“〜mama”: Keeping a State / Leaving As Is / Unchanged [JLPT N3]
Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026
「眼鏡をかけたまま泳ぐ」 — a state left just as it is, unchanged.
「眼鏡をかけたまま泳ぐ」 — 「まま」, keeping a state unchanged
「彼は眼鏡をかけたまま、泳いでいた」 (he was swimming with his glasses still on) — 「(verb た-form／ない-form／noun の／adjective) ＋ まま」 means “keeping a certain state unchanged, doing (something else) just so,” stressing “that state didn't change, and directly….” Like 「つけたまま (with it on…), 立ったまま (standing…), そのまま (just as is)」. This guide covers 「まま」's attachment, that “as-is” feel, and separates it from 「ながら (while doing)」.
Core: a state stays unchanged, do (something else) just so
「〜まま」 = “keeping the state of ~ (unchanged), just so…”:
- verb た-form ＋ まま (keeping the done state): エアコンをつけたまま寝た (slept with the AC on).
- ない-form ＋ まま (keeping the not-done state): 靴を脱がないまま入る (enter without taking shoes off).
- noun の／adjective ＋ まま: 昔のまま (just as it used to be), そのまま (just as is).
Feel: “maintaining a state, directly (doing the next thing)” (the state doesn't change).
How to Connect
| Form | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| verb た-form ＋ まま | keeping the done state | つけたまま |
| verb ない-form ＋ まま | keeping the not-done state | 言わないまま |
| noun 〜の ＋ まま | noun | 昔のまま |
| adjective ＋ まま | adjective | 熱いまま |
實用例句
- 彼は眼鏡をかけたまま、泳いでいた。(He was swimming with his glasses still on.) — た-form
- 冷蔵庫に飲み物を入れたまま忘れていた。(I put the drink in the fridge and just forgot it.) — た-form
- 靴を履いたまま、部屋に入らないで。(Don't enter the room with your shoes on.) — た-form (warning)
- 何も言わないまま、彼は去った。(He left without saying anything.) — ない-form
- この町は昔のままだ。(This town is just as it used to be.) — noun の
⚠️ Common mistakes to avoid
① The verb is in the た-form, not the dictionary form. つけたまま (✗ つけるまま), 履いたまま. For “keeping the state after doing,” the verb is た-form (not dictionary). For “keeping the not-done state,” use the ない-form (言わないまま).
② 「まま」 (keeping a state) vs 「ながら」 (doing two actions at once). まま = keeping a state, directly doing something else (a state ＋ an action: 立ったまま食べる = eat standing, “standing” is the maintained state); ながら = two actions simultaneously (歩きながら食べる = eat while walking, walking and eating at once). まま is “state unchanged,” ながら is “two actions in parallel.”
③ Nouns add 「の」, adjectives attach directly. 昔のまま (noun ＋ の), そのまま (その ＋ まま), 熱いまま (i-adj directly), きれいなまま (na-adj ＋ な). Attachment by word type.
🔄 Compare: まま／ながら／っぱなし
| Form | Nuance | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜まま | keeping a state, just so | つけたまま |
| 〜ながら | doing two actions at once | 歩きながら |
| 〜っぱなし | left on/out (mostly negative) | つけっぱなし |
💡 Learning tip
The core of 「まま」 is “keeping a state unchanged, doing (the next thing) just so” — 眼鏡をかけたまま泳ぐ (swim with glasses on), 靴を履いたまま入る (enter with shoes on), 昔のまま (just as it used to be). Attachment by word type: verbs use the た-form (つけたまま) or ない-form (言わないまま), nouns add の, adjectives attach directly. The easiest confusion is 「ながら」: まま = one state maintained (立ったまま = the standing state); ながら = two actions at once (歩きながら = while walking). There's also 「っぱなし (left on, with reproach)」. For “just so, as is,” まま fits best.
❓ FAQ
Q: How do I tell 「まま」 from 「ながら」?
By “maintaining one state” vs “doing two actions at once.” 「まま」 = keeping a state unchanged, doing something else just so (what precedes is a “state”): 座ったまま話す (talk while seated — “seated” is a maintained state, not an action), 電気をつけたまま出かけた (went out with the light on). 「ながら」 = two actions in parallel (both are “actions”): 音楽を聞きながら勉強する (study while listening to music — listening and studying at once). Test: what precedes is a “maintained state” (seated, on, worn) → まま; a “simultaneous action” (walking, listening, watching) → ながら. 「立ったまま (the standing state) 食べる」 vs 「歩きながら (the action of walking) 食べる」 makes it clear.
Q: Why is 「まま」's verb in the た-form (つけたまま)?
Because 「まま」 means “keeping the state after an action is done,” and “done” is marked by the past た-form. 「エアコンをつけたまま」 = “turned the AC on (that action done), and kept that ‘on' state” — つけた (turned on) ＋ まま (keeping that state). So the verb is the た-form (marking a completed action, ongoing state): 履いたまま (with shoes on), 開けたまま (open), 座ったまま (seated). Conversely, “keeping the ‘not-done' state” uses the ない-form: 言わないまま (without saying), 片付けないまま (without tidying). Mnemonic: done and kept = た-form ＋ まま; not done and kept = ない-form ＋ まま.
🖊️ Practice Quiz
Q1. 彼は眼鏡を_____まま、泳いでいる。
(A) かけた (B) かける (C) かけない (D) かけて
Q2. 冷蔵庫の中に飲み物を_____ままにしておいた。
(A) 入れた (B) 入れる (C) 入れない (D) 入れて
Q3. 彼女は笑顔の_____ままで話し続けた。
(A) ある (B) あり (C) な (D) の
Q4. 子供たちはテレビを_____まま、寝てしまった。
(A) つける (B) つけた (C) つけない (D) つけて
Q5. そのままの状態で_____ください。
(A) 行く (B) 行って (C) 行った (D) 行かない
Answer Key
1. (A) かけた ── かけたまま = keeping the state (glasses already on); a verb ta-form ＋ まま.
2. (A) 入れた ── 入れたまま = leaving it in that state after putting it in.
3. (D) の ── a noun ＋ の ＋ まま: 笑顔のまま.
4. (B) つけた ── つけたまま = leaving the TV on (state unchanged).
5. (B) 行って ── 行ってください is the request form, fitting そのままの状態で行ってください.