Grammar Info

N1 Lesson 4: 4/17

れる・られる + ままに

Do as (one is told or ordered…), In accordance with, In compliance with, Just like

Structure

Verb[られる]+ (が)+ まま + (に)

Details

  • Register

    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).
  • (わたし)先輩(せんぱい)()れるままにしただけですよ。
    I only did things as I was told by senpai.
  • 日本(にほん)では上司(じょうし)(めい)じられるままに仕事(しごと)をしている(ひと)(おお)い。
    In Japan, many people work as ordered by their bosses.
  • 警察(けいさつ)()れるままに仲間(なかま)名前(なまえ)(おし)えた。
    I gave the names of my accomplices to the police as they asked me.
The conjunction particle が may appear between られる and ままに, but this is not common in modern Japanese. Although it does carry the meaning of 'but', the focus is more on expressing that the (A) is not being resisted or argued with when doing (B).
  • 婚活(こんかつ)アプリで出会(であ)った(ひと)()れるがままに、ギフトカードを()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(せんせい)(おし)えられたままに漢字(かんじ)()いた。
    I wrote kanji characters as my teacher taught me. (Unnatural Japanese)

Examples

  • 先生(せんせい)(おし)えられるままに生徒(せいと)その発音(はつおん)()(かえ)した。

    The students repeated the pronunciation as they were taught by the teacher.

  • ()かれるままに彼女(かのじょ)()んでいる場所(ばしょ)(おし)えた。

    As I was asked, I told him where she lives.

  • 店員(てんいん)さんすすめられるままこの洋服(ようふく)()ってしまった。でも、あまり自分(じぶん)には似合(にあ)わないと(おも)

    I bought these clothes as advised by the shop clerk. But I don't think that they suit me very well.

  • 強盗(ごうとう)要求(ようきゅう)されるまま(かね)をわたした。

    I handed over the money as demanded by the robber.

  • ガイドに案内(あんない)されるまま(わたし)たちはパリ市内(しない)観光(かんこう)した。

    We explored the city of Paris as guided by the guide.

  • Get more example sentences!

    Premium users get access to 12 example sentences on all Grammar Points.

Self-Study Sentences

Study your own way!

Add sentences and study them alongside Bunpro sentences.

れる・られる + ままに – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (1 in total)

  • wrt7MameLZE33wlmpCAV

    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?

Got questions about れる・られる + ままに? Join us to discuss, ask, and learn together!

Join the Discussion