Posted inN4 Grammar

Keep Going! Mastering the Japanese Grammar Pattern ~続ける (~tsuzukeru)

Posted inN4 Grammar
Japanese Grammar Template
Meaning & Usage

✨ Basic Meaning

To continue doing something; to keep doing something.

🎯 Primary Function

Expresses that an action started at some point in the past or present is still ongoing or will be continued without interruption.

📋 Grammar Structure

Verb stem (ます form without ます) + 続ける (つづける)

🎭 Usage Contexts

🏢 Formal Situations

Used frequently in formal contexts to describe ongoing projects, efforts, or states.

😊 Informal Situations

Common in daily conversation to talk about continuing daily activities, habits, or states.

✍️ Written Language

Widely used in various forms of writing, from articles to novels, to describe continuous actions or states.

🗣️ Spoken Language

Extremely common in spoken Japanese to express the continuation of actions.

💡 Common Applications

Continuing a habit or routine
Used to talk about habits or routines that one continues to do.
Example: 毎日日本語を勉強し続けています。 (Mainichi Nihongo o benkyō shi tsuzukete imasu.) – I continue studying Japanese every day.
Continuation of a state
Can be used with certain verbs to indicate a state that continues.
Example: 雨が降り続けている。 (Ame ga furi tsuzukete iru.) – It continues to rain.
Persistence or effort
Emphasizes continuing an action despite difficulty or for a long period.
Example: 彼は諦めずに努力し続けた。 (Kare wa akiramenzu ni doryoku shi tsuzuketa.) – He continued to make efforts without giving up.
📊
Frequency
Very frequent in both spoken and written Japanese.
🎚️
Difficulty
N4
Example Sentences
私は日記を毎日書き続けています。
I continue writing a diary every day.
この仕事は時間がかかりますが、頑張り続けます。
This job takes time, but I will keep doing my best (continue working hard).
子供たちは外で遊び続けている。
The children are continuing to play outside.
Notes & Nuances

📌 Important Points

Requires Verb Stem
Always attach 続ける to the stem form of the verb (the form before ます).
Example: 食べます → 食べ + 続ける = 食べ続ける
Expresses continuous action
Focuses on the action itself continuing over time.
Example: 走り続けて、ゴールに着いた。 (Hashiri tsuzukete, gōru ni tsuita.) – I kept running and reached the goal.

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ Attaching to dictionary form or ます form
✅ Use the verb stem.
Incorrect: 食べる続ける, 食べます続ける. Correct: 食べ続ける.
❌ Confusing with ~ている (te iru)
✅ ~ている often describes a current state or ongoing action at a specific moment, while ~続ける emphasizes the *duration* or *persistence* of the action.
雨が降っている (It is raining now – state/ongoing moment) vs. 雨が降り続けている (It has continued to rain – emphasizes duration).

🏛️ Cultural Context

Politeness Level: Politeness depends on the ending verb form of 続ける itself (e.g., 続けます, 続けました).
Social Situations: Used broadly in various social situations.
Regional Variations: Standard usage across regions.

🔍 Subtle Differences

~続ける vs ずっと + Verb
~続ける attaches to the verb stem focusing on the action’s continuation. ずっと is an adverb indicating duration or a long state.
When to use: Use ~続ける when you want to specifically modify the verb to show it continues. Use ずっと to emphasize the state or duration from the beginning or over a long period. Example: ずっと日本語を勉強しています (I have been studying Japanese for a long time/continuously – adverb); 毎日日本語を勉強し続けています (I continue to study Japanese every day – verb modification). They can sometimes be used together for emphasis (ずっと勉強し続けている).
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📝 Conjugation Notes

続ける is a regular る-verb. Conjugate 続ける like any other る-verb (続けます, 続けない, 続けた, 続ければ, etc.) while keeping it attached to the stem of the preceding verb.

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

Pronounce つづける with typical Japanese pitch accents. つ is low, づ is high, け is low, る is low.

🧠 Memory Tips

Think of 「続ける」 (つづける) as meaning “to continue” and remember it always follows the “stem” of the verb, like one train car continuing after the engine (the verb stem).

Practice Exercises
毎日、日本語を（＿＿＿）。 (benkyō suru)
勉強する続ける
勉強し続ける
勉強します続ける
勉強して続ける
この本は面白くて、（＿＿＿）まで読み続けました。
夜
朝
昼
晩
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