Leaving as is with 〜まま

Usage Notes

まま follows the た-form of a verb (the state resulting from the action), the ない-form (something not done), a noun plus の, an い-adjective, or a な-adjective plus な.

The た-form verb is usually one of instant action or change, such as つける “switch on”, 着(き)る “put on”, or 忘(わす)れる “leave behind”. Its result is what stays in place. For two ongoing actions at once, use ながら: 歩(ある)きながら, not 歩(ある)いたまま.

まま is often used about a state that would normally have changed, with a hint of criticism. It can also be neutral: このままでいい, “it’s fine as is”. このまま and そのまま are everywhere in dialogue: “like this / as it is”. そのまま can also mean “straight on”, moving to the next action without a break. 〜ままにする means leaving something as it is on purpose.

Formation

With a State Left in Place

The た-form plus まま names a state left in place when the main action happens. Often the two hold at the same time: in 服(ふく)を着(き)たまま泳(およ)いだ, “I swam with my clothes on”, the clothes stay on during the swim. The state can also be left behind as someone moves on: in ドアを開(あ)けたまま出(で)て行(い)った, “I went out leaving the door open”, the door stays open after the speaker is gone.

Rize wonders what became of the missing piece from Chiya’s puzzle. Syaro suggets it’ll turn up once it’s no longer being looked for. This reminds Chiya of something else that was forgotten.

千夜(ちや):

「シャロちゃんは学校(がっこう)にランドセルを忘(わす)れたまま帰(かえ)ってきた事(こと)があったわ」

“Syaro-chan once came home having left her backpack at school.”

シャロ:

「明日(あした)学校(がっこう)行(い)けない…」

“I can't go to school tomorrow...”

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Here 忘(わす)れる means “leave behind”. This is the second kind: the backpack stays at school, and Syaro comes home without it.

Without Doing Something

With the ない-form, まま says something stayed undone while something else happened. ひげをそらないまま大学(だいがく)へ行(い)った means “he went to college without shaving”.

Keeping Things as They Are

このまま means “as things are now”. With でもいい or でいい, it can express a wish for the present to last.

As they decorate their Christmas tree, Chii learns from her mother that kids need to be good because Santa is always watching. Chii wants Christmas to arrive soon so she doesn’t have to keep being good, until she takes a look at the decorated tree.

ちー:

「ずっとこのままでもいいなー。」

“It'd be fine if things stayed like this forever.”

「でもクリスマスもはやくきてほしいなー。」

“But I want Christmas to also hurry and come.”

View Full Example

Chii looks at the decorated tree. このままでもいい is “it would be fine even like this”: she’d be happy for this moment to last forever. The next line adds a second wish, for Christmas to come soon.

At This Rate with このままじゃ

このままでは, or casual このままじゃ, warns about what will happen if nothing changes: “at this rate”. あのままじゃ means “if things stay like that”, about a state both speakers know of.

Ami is used to getting the top grade on mock exams, but when another name starts tying her scores, she begins to get flustered. Her friend Minako suggests they investigate the person behind the name, but Rei isn’t so sure.

美奈子(みなこ):

「あのままじゃ　亜美(あみ)ちゃん気(き)が散(ち)って成績(せいせき)が落(お)ちちゃうわ！」

“The way things are, Ami-chan'll be distracted, and her grades will drop!”

レイ:

「こんなコト　始(はじ)めたってのがバレた時(とき)の方(ほう)が亜美(あみ)ちゃんの気(き)が散(ち)ると思(おも)うけど」

“I think Ami-chan will be more distracted when she finds out we've started something like this.”

View Full Example

Minako has watched Ami fret about a rival on the mock exams. あのまま points back to that state: if Ami stays like that, she’ll get distracted and her grades will drop.

Related Grammar

• Leaving something as-is with 〜っぱなし
  • っぱなし stresses that something was left unattended, usually as a complaint. まま can be neutral.
• Doing in advance with 〜ておく
  • ておく does something on purpose for later, including leaving a thing as it is. まま describes the unchanged state itself.