Structure
Verb[られる]+ (が)+ まま + (に)
Details
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Formal
使用域
硬い
Rare Kanji
儘・侭
About れる・られる + ままに
When paired with まま, a noun meaning 'in the state of', and the case marking particle に, the auxiliary verbs れる and られる indicate something being done 'as one is told', or 'as ordered'. Because of this, れる and られる will almost always be paired with verbs that indicate some kind of communication.
As these structures are in the passive, the literal translation is close to 'to do (B) in the state that (A) was done to me'. The (B) part will come directly after ままに and simply states how someone is going to react in compliance with (A).
As these structures are in the passive, the literal translation is close to 'to do (B) in the state that (A) was done to me'. The (B) part will come directly after ままに and simply states how someone is going to react in compliance with (A).
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私は先輩に言われるままにしただけですよ。I only did things as I was told by senpai.
- 日本では上司に命じられるままに仕事をしている人が多い。In Japan, many people work as ordered by their bosses.
- 警察に聞かれるままに、仲間の名前を教えた。I gave the names of my accomplices to the police as they asked me.
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婚活アプリで出会った人に言われるがままに、ギフトカードを買ってしまった。I did as I was told by someone I met on a dating app and bought a gift card.
Caution
In this grammar pattern, られる will never appear in the past-tense form.-
先生に教えられたままに漢字を書いた。I wrote kanji characters as my teacher taught me. (Unnatural Japanese)
Synonyms
Verb[れる・られる]
Was done to ~ by ~, Done without consent, Done to one's dismay
Not studied yet
まま(に)
As is, While remaining, Left in a state
Not studied yet
にしたがって
As, Following, As then, According to, In accordance with
Not studied yet
に沿って
Along, In accordance with, In line with
Not studied yet
とおり
In that way, Exactly, Precisely, Just as
Not studied yet
ように
So that, In order to, In such a way that
Not studied yet
Examples
先生に教えられるままに、生徒はその発音を繰り返した。
The students repeated the pronunciation as they were taught by the teacher.
聞かれるままに、彼女の住んでいる場所を教えた。
As I was asked, I told him where she lives.
店員さんにすすめられるまま、この洋服を買ってしまった。でも、あまり自分には似合わないと思う。
I bought these clothes as advised by the shop clerk. But I don't think that they suit me very well.
強盗に要求されるまま、金をわたした。
I handed over the money as demanded by the robber.
ガイドに案内されるまま、私たちはパリ市内を観光した。
We explored the city of Paris as guided by the guide.
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れる・られる + ままに – Grammar Discussion
Most Recent Replies (1 in total)
wrt7MameLZE33wlmpCAV
For the example sentence
苦い経験:「説明書に書かれているままにノートパソコンを組立て直したつもりだったけど、ネジが1本残っている。」
Bitter experience: “I thought that I had reassembled the laptop as written in the instructions, but I ended up with one screw left over…”
This one is the only example where ている used, and there’s no special explanation given in the grammar point. Is this stative usage, expressing the instructions were written (and remain in the state of being written)? I suppose you would use ている because the past tense isn’t used?
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