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JLPT N4 · Sentence patterns

まま (mama)

～まま — “as it is / left as ～”

In short · まま means that a state stays unchanged while another action or situation happens. It attaches to the past or ない form of a verb, or to a noun with の and an adjective in its plain form: 靴を履いたまま, 窓を開けたまま.
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Pattern

  • 動詞た形・ない形 ＋ まま 履いたまま / つけたまま / 食べないまま
  • 名詞 ＋ の ＋ まま／い形容詞 ＋ まま／な形容詞 ＋ な ＋ まま 昔のまま / 若いまま / 元気なまま

Where it comes from

まま is a noun meaning “the state just as it was.” After a word that expresses a state, it means “with that state left unchanged.” Verbs normally take the past form, which carries a ている sense.

When to use it

It often describes something done in a way that is not normal, or not allowed: 窓を開けたまま出かけてしまった, テレビをつけたまま寝てしまった. It also appears in prohibitions such as 靴を履いたまま入らないでください.

Things to watch

The following action happens at the same time as the unchanged state, so a contradictory action cannot follow, such as 座ったまま立つ.

Examples

  • 靴（くつ）を履（は）いたまま入（はい）らないでください。

    Kutsu o haita mama hairanai de kudasai.

    Please don't come in with your shoes on.

  • 窓（まど）を開（あ）けたまま、出（で）かけてしまった。

    Mado o aketa mama, dekakete shimatta.

    I went out with the window left open.

  • テレビをつけたまま、寝（ね）てしまった。

    Terebi o tsuketa mama, nete shimatta.

    I fell asleep with the TV left on.

Common mistakes

  • Use the past form of the verb: 履いたまま, not 履くまま or 履いているまま.
  • Nouns take の and na-adjectives take な: 昔のまま, 元気なまま.

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