まま
In this lesson, you will learn about the suffix まま, which is translated as 'as is'. You will see it with verbs, nouns, and adjectives to mean that something is as is, something that is not undergoing a change, the current state of things.
At the end of this lesson, you will be able to use the expression まま in sentences, and in so doing, honing your vocabulary and expressions in Japanese.
まま is a suffix that demonstrates the current state of things. It indicates that something is as is and is not undergoing a change.
Verb (dictionary form) + まま
Noun + の + まま
Adjective い + まま
Adjective な + まま
In terms of the verbs, we will usually use まま with the past tense. In that case, we will use the casual past tense (〜た-form).
私はいつまでも若いままでいたいです。
Watashi wa itsu made mo wakai mama de itai desu.
I want to stay young forever.
In this sentence, まま is used after the adjective 若い. いたい is the 〜たい-form of the verb いる, and it will mean 'I want to stay'. まま indicates that the current state of a situation will remain the same, or remains the same.
あぶない！鉄はまだ熱いままです。
Abunai! Tetsu wa mada atsui mama desu.
Be careful! The iron is still hot.
The use of まま tells us that the current state of the iron is hot and that it hasn't changed. It is still hot.
Demonstrative adjectives with まま
まま can be used with demonstrative adjectives to demonstrate a current state that does not change.
このまま = just like this, this way
そのまま = just like that, that way
あのまま = just like that, that way
電話を切らずにそのまま待ってください。
Denwa o kirazu ni sono mama matte kudasai.
Please wait without hanging the phone.
In this sentence, we are asking the client to hold the line. そのまま will indicate a continued state.
このまままっすぐ進んでください。
Kono mama massugu susunde kudasai.
Go straight ahead.
In this sentence, we are asking the driver to go straight, without moving away from that straight line.
あきらめるな！このまま勉強すれば、最後には日本語が分かるようになるよ！
Akirameru na! Kono mama benkyou sureba, saigo ni wa nihongo ga wakaru you ni naru yo!
Don't give up! If you continue studying that way, you will eventually understand Japanese!
In this sentence, we tell our friend that if he continues studying this way, he will eventually grasp Japanese.
これをこのまま使っていいですか？
Kore o kono mama tsukatte ii desu ka?
Can I use this as is?
In this sentence, このまま will be translated as 'as is'.
You probably have heard this expression in anime before: このままじゃ. This expression means something like 'at this rate' or 'at this point', rather than meaning 'as is'. Although, it has a connotation of if the situation does not change, something will happen.
このままじゃ試合は負ける。。。
Kono mama ja shiai wa makeru...
At this rate (if it continues), we will lose the game...
Here, このままじゃ means that if the situation continues and doesn't change, we will lose the game.
ままに as an adverb
There is another expression with まま: ままに is the adverb.
あのままにしておいた。
Ano mama ni shite oita.
I left it as it was.
ままに is the synonym of とおりに and 〜にしたがって, which mean 'according to'.
赤ん坊は本能のままに行動する。
Akanbou wa honnou no mama ni koudou suru.
Babies act on instinct.
私はあなたの意のままになります。
Watakushi wa anata no i no mama ni narimasu.
I will be at your will.
ままにする
Another form is ままにする. We use ままにする to express a choice or to make something occur.
ドアを開けたままにしてください。
Doa o aketa mama ni shite kudasai.
Please leave the door open.
In this sentence, you want the door to remain open. You want the door to be left as is.
Other examples:
この美術館は5年間も閉鎖されたままだ。
Kono bijutsukan wa go nen kan mo heisa sareta mama da.
This museum has been closed for 5 years.
寝たまま勉強できない。
Neta mama benkyou dekinai.
You cannot study while being asleep.
さゆみは髪の毛がぬれたまま出かけました。
Sayumi wa kami no ge ga nureta mama dekakemashita.
Sayumi went out with her hair still wet.