まくる
🃏 Flashcard
まくる
makuru
Tap to reveal usage
to do over and over again
N1
Tap to test your recall · +10 XP
📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level
N1
Advanced · Literary, rhetorical & rare forms
Reading
makuru
Post ID
51261
Patterns today
0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes
to do over and over again
📖 How to use it
Expresses doing something repeatedly or excessively, often with vigor or to completion.
Attaches to
Attach to the ます-stem (連用形) of a verb. For example, 書く -> 書きまくる, 食べる -> 食べまくる.
This is a verb suffix that emphasizes doing an action over and over, often without restraint or until something is exhausted. It carries a sense of intensity, enthusiasm, or even recklessness. You might use it when talking about binge-watching, eating nonstop, or practicing something obsessively. It's common in casual speech, but you'll also see it in writing for effect. The resulting verb is ichidan (る-verb), so it conjugates like 食べる: まくります, まくった, etc. Note that it's not used for habitual actions in a neutral sense, but rather for actions done in a concentrated, excessive way.
昨日は一日中ゲームをやりまくった。
Kinō wa ichinichijū gēmu o yarimakutta.
Yesterday I played games nonstop all day.
夏休みに映画を見まくって、目が疲れた。
Natsuyasumi ni eiga o mimakute, me ga tsukareta.
I binge-watched movies during summer break and my eyes got tired.
彼は若い頃、バンドでドラムを叩きまくっていたらしい。
Kare wa wakai koro, bando de doramu o tatakimakutte ita rashii.
Apparently he used to hammer away at the drums in a band when he was young.
Not 〜まくる vs 〜まくっている (as in 〜ている form of まくる) vs 〜まくり (noun form) vs 〜まくって (te-form)
These are just conjugations of the same verb, not separate patterns. The one to be careful with is 〜まくる vs 〜つづける (continue doing) — まくる implies intensity and often completion, while つづける is neutral continuation. For example, 走りまくる is running wildly, but 走りつづける is just keep running.
Register
Informal and emphatic; common in casual conversation and creative writing, but not in formal speech or documents.
🎯 Quick Quiz
What does this grammar pattern mean or do?
まくる
📚 How to Master This Pattern
Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat まくる three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.
Flip Before Reading
Always try to recall the usage before flipping the card. Struggle = learning. Every failed recall makes the next one stick harder.
Write Two Sentences
Compose two original sentences using まくる. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.
Spaced Review
Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.
🔗 More JLPT N1 Patterns
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern まくる mean?
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To do over and over again
What JLPT level is まくる?
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Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N1 — Advanced · Literary, rhetorical & rare forms. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.
How do you use まくる in a sentence?
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Attach まくる (makuru) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.
Is まくる formal or casual Japanese?
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まくる is used in formal or written contexts. You will see it mainly in written texts, news, business Japanese and academic contexts.
How can I remember まくる long-term?
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Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.