Mastering Japanese Grammar: まま (Mama) – As It Is

Mastering Japanese Grammar: まま (Mama) – As It Is
Meaning & Usage

✨ Basic Meaning

‘Mama’ (まま) expresses a state that remains unchanged, meaning ‘as it is,’ ‘just as,’ or ‘leaving something in a certain condition.’

🎯 Primary Function

To indicate that an action is performed or a situation exists while a previous state or condition continues without change.

📋 Grammar Structure

Verb (Ta-form) + まま / Verb (Nai-form) + まま
i-Adjective + まま
na-Adjective + な + まま / Noun + の + まま
Verb (Nai-form) + まま

🎭 Usage Contexts

🏢 Formal Situations

Used in formal reports or speeches to describe conditions that haven’t changed (e.g., ‘The situation remains as it was’).

😊 Informal Situations

Extremely common in daily conversation for things like ‘leaving the light on’ or ‘staying as friends.’

✍️ Written Language

Used in literature to describe unchanging feelings or scenes.

🗣️ Spoken Language

Often used with ‘sono mama’ or ‘kono mama’ to mean ‘like this/that.’

💡 Common Applications

Leaving things unfinished
Used when you perform an action but don’t ‘undo’ it, leaving the result as is.
Example: 窓を開けたまま (Leaving the window open)
Natural or raw states
Used to describe food or objects in their original, unprocessed state.
Example: 生のまま (Eating it raw)
Physical posture/condition during an action
Describes doing something while maintaining a specific physical state.
Example: 立ったまま (While standing)
📊
Frequency
Very High
🎚️
Difficulty
JLPT N4 (Intermediate)
Example Sentences
Example #1
靴を履いたまま家に入りました。
Furigana: くつをはいたままいえにはいりました。
Romaji: Kutsu o haita mama ie ni hairimashita.
English: I entered the house with my shoes on.
Example #2
テレビをつけたまま寝てしまいました。
Furigana: テレビをつけたままねてしまいました。
Romaji: Terebi o tsuketa mama nete shimaimashita.
English: I accidentally fell asleep with the TV on.
Example #3
そのままにしておいてください。
Furigana: そのままにしておいてください。
Romaji: Sono mama ni shite oite kudasai.
English: Please leave it as it is.
Example #4
窓を開けたまま、出かけました。
Furigana: まどをあけたまま、でかけました。
Romaji: Mado o aketa mama, dekakemashita.
English: He went out leaving the window open.
Example #5
この野菜は生のまま食べられます。
Furigana: このやさいはなまのままたべられます。
Romaji: Kono yasai wa nama no mama taberaremasu.
English: You can eat this vegetable raw (as it is raw).
Example #6
眼鏡をかけたまま顔を洗いました。
Furigana: めがねをかけたままかおをあらいました。
Romaji: Megane o kaketa mama kao o araimashita.
English: I washed my face while still wearing my glasses.
Example #7
彼女は何も言わないまま帰りました。
Furigana: かのじょはなにもいわないままかえりました。
Romaji: Kanojo wa nani mo iwanai mama kaerimashita.
English: She left without saying anything.
Example #8
立ったままお弁当を食べました。
Furigana: たったままおべんとうをたべました。
Romaji: Tatta mama obento o tabemashita.
English: I ate my lunch while standing.
Example #9
彼女は昔のまま、とても綺麗です。
Furigana: かのじょはむかしのまま、とてもきれいです。
Romaji: Kanojo wa mukashi no mama, totemo kirei desu.
English: She is still as beautiful as she was in the past.
Example #10
ずっとこのままでいいですか。
Furigana: ずっとこのままでいいですか。
Romaji: Zutto kono mama de ii desu ka?
English: Is it okay to stay like this forever?
Notes & Nuances

📌 Important Points

Continuity of state
The phrase ‘sono mama’ is a very common fixed expression meaning ‘leave it as it is.’
Example: そのままにして (Leave it like that)
Comparison to ‘Nagara’
It describes the ‘background state’ of the person performing the main action.
Example: 立ったまま食べる (Eat while standing)

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ 開けるまま (Akeru mama)
✅ 開けたまま (Aketa mama)
You must use the Ta-form (past) because the state has already been established. Dictionary form is incorrect.

🏛️ Cultural Context

Politeness Level: Neutral; its politeness depends on the verb at the end of the sentence.
Social Situations: Used frequently when reminding others not to leave things messy or unfinished (e.g., ‘Don’t leave the door open!’).
Regional Variations: Standard across Japan.

🔍 Subtle Differences

まま (mama) vs っぱなし (ppanashi)
‘Ppanashi’ usually has a negative nuance of carelessness or neglect, whereas ‘mama’ is more neutral.
When to use: Use ‘ppanashi’ when complaining about someone leaving the water running. Use ‘mama’ for neutral descriptions.

📝 Conjugation Notes

For verbs, always use the Ta-form or Nai-form. For Nouns, use ‘no’. For na-adjectives, use ‘na’. For i-adjectives, just add ‘mama’.

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

Pronounced with two short, even syllables. Do not elongate the ‘a’ sounds.

🧠 Memory Tips

Think of ‘Mama’ as ‘Maintaining’ a state. If you do something ‘Mama’, you are maintaining the previous condition while doing something else.

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