama = just like that, that way
★ verb + まま( = mama)
Ex. 開けたまま( = aketa mama) to leave it open
Note : We often use it with the past tense
〜た( = ~ta) + まま( = mama)
But we also use present tense
1) in certain passive form,
Ex. されるまま ( = sareru mama) = just like somebody has done something to you, to let someone do something
Ex. 言われるまま ( = iwareru mama) = just like somebody has been telling you to, to let someone say anything
2) in the negative form.
Ex. しないまま ( = shinai mama) = not have done something and leave it
3) Or when you want to say as someone likes, wants (I will explain this later.)
Note : In casual Japanese, we say まんま ( = manma)
*このまま ( = kono mama) just the way it is
→このまんま ( = kono manma)
*開けたまま ( = aketa mama) to leave it open
→開けたまんま ( = aketa manma)
How to use :
まま ( = mama) is a suffix that you add when you want to say,
⭐️ just the way it is, you are, just like that
⭐️ some condition/state/ situation hasn’t changed
⭐️ to keep doing something, to keep some condition the way it is,
⭐️ to remain in certain condition/state
⭐️ to stay in certain condition/state
⭐️ as someone likes, wants
⭐️ while doing something, etc.
As usual I will give you plenty of examples so that you can acquire the usage.
↓
*just the way it is/was, you are/were, just like that
Ex. これ、生のまま食べられますか？
= Kore nama no mama taberaremasu ka?
= Can I eat this raw? (fresh/without cooking)
Ex. はい、そのまま食べて下さい。
= Hai, sonomama tabete kudasai.
= Yes, please eat it just like that.
Ex. 地のままの自分でいればいい。
= Ji no mama no jibun de ireba ii.
= You should be just the way you are.
Ex. ありのままの話を聞かせて下さい。
= Ari no mama no hanashi wo kikasete kudasai.
= Please tell me the whole truth.
Ex. このまままっすぐ進んでください。
= Kono mama massugu susunde kudasai.
= Keep going straight.
to stay in a certain state or condition where some situation hasn’t changed :
Ex. この村は昔のままだ。
= Kono mura wa mukashi no mamada.
= This village is just the way it was a long time ago.
Ex. いつまでも若いままでいたい。
= Itsumade mo wakai mama de itai.
= I would like to stay young forever.
Ex. ずっと学生のままではいられない。
= Zutto gakusei no mamadewa irarenai.
= You can’t be as a student forever.
Ex. 私達は友達のままだった。
= Watashitachi wa tomodachi no mama datta.
= We remained friends.
Ex. 今のままのマギー先生でいて下さい。
= Ima no mama no Maggie sensei de ite kudasai.
= Please stay just the way you are, Maggie Sensei.
*when you leave something or someone intentionally or unintentionally the way it is / they are
* to leave something untouched, to remain intact
Ex. 今から出かけるからこのままにしておいて。
= Ima kara dekakeru kara kono mama ni shiteoite.
= I will go out now so please leave things the way it is. (Don’t touch anything.)
Ex. 問題がわからなかったら空欄のままにしておいて下さい。
= Mondai ga wakaranakattara kuuran no mama ni shite oite kudasai.
= If you don’t understand the question, please leave the column blank.
Ex. パジャマを着たまま朝食を食べる。
= Pajama wo kita mama choushoku wo taberu.
= to eat breakfast in one’s pajamas.
Ex. 彼は口を開けたまま寝ている。
= Kare wa kuchi wo aketa mama nete iru.
= He is sleeping with his mouth open
Ex. みな黙ったままだった。
= Mina damatta mama datta.
= Everybody remained silent.
Ex. 彼は北海道に行ったまま帰ってこなかった。
= Kare wa Hokkaidou ni itta mama kaette konakatta.
= He went to Hokkaido and never came back.
Ex. 電気をつけたまま(で)寝てはいけません。
= Denki wo tsuketa mama (de) nete wa ikemasen.
= Don’t go to sleep with the light on.
Ex. 窓は開けたままにしておいて下さい。
= Mado wa aketa mama ni shite oite kudasai.
= Please leave the windows open.
From the picture above :
「今日は座ったままレッスンをします。」
= Kyou wa suwatta mama ressun wo shimasu.
= I will give you a lesson sitting down.
座ったまま ( = suwatta mama) means “to remain seated”
If you say
座ってレッスンをします
= Suwatte ressun wo shimasu.
It also means “to give a lesson sitting down” but 座ったまま ( = suwatta mama) implies to sit in a chair and won’t move for a while.
Note : It is similar to ぱなし ( = panashi)
*つけたまま( = tsuketa mama) to leave something (turn) on
つけっぱなし( = tsukeppanashi)
*開けたまま( = aketa mama) leave something open
→ 開けっぱなし( = akeppanashi)
However, you can’t use まま( = mama) with a verb which expresses constant actions
Ex. マギーはずっと働きっぱなしだ。
= Maggie wa zutto hatarakippanashi da.
= Maggie has been working without stopping.
Not natural to say,
↓
X マギーはずっと話したままだ。
= Maggie wa zutto hanashita mamada.
:tulip2: to keep doing something, to maintain the same condition, to have continued doing something
Ex. コントロールキーを押したままシフトキーを押して下さい。
= Kontorouru kii wo oshita mama shifuto kii wo oshiete kudasai.
= Hold down the Shift key while pressing the Control key
Ex. 三日間も同じ服を着たままで仕事をしていた。
= Mikkakan mo onaji fuku wo kita mama de shigoto wo shiteita.
= I had been working in the same clothes over three days.
:n: as someone likes, wants, does something:
I said earlier that when it is used with a verb, we often use the past tense.
→ ~た ( = ta) + まま ( = mama)
But in this usage, it is often used with its present tense + まま ( = mama)
Ex. 気の向くままどこか遠くに行きたい。
= Ki no muku mama dokoka touku ni ikitai.
= I would like to spontaneously take a trip somewhere far away.
Ex. 相手の言うままの値段を払った．
＝Aite no iu mama no nedan wo haratta.
= I paid the price they asked for.
Ex. 自分の思うまま生きたらいい。
= Jibun no omou mama ikitara ii.
= You can live as you like.
You can also use the passive form.
↓
相手に言われるままの値段を払った
= Aite ni iwareru mama no nedan wo haratta.
= I paid the price I was told to pay.
or
相手に言われるがままの値段を払った。
= Aite ni iwareru ga mama no nedan wo haratta.
Note : Sometimes you add が ( = ga) before まま ( = mama) to emphasize the meaning.
Also ~がまま ( = ~ ga mama) sounds more literal.
:purple: ~がまま ( = ga mama)
*欲しいがまま
= Hoshii ga mama
= as you want, as you desire
Ex. 彼は名声を欲しいがままに手に入れた。
= Kare wa meisei wo hoshii ga mama ni te ni ireta.
= He gained the fame that he had desired
*思うがまま
= omou ga mama
= as you want
*言うがまま
= iu ga mama
= as someone tells you
Ex. 親の言うがまま生きる。
= Oya no iu ga mama ikiru.
= to live just as your parents tell you
*あるがまま = aru ga mama = as things should be
Ex. あるがままの自分を受け入れる
= aruga mama no jibun wo ukeireru.
= to accept yourself as you are.
Note: The difference between まま ( = mama) and ながら ( = nagara)
We have studied ながら ( = nagara) in this lesson
While ながら ( = nagara) is used when you do two active actions simultaneously, まま ( = mama) is used when you do something in a certain state or condition.
★ verb ＋ながら ( = nagara) ＋main verb
→ to do something (main verb) while doing 〜
★ verb (usually past tense) + まま ( = mama) + main verb
→ to do something (main verb) in the state of ~ing (verb c) ＊
Ex. 歌いながら食べる
= Utai nagara taberu.
= to eat while singing
Not natural to say,
↓
X 歌ったまま食べる
= Utatta mama taberu
Negative form :
You can use it in a negative form.
→ ~ないまま ( = nai mama)
Ex. 彼女に別れを言わないまま日本に来てしまった。
= Kanojo ni wakare wo iwanai mama nihon ni kite shimatta.
= I came to Japan without saying good-bye to my girlfriend.
Ex. この施設は長い間使用されていないままになっている。
= Kono shisetsu wa nagai aida shiyou sarete inai mama ni natte iru.
= This facility hasn’t been used for a long time.
Ex. 彼になんと言ったらいいかわからないまま見送った。
= Kare ni nanto ittara iika wakaranai mama miokutta.
= I saw him off without knowing what to say.
Ex. 予約が取れたかどうか確認できないまま飛行場に向かった。
= Yoyaku ga toreta ka douka kakunin dekinai mama hikoujou ni mukatta.
= I went to the airport without being able to confirm the reservation.
Ex. はっきりした説明がないまま工事が始まった。
= Hakkiri shita setsumei ga nai mama kouji ga hajimatta.
= The construction has started without clear explanation.
マギー先生より = Maggie sensei yori = From Maggie Sensei
誰か、どうやって美しいまま年を取るか教えてくれる？
= Dare ka、 douyatte utsukushii mama toshi wo toru ka oshiete kureru?
= Can anybody tell me how to stay beautiful as we age?
***
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I appreciate your support! サポートありがとう！
94 Comments
I was trying to translate this lyric for practice,春の光に包まれたままで
Then stumble upon your website. Wow, I am blown away by all the details here.
This is my fourth day learning Japanese via Duolingo app.
Thank you for the explanation. I will continue learning Japanese language until I succeed!
Love from Malaysia.
Hello mufiku
Thank you for your comment!
I hope you enjoy learning Japanese!
Love,
Maggie
Is it wrong to use まま here?
運転したまま、スマホをみるのは。
(Literal Translation: Looking at the phone while at the condition of driving)
Or should I use ながら?
運転しながら、スマホをみるのは。
(Looking at the phone while driving)
Hello Nicole,
You say 運転しながら~ not 運転したまま because in order to drive a car, driving requires a lot of movement and attentions.
Hi, Maggie sensei.
Verb in passive voice + まま is somewhat similar to とおり?
Thank you
Hi Bere,
OK, let’s compare the following sentences.
1) Aに言われた通りに do something
2) Aに言われるまま do something
The translation is could be the same
to do something as A said
but A) You control the situation following A’s instructions.
B) You don’t control the situation just following what A said without thinking.
Hey Maggie! This has mostly demystified my confusion on the use of まま. However, I’m still a little shakey about it with adjectives in different situations. The one example I have right now is a simple sentence:
目を閉じたらいつもそこにはあなたがやさしいままでいるんだ。
So far I have it to:
When I close my eyes you are always there still kind(tender, graceful? Not sure which would be better but oh well.)
But to me there is something in my stomach that makes it feel off like it’s wrong. Like i’m still understanding まま incorrectly.
Any clarification would be helpful.
Thank you!
Hi, my0punk
やさしいまま means “staying sweet/nice”
Hi, Maggie Sensei
I was reading your post and I came across these two statements, which I haven’t been able to understand them well when I try to compare them with the translations you always give after each japanese statement.
For example:
1.
彼になんと言ったらいいかわからないまま見送った。
as:
I saw him off without knowing what to say.
I’ve broken this sentence down and this is my result.
彼になんと言ったらいいかわからないまま見送った。
him to what (と) say if good not know (まま) see off.
Literally: To him if I what I said good, not know, in that condition, saw him off.
2.
地のままの自分でいればいい。
You should be just the way you are.
Lit.: earth, in that condition’s yourself で you existing if, ok.
Are my literal translations OK?
地のまま is something that I cannot quite grasp: as earth, in condition of earth (something like that)
Hello David,
Maggie is on vacation right now, so I allow myself to answer your question.
1)
彼になんと言ったらいいかわからないまま見送った。
彼に = him
なんと = what
と言ったらいいか = should (I) say
わからないまま = not knowing / without knowing (expresses the state of not knowing something / or leave something as it is, without knowing / acknowledging)
見送った saw off
2)
地のままの自分でいればいい。
地 = one’s true nature (地 has many meanings in fact and in this case it means one’s true nature / the way something or somebody is; 地のまま＝有りのまま)
のまま= the way something is / the state or condition in which something is / being~ / as~
~自分でいればいい = ~ should I (myself) be
Hope I could clarify things up.
ヨロシク
Hey Maggie! Amazingly thorough lesson, as ever.
One question though: I was trying, as an exercise, to translate some lyrics recently and can’t seem to confidently get the sense of how mama is used in this context.
The line is: 私たちいくつも約束をしたまま
Thank you for any help!
Hi Cristabel,
It is an unfinished sentence you have to read between the lines what follows
We made many promises and left them unfulfilled.
Hey Maggie, thanks a lot for the article! This grammar is quite confusing, glad I could finally get it!
I just have one question, at:
予約が取れたかどうか確認できないまま飛行場に向かった。
I didn’t exactly get the “取れたかどうか”meaning. The other components are ok, just had this little translation gap issue D:
Thank you! :)
Hi Jackie,
Aかどうか means “Whether A or not”
予約が取れたかどうか = whether I got a reservation or not
Other examples.
試験に受かるかどうかわからない。= I don’t know whether I will (would) pass the exam or not.
past tense
試験に受かったかどうかわからない。= I don’t know whether I passed the exam or not.
That’s awesome! Thanks a lot for clarifying that! 😉
No problem!
I will make かどうか lesson sometime soon for you!
I’m a little lost here. How do you translate phrases with ままの? for example: きっと気が付かないままの君
This way of using まま followed by の and then a pronoun/noun is really confusing.
の explains what comes after.
~の君 = You who is ~ / does ~
So the literal translation is
You who may stay in the state without noticing.
It means you will probably not notice/realize/know*
(*depending on the context)
I see. Too many differences with Indoeuropean languages and our way of thinking, even the tiniest bits of Japanese grammar need explanation.
Thanks
You’re welcome! It sounds like a phrase from a song.
It actually is, from a disbanded indies Visual Kei band called SectMateria.
Yes, it is a very literal expression so you don’t hear that in conversation. 😊
Hello, Maggie-sensei!
I’m currently stuck trying to figure out whether “スリルさえ味方にして魂が求めるまま!” is “A friend makes the soul desire even a thrill!” or if まま changes the connotation a bit, especially being connected to 求める!
Thank you for taking the time to read!
Hi N,
“スリルさえ味方にして (having even “thrill” on one’s side) modifies 魂が求めるままに （As my soul desires）
Maggie sensei,
I have made some sentences by myself. Could you please help me have a check, coz I’m not confident in my sentences !
(1) お金を銀行に預けたまま死んでしまいました。
(2) テーブルを倒したまま出かけた。
(3) バースが走ったまま外に立っていた彼女の手をつないだ。
I still hold my girl friend’s hand while the bus is moving.
(4) タクシー運転手は僕を降ろしたまま寝ました。
Taxi driver slept while letting me off the taxi.
(5) 彼は長い間働いたまま私のことを忘れた。
He forgot me in the state of keep working for a long time.
If something sound strange, please correct me.
Thanks Maggie sensei for always helping us.
(1) & (2)
Japanese sentences are OK but your example sentences are very dramatic. What happened? 😂
(3) ~ (5) are not natural with まま
I can’t picture the situation.
(3) バス is the subject of your sentence. But holding her hand is the speaker/writer.
(4) 降ろしたまま is not natural. 降ろしている間、居眠りをしていた might work.
(5) 働いたまま is not natural.
Maggie sensei,
Haha. I don’t know that my example sentences are dramatic. May be I am negative these day….
Oops (3) – (5) are not natural…たまま is still difficult. Let me do one more.
(3) 彼女の手をつないだまま逃げた。
（I mean a couple met a robber on the way and he hold her hand while escaping)
(4) タクシー運転手は僕を下ろしてくださいって言われましたがスピードを出したままでした。
（５）I mean he keeps working and in this state he forgets me.
That’s why I use 働いたまま。But if it’s not natural, how to write this sentence sensei?
Thanks Maggie sensei as always.
Maggie sensei,
Long time no see…
Do you know why you don’t see me here recently?
Coz I got sick :((
Today, my question is, what is the nuance difference between
(1) 彼女に別れを言わないまま日本に来てしまった。
(2) 彼女に別れを言わずに日本に来てしまった。
Both sentence mean “I went back to Japan without saying a word to her”.
But which case we use (1) and which case we use (2)?
Thanks Maggie sensei as always
Hi!
You got sick? I hope you feel better now. おだいじに！
There is no big difference between 1) and 2) so you can use either one.
If anything,
Vないまま〜 leaving some state/situation without doing something
Vずに without doing some action
*focusing on the action that you didn’t do
Maggie sensei,
ありがとうございます！
どういたしまして！ もう体調はよくなりましたか？
http://prntscr.com/l7l49b
「なし」を二度タイプしてしまいました
ありがとう、Jeff! 💕
Hi, thanks for the lesson. I have a doubt, which means this expression:
あなたのままで
does mean As you are?
Hi Thiago!
あなたのまま means “the way you are”
（あなたは）あなたのままで（いて(ください)・いてほしい)
= Just be who you are/Stay
Oh, thank you for your quick answer, help me a lot.
You’re very welcome! :)
I have this doubt. When ままで and ままに?
Thanks for the lesson.
@Austt
OK, I will give you the common patterns for both, ままに and ままで
Vままに＋する/ままに＋しておく to leave certain state the way it is.
A lot of them are set phrases but
Ex. 言われるままにする ( = iwareru mamani suru) to do just as someone tells you to do.
Ex. 欲しいままにする (= hoshii mama ni suru) to have one’s own way
Ex. 意のままにする ( = i no mama ni suru9 to do as one likes
Ex. そのままにしておく ( = sono mama ni suru) to leave something the way it is.
~ ままで＋いる remain ~
Vままで＋do something
Ex. 黙ったままでいる (= damatta mama de iru) to remain silent
Ex. お金を机の上に出したままでいる ( = Okane wo tsukue no ue ni dashita mama de iru) to leave the money on the table.
I see.
Thanks for the explanation.
You’re welcome, Austt!
Hi Maggie! 元気やってる？
Quick question, お金を机の上に出したままでいる VS お金を机の上に出しておいている. Both mean the same. Is there a difference between them?
Hi 天人
はい、元気”で”やっていますよ。😉
Here’s the difference.
お金を机の上に出したままでいる you leave the money and forget to put it back.
お金を机の上に出しておいている You leave the money on the table intentionally.
Thank you very much ^ ^
It’s 7 AM and I’m on your website to learn something new!
So who’s your best student, Maggie? <3
PS I was just wondering, whether should I use 元気で or 元気にやってる, so I decided to omit the particle.
Who’s my best student?
You! You! You!! 😂
You can use them both,
元気でやっている or 元気にやっている
(I think 元気でやっている is slightly more common)
Also you can say
元気にしている (state) →(casual) 元気にしてる？
mōichido kimi to aetara
shiranai yōna…
Shiranai mama
waratte īdesu ka
in this context, what would “yona” and “mama” mean? i understand “shiranai” means to not know something, but how do yona and mama affect that negative verb?
@aureal
Is it from some lyrics? It is hard to tell you the exact translation from that but
知らないような means “as if not knowing/ It is like I don’t know ~ ” / (feel) like not knowing”
知らないままに without knowing
http://eleven-xi.tumblr.com/post/119650258316/ia%E3%83%8F%E3%83%BC%E3%83%88%E3%81%AE%E5%BE%8C%E5%91%B3ia-aftertaste-of-the-heart-lyrics-and
yeah, this is the song. that was one of the only pages i could find. i get the meaning of it, i just wanted to understand how it was being used in that particular scenario.
凄いな授業をありがとうございますマギー先生 :-D :-D
@Lucas
どういたしまして！サイトに来てくれてありがとう、Lucas!
(凄いな→凄い／すごい）
Maggie I need your assistance, I’m sorry ><
I tried to figure out, what the difference is between ありのまま and あるがまま… and it's a bit more complicated, than I thought.
Here's a little help:
1. http://oshiete.goo.ne.jp/qa/8663486.html
2. http://www.ccore.co.jp/plus/arinomama/
3. http://76871734.at.webry.info/201203/article_3.html
ありのまま VS あるがまま の例文もあれば役に立ちますね。
よろしくお願いします！
＠天人
こんにちは！
ありのまま VS あるがまま
To be honest, you already found all the sites and I don’t think I can give you further/different opinion on this topics.
These people already gave thoughts and explained well.
My first impression is just ありのまま is more conversational than あるがまま and あるがまま tends to be used in more literal expression.
1) ありのままの自分
2) あるがままの自分 (sounds more literal)
So they mean the same (at least to me) but if anything 1) the way I am (including your life style, they way you look, they way you should be.
ありのまま話して下さい。(conversational)
あるがまま話して下さい。It sounds more dramatic. You don’t usually hear this in conversation.
Since あるがまま is more literal, you see in proverbs, old sayings more.
物事はあるがままがに受け入れる
sounds more deeper than ありのままに受け入れる
Also I get the impression they are a lot of time interchangeable but
ありのまま the current state, situation,
あるがまま is more refer to the essence of things/people.
And this is my interpretation. :)
Thanks Maggie!
マギーへのお花です！ :qq:
＠天人
わ〜ありがとう！ !heartsippai! !heartsippai!
Hi.
Does the word まま basically mean “condition/state”? Whether or not translating it as “condition/state” may be suitable I get the impression that that is its literal meaning.
Thanks for the lesson.
＠Mew34
As I explained in the lessons, there are many ways to use まま and the translation changes but yes, it refers to certain condition/state.
Hey, I’m trying to translate a blog post from Japanese but I got stuck at “まんま体験版”. Is this likely to be まま as well? And if so, how does it work in this case?
@Sam
Before I answer your question, it is from a name of a game?
このサイトは、日本語が上達するために、とても役立ちます。 ありがとうございます。 できたら、質問が一つあります。『約束はしないままでいたいよ。』『ままでいる』と『ままである』が分かりません。少し暇があったら、教えてください。
I tried to type this out in Japanese to practice a bit, hopefully it makes sense. I’m just not sure what ままでいたい is doing in this sentence. Thank you for your time.
@Danny G
こんにちは、Danny G!
ままでいる= to stay in certain state (intentionally) It involves the intention of the subject.
ままである= to remain in certain state : To see the state objectively.
Ex. 部屋は掃除されないままであった。
= The room remained uncleaned. (You are talking about the room.)
Ex. 部屋を掃除しないままでいた。
= Someone left the room uncleaned. (intentionally)
Ahhhh. So the で here is just です in て form? Still not sure what the translation of the sentence would be though. Something like “I want the promise to remain unmade”? Or something like that?
ありがとうございます
@Danny G
Right ~ ままです・ままだ →to remain ~ and ~ = ~ままで
And yes, you got the direct translation right.
→I want the promise to remain unmade
Alright. Thank you so much for helping me. まま seems to be the hardest piece of grammar for me to understand. Sorry for bothering you
Thanks again!
@Danny G
You’re welcome!
Don’t think it is too hard. If you know it means “to remain/stay in certain state” you can eventually figure it out.
You may want to know the difference of usage between~ている and ~てある.
If you want to know more, check
How to use てある
How to use ている
I took your advice and read your
How to use てある
How to use ている
Posts. Yet something is confusing me, maybe I’ve just read it wrong? According to this above post
ままでいる= to stay in certain state (intentionally) It involves the intention of the subject.
ままである= to remain in certain state : To see the state objectively.
Yet in the てある post. There’s two examples that contradict this.
電気がついている
= Denki ga tsuite iru
= The light is on.
(You are just describing the current state.)
電気がつけてある
= Denki ga tsukete aru
= The light is on. (Someone turned on the light on purpose)
So which one is intentional and otherwise? Seems てある is intentional and the other is just stating the state it’s in. Am I confused? Thanks again!
＠Danny G
I am sorry. Maybe sending you to tearu and teiru lesson confused you more.
I know why you got confused. While ~ままでいる usually involves intention of the subject, the subject of ている could be “people” or “things/condition”.
You always have to pay attention to the subjects.
It could be really hard to know if there is someone behind the sentence but
電気がつけてある(someone left the light on intentionally) =someoneが電気をつけておいてある
電気がついている(just the state/ subject is “light”) The light is on
If we go into the difference between these type of ている, it may confuse you more so let’s go back to your original question.
約束をしないままでいる
the subject is the speaker and it involved the speaker’s intention so you use ままでいる
Aaaah, I see. Arigatou! By the way, do I use “aru” or “iru” if the subject is human? “tomodachi wa warui joutai de aru” or “de iru”? I see with mama you say “mama de itai”, “mama de ireba”, etc using always the iru verb for living things. But with “de aru” I always see aru, even when talking about people. Can I say “warui joutai de iru”? It confuses me a lot usually.
Same with the “ni”, ni aru or ni iru?
And,
*Zutto gakusei no mamadewa irarenai*– here, potential form of iru, maybe?
Thanks again!!
@Mel
Even if you are talking about people, when you are talking about someone’s condition, yes, you can use ある.
(If you are talking about the existence or location of people, you use いる)
As for the difference between ままでいる(=mamade iru) and ままである(=mamade aru)
you usually use ままでいる(=mamade iru) when you are talking about people.
Ex. tomodachi no mama de itai. = to want to stay as someone’s friend.
But there are cases that we use mamade aru when we describe people’s condition objectively.
Ex. 危篤状態のままである= kitokujyoutai no mama de aru = to be in critical condition (Seeing the patient condition objectively) Focusing on the condition
Ex. 危篤状態のままでいる= kitokujyoutai no mama de iru =staying in critical condition (Talking about what kind of condition the patient is in right now.) Focusing on the person
Arigatou sensei :3 I think I got it. Then, with aru is objective and with iru is subjective, more personal, right? It sounds like that to my ears too. If you say “kitokujoutai no mama de iru” to me sounds talking about you and your existence, and the way your existence is right now, the way you are carrying in life. But it’s true that saying it with aru it’s like talking about the status. My initial confusion came, I think, from having read “kare wa warui joutai ni aru”, since I thought they were trying to talk about how bad his life was right now subjectively, and seeing it with the aru confused me, but I guess they were focusing on the condition anyway, more than the person itself.
Thanks!!
@Mel
You’re welcome. I think you got the idea.It made me think,too.
It was a great question!!
I hope I did! haha. But it’s a long way until I get the true nuance of the expressions. By the way, then, if I wanna use, for instance the word “tachiba”, like “if you were in my position…?” do I use aru or iru? (apart from tachiba ni tatsu which I often hear) :grin:
@Mel
If you were in my position in Japanese is
もしあなたが私の立場だったら or 立場にいたら
Hello maggie sensei
I’ve read the previous comment and your answer helped me as well but, can I use “ni” with aru?
Because, with this stative words, I usually hear de aru or desu, like “kare wa warui joutai de aru/ desu”, but sometimes also “warui joutai ni aru”, and I don’t know what difference they’re trying to point out, since aru is not an action so… maybe trying to empashize the status more than the bad condition? I understand the difference between “warui joutai de kita” and “warui joutai ni kita”, the subtle difference on the focus, but I don’t see that difference between de aru and ni aru …
yoroshiku onegai shimasu!
@Mel
1) 悪い状態です (= warui joutai desu)
2) 悪い状態である(=warui joutai de aru)
3)悪い状態にある(=warui joutai ni aru
They all mean “to be in the bad condition/status”
But here is the difference
1) and 2) are
A = B
→”the condition is bad” / “It is a bad condition”
and 3)
is A is in B
→Subject is in the bad condition
So as you said, by using に you can emphasize “to be IN the bad state/condition” more.
*******
As for
悪い状態できた(=warui joutai de kita)
悪い状態にきた(=warui joutai ni kita)
you wanted to say
悪い状態になってきた(=warui joutai ni natte kita) ？
If so, you can’t say 悪い状態でなってきた(=warui joutai de natte kita)
The condition is getting “IN” bad status.
If you meant
It has come all the way in bad condition then you say
悪い状態でやってきた(=warui joutai de yatte kita)
this で means “in the condition or with the condition”
Oh yep, sorry, I should have explained that last one better. I meant that someone came in bad status, like he came home sick, or drunk, etc.
Why the yatte? Sometimes I see it (or shite) and I don’t know why hehe
Thank you for the reply, I understand the difference of nuance better now!!
Ok I think I suddenly got it. Maybe that yatte means “he came DOING in a bad condition” ? I am usually a little “slow” with the te form (especially when it’s something like “he came running”, “he went walking”, etc) If it’s not that please correct me cause I’m a mess with the te form looool
@Mel
やって来る
this やって is not from a verb やる=do. So it doesn’t mean “to come doing something”
You can learn やって来る as a one verb.
“To come all the way”
So while 来る just means “to come”, やって来る(=yattekuru) is usually used when you come from far away.
Hello! Nice post, really helpful :) Anyway, I have a little doubt: is the particle DE after ‘mama’ optional or is it needed sometimes? I don’t think it fits at all in some sentences but in others I feel like I miss it; like this Frozen song, Ari no Mama De, it makes perfect sense there. Then when should I use it with De? And also, I’ve read ‘de atta’ instead of ‘datta’ for ‘remained x way’. Interchangeable?
Thank you so much!
@Rhi
Hello Rhi! We sometimes omit the particles, but here are some differences.
1) 〜ままで（いてほしい・いる・いたい）to be/remain in certain condition the way it is/ as ~ .) When you are focusing on the condition (to do something remaining in certain condition)
Ex. ありのままでいてほしい。
Ex. その猫は物陰にずっと隠れたままでいた。
2) 〜ままに(some actions, 生きる、生きてゆきたい、行く、行きたい etc.) When you are focusing on what you are going to do/you did as ~
Ex. ありのままに話して下さい。
Ex. 言われるままに行動するのはやめなさい。
As for the lyrics of Frozen, “Let is go” is not ありのままで.
はじめまして。
日本語を勉強しています。
GOOGLEで若者言葉をさがしているところ、このPAGEをみました！
よろしくお願いします。
マギー先生、
thank you very much for this interesting lesson.
Unfortunately I got 2 questions…（相変わらずね・・・but qui langue a, à Rome va ^ ^）
I.
I found out that～たまま implies the same meaning as～たなり and even as～たきり.
EX)
1. 主人は朝早く出かけたなり、この時間になっても帰ってきません。
2. 主人は朝早く出かけたきり、この時間になっても帰ってきません。
3. 主人は朝早く出かけたまま、この時間になっても帰ってきません。
4. 彼は腕を組んだまま、黙って何かを考え続けていた。
5. 彼は腕を組んだなり、黙って何かを考え続けていた。
Could you explain when ～たまま can be used interchangeably with ～たなり , ～なきり and when not?
II.
I also read in the Internet that:『 「～たまま」は普通と違う不自然なことに使います』, therefore 「パジャマを着たまま寝てしまった」 is incorect. それは本当ですか。
宜しくお願いします。
＠天人
I. ★「出かけたまま 」・「腕を組んだまま」:
「出かけた」（「腕を組んだ」）という状態がずっとそのまま続いている （変わらない状態）
★「出かけたなり」・「腕を組んだなり」も基本的には「〜たままと」と同じ意味で、その状態のままという時に使います。
(個人的に私は「〜たなり」の形を一度も使ったことはなく日常会話であまり使うのを聞いたことはないのですが..)
★出かけたきり : 「出かける」という行動が最後ということ（それから何もやっていないか何をやったかわからない）
II. そうですね、でも「電話を置いたままメモを取る」など不自然というか別のアクションをすると考えてもいいかもしれませんね。
了解です！
詳しく教えてくださってありがとうございました＾＾
完璧な日本語に一歩近づく！
@天人
どういたしまして！ :)
Thanks for all these details, but I thought I learned it until that part :
歌いながら食る is wrong /not natural to say and it should be :
歌ったまま食べる
But I couldn’t understand why.. Cause seems like “ながら” has all the conditions in this 歌いながら食る two actions etc. Why it can’t be ながら there
Btw sorry for my English it’s not my native language.
Hi Mimi
The basic difference between ながら and まま is
ながら “doing some action while doing other action”
まま is “to leave something in certain state”/ “to do something while letting something do something”
歌う is an action that one can control.You can just leave yourself sing on and on
こんにちは、マギー先生！
ちょっと質問があるんですが、「ありのままで」というのは何の意味ですか？
最近のディズニーの映画「Frozen/ アナと雪の女王」の日本語のテーマソングの名前です。英語の名前は「Let It Go」だったんですけど。
よろしくお願いします！
@Lava
「ありのまま」はthe way you are, being yourself, the way it isという意味です。
よく知っていますね。「Frozen/ アナと雪の女王」の日本語のテーマソング「Let It Go」の日本語タイトルは「ありのままで」ですが、英語のタイトルと少し意味が違いますね。
映画を観ていないのでストーリがわかりませんが、「ありのままで（いさせなさい・いさせよう）」(Let it go and ) Let it be itself, let it be who they areという意味からだと思います。
そうですね、映画を見たけど、名前はそうになったと分かってきました！歌は自由になるってテーマでした。
ありがとうございます！
@Lava
どういたしまして！私もこの映画、是非観てみたいです！
元気です！(*^o^*)//
＠majoringram3636
よかった〜〜♩U^ｪ^Uノ彡
こんにちは, マギー先生！お久しぶりです。
わからないまま答えます！(笑)
毎日運動するかな。。 (*^^*)
@majoringram3636
こんにちは〜！！！！久しぶりですね。レッスンに来てくれてありがとう！
わからないままにしないで下さいね。（笑）
元気でしたか？