まま
🃏 Flashcard
まま
mama
Tap to reveal usage
as it is; current state; without changing
N4
Tap to test your recall · +10 XP
📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level
N4
Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences
Reading
mama
Post ID
50723
Patterns today
0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes
as it is; current state; without changing
📖 How to use it
Expresses that something remains in a certain state or is done without changing that state.
Attaches to
Attach to the た-form of a verb (past tense) or to a noun + の. Also can follow a ない-stem? Actually, common patterns: Verb (た-form) + まま, Noun + の + まま, and also このまま/そのまま as set phrases.
The word まま describes a situation that continues as it is, without alteration. When you say テレビをつけたまま寝ました, it means you left the TV on and slept, so the state of being on continued. It often implies that you do something while leaving another thing unchanged, or that you leave something in its current state. It can be used with verbs in the past tense to indicate an action was done and its result remains. With nouns, use のまま, like 生のまま means raw (as is). Also, このまま and そのまま are common as adverbs meaning 'as is'.
電気をつけたまま寝てしまいました。
Denki o tsuketa mama nete shimaimashita.
I fell asleep with the lights left on.
野菜は生のまま食べられます。
Yasai wa nama no mama taberaremasu.
Vegetables can be eaten raw.
そのまま待っていてください。
Sono mama matte ite kudasai.
Please wait right there (as you are).
Not ながら
ながら describes two simultaneous actions by the same person, while まま describes leaving something in a state while doing another action. For example, テレビを見ながら食べる means 'eat while watching TV', but テレビをつけたまま食べる means 'eat with the TV left on'.
Register
Neutral; used in both speaking and writing.
🎯 Quick Quiz
What does this grammar pattern mean or do?
まま
📚 How to Master This Pattern
Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat まま 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 まま. 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 N4 Patterns
← Previous
までに
by; by the time; indicates time limit
Next →
または
both; or; otherwise; choice of [A] or [B]
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern まま mean?
▼
As it is; current state; without changing
What JLPT level is まま?
▼
Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N4 — Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.
How do you use まま in a sentence?
▼
Attach まま (mama) 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 まま formal or casual Japanese?
▼
まま is used in both casual and polite contexts. It appears frequently in everyday conversation, textbooks, and simple written materials.
How can I remember まま long-term?
▼
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.