At a glance
～まま means "as it is" or "while still in that state". It shows that a state stays unchanged while something else happens, often a state that would usually change first.
Verb た-form + まま
Verb ない-form + まま
い-adjective + まま
な-adjective + な + まま
Noun + の + まま
テレビをつけたまま寝てしまいました。 I fell asleep with the TV on.
How to form it
まま works like a noun, so it connects the same way a noun would.
| Attaches to | Form | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verb (た-form) | つけた + まま | 電気をつけたまま | with the light on |
| Verb (ない-form) | 食べない + まま | 何も食べないまま | without eating anything |
| い-adjective | 若い + まま | 若いまま | staying young |
| な-adjective | きれい + な + まま | きれいなまま | staying clean |
| Noun | 子供 + の + まま | 子供のまま | still a child |
まま is often followed by で, に or だ: ～ままで, ～ままにする, ～ままだ. The register is neutral. Make it polite by changing the end of the sentence.