Grammar Info

N5 Lesson 7: 9/13

まだ

Still, Not yet

Structure

まだ + Verb［ている］
まだ + Noun + が + いる
まだ + Noun + が + ある

Details

  • Part of Speech

    Adverb

  • Word Type

    Independent Word

  • Register

    Standard

  • 品詞

    副詞

  • 単語の種類

    自立語

  • 使用域

    一般

Rare Kanji

未だ

About まだ

In English, まだ is regularly translated as 'still', or 'not yet', depending on if it is used in a positive non-past, or negative sentence. The reason that Japanese only requires one word for both of these nuances is due to まだ literally meaning 'something is unexpectedly still going'.
  • まだ走(はし)っている。
    I am still running. (Although you probably didn't expect it, I am still running)
  • まだ親(おや)がいるからゲームできない。
    My parents are still here, so I can't play games. (Although you probably didn't expect it, my parents are still here)
  • まだ宿題(しゅくだい)があるから、遊(あそ)ばない。
    I still have homework, so I can't hang out yet. (Although you probably didn't expect it, I still have homework)
From these sentences, we can see that まだ may be translated in each case as the following.
(Non-past) - Although (A) is expected to not be there/happening, it is. 'Still' in English.
(ている) - Although (A) is expected to not still be going, it is. 'Not yet' in English.
The negative form of this will be discussed more in まだ～ていません.
This is the opposite of もう, which means 'something is unexpectedly finished'.
まだ may also be used to ask questions. This is when the speaker thinks that something 'might' be continuing, but wants or needs to confirm.
  • まだ日本語(にほんご)の勉強(べんきょう)しているの？
    Are you still studying Japanese?
Fun Fact
まだ is often used simply as an expression indicating that something is 'lacking', or 'not yet' where it needs to be. In these cases まだ is frequently repeated as まだまだ, for emphasis.
  • まだまだだねー。
    You are not ready for this. (You still STILL are not ready)

Examples

  • 冷蔵庫(れいぞうこ)にケーキがまだあります。

    There is still cake in the fridge.

  • まだ食(た)べていますか。

    Are you still eating!?

  • お前(まえ)にはまだ早(はや)いよ。

    'It is still too early for you.'

    This phrase is used when someone is still not ready for something. For example, a parent might say this to a child who wants to try alcohol.

  • まだ雨(あめ)が降(ふ)っているの？

    It's still raining?

    の is the contracted form of のです.

  • まだ足(あし)が痛(いた)い。

    My foot still hurts.

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    • みんなの日本語 I

      Page 50 [CH 7]

    • みんなの日本語 II

      Page 36 [CH 30]

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まだ – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (6 in total)

  • Fuga

    Fuga

    About 2 months ago

    Hey @RezoneH !

    To say ‘Are you still studying Japanese’, you would say まだ日本語を勉強しているの? Here this ている is used since it is describing an action is not ‘continuing’, but happens so often that they are considered to be continuous.

    The ている used in the second example you provided is this since it is used in a context where the person is in the constant state of ‘doing’ a verb.

    I hope this answers your question!

  • RezoneH

    RezoneH

    About 2 months ago

    So, for the both 2 scenario there is only 1 possible saying.
    both are: まだ日本語を勉強しているの?
    if i mean,
    You were studying Japanese intensively last year. It seems like you haven’t stopped working, you continue working regularly.
    The expression of this sentence in Japanese is, “mada nihongo wo benkyou shiteiru no?”

    Did I understand correctly?

  • Fuga

    Fuga

    About 2 months ago

    There are many ways that both of these can be expressed! However, if you want to say ‘still doing 〜’, some form of ている will be used.

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