“〜izen to shite・〜imada ni”: Still / To This Day [JLPT N2]
Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026
「問題は依然として解決していない」 vs 「未だに連絡がない」 — “still,” neutral vs with a sigh.
「事故から一年、原因は未だに不明だ」 — after all this time, it still …
「あの事故から一年経つが、原因は未だに分かっていない」 (a year has passed since that accident, yet the cause is still unknown) — 「依然として（いぜんとして）／未だに（いまだに）」 both mean “still ～, as before”: a situation persists unchanged. The difference: 「依然として」 is more objective (still so); 「未だに」 carries a “(after all this time) still …” surprise or impatience. This guide covers both uses and their difference, separating them from 「まだ・今でも」 (N2).
Core: still ～, as before (a situation persists unchanged)
Both are adverbs, marking “(after some time,) a situation still persists, unchanged”:
- 依然として = still, as before (objectively stating ‘the situation is unchanged,' written): 景気は依然として厳しい (the economy is still tough).
- 未だに = still, not yet (carrying a ‘after all this time, still …' surprise/dissatisfaction): 未だに返事が来ない (there's still no reply).
Feel: “still／to this day still” — the core is “a situation persists, unchanged.” 「依然として」 leans objective, written (just “still so”); 「未だに」 leans emotional (“(after all this time,) still …／stubbornly not …”), often with surprise, impatience, or regret. A formal, written expression (依然として especially so).
Uses & forms
| Form | Feel | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 依然として | still, as before (objective, written) | 依然として不明だ |
| 未だに | still, not yet (with surprise/dissatisfaction) | 未だに解決しない （still not resolved, even now） |
| (cf.) まだ | still, yet (neutral, colloquial general) | まだ終わらない （not finished yet） |
| (cf.) 今でも | even now, still today | 今でも覚えている （I still remember it even now） |
Examples in context
- 交渉は依然として平行線をたどっている。(The negotiations are still at an impasse.) — objective
- 発売から十年経つが、依然として人気だ。(Ten years since release, it's still popular.) — objective
- 何度も催促したのに、未だに支払われない。(Despite repeated reminders, it's still unpaid.) — dissatisfaction
- あの日のことを、未だに忘れられない。(I still can't forget what happened that day.) — emotional
- 問題の根本原因は、依然として解明されていない。(The problem's root cause is still not clarified.) — written
⚠️ Where learners slip up
① 「依然として」 is objective, 「未だに」 carries a ‘still, of all things …' emotion. Both mean “still to this day,” with a different feel. 依然として = still, as before (objectively stating ‘unchanged,' neutral, written) (状況は依然として変わらない = the situation is still unchanged — objective); 未だに = still, not yet (carrying an ‘after all this time, still …／stubbornly not …' surprise, impatience, regret) (未だに連絡がない = still no contact — with a “why still not …” impatience). For an objective “still so” use 依然として; for the “(after all this time) still …” emotion use 未だに.
② 「未だに」 is mostly for negative situations of ‘what should have happened but stubbornly hasn't.' After 「未だに」 often comes a negative or unwelcome persistence (未だに分からない・未だに来ない・未だに解決しない), with the impatience or surprise of “should have … but stubbornly hasn't.” It's rarely for positive persistence (positive persistence uses 「依然として」 or 「今でも」). To complain “after all this time, still not …” use 未だに.
③ Different register from colloquial 「まだ・今でも」. 「依然として・未だに」 are more formal, written, and stress ‘persisting unchanged' than colloquial 「まだ (still)・今でも (even now)」. In daily talk “not done yet” is 「まだ終わらない」; in writing/emphasis it's 「未だに終わらない (stubbornly not done)」 or 「依然として (still)」. For a formal “still, as before” use 依然として／未だに; for daily “still” use まだ／今でも.
🔄 Compare with similar forms: 依然として／未だに／まだ／今でも
| Form | Feel | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 依然として | still, as before (objective, written) | 依然として厳しい |
| 未だに | still, not yet (surprise/dissatisfaction, written) | 未だに来ない （still hasn't come, even now） |
| まだ | still, yet (neutral, colloquial) | まだ終わらない （not finished yet） |
| 今でも | even now, still today (colloquial) | 今でも好きだ |
💡 Learning tip
「依然として（いぜんとして）／未だに（いまだに）」 both mean “still ～, as before (a situation persists unchanged),” a formal, written expression. The difference: ① 依然として = objectively stating ‘the situation is unchanged' (as before, written, neutral) (景気は依然として厳しい); ② 未だに = still, not yet (with an ‘after all this time, still …／stubbornly not …' surprise, impatience, regret) (未だに返事が来ない). Three points: ① 依然として is objective, 未だに is emotional; ② 未だに is mostly for negative persistence of ‘should have happened but stubbornly hasn't' (未だに解決しない); ③ more formal/written than colloquial 「まだ・今でも」. For an objective “as before” use 依然として, for the impatient “still, of all things …” use 未だに.
❓ Quick FAQ
Q: 「依然として」 and 「未だに」 both mean ‘still to this day' — how do I tell them apart?
Objective vs emotional. 「依然として」 = still, as before (objectively, neutrally stating ‘a situation, after some time, still hasn't changed,' more written, with no special emotion): この地域の人口減少は、依然として続いている (this area's population decline is still continuing — objectively stating “still continuing”); 彼の容態は依然として予断を許さない (his condition is still uncertain — objective). It's just “(the situation) is still that way, as before,” neutral, objective, common in news, reports. 「未だに」 = still, not yet (with an ‘after all this time, still …／stubbornly not …' surprise, impatience, or regret — an emotional tone): 事件から三年、未だに犯人は捕まっていない (three years since the incident, the culprit still hasn't been caught — with a “why still not caught” surprise/dissatisfaction); 未だにあの時の失敗を引きずっている (I'm still hung up on that failure — with regret). It stresses “(it should long since have …,) yet still to this day …,” with impatience, surprise, regret, and is often followed by a negative or unwelcome persistence. Test: objectively state “the situation is still unchanged” → 依然として (neutral, written); with a ‘after all this time, still …／stubbornly not …' emotion → 未だに (impatient/surprised). E.g., 「景気は依然として厳しい」 (the economy is still tough — objective); 「未だに景気が回復しない」 (the economy stubbornly won't recover — with impatience). One a neutral statement, one an emotional complaint.
Q: How does 「未だに」 differ from colloquial 「まだ」?
Register and emotional intensity. 「まだ」 = still, yet (neutral, colloquial～general, plainly marking ‘something isn't done yet / still persists'): ご飯はまだできていない (dinner isn't ready yet); まだ時間がある (there's still time); 彼はまだ寝ている (he's still sleeping). It's the everyday go-to “still …,” neutral, casual, for any setting. 「未だに」 = still, not yet (more written, formal, and carrying an ‘after all this time, still …／stubbornly not …' surprise, impatience, regret): 一週間経つのに、未だに返事がない (a week has passed, yet still no reply — with a “why still no reply” impatience); 未だにあの光景が忘れられない (I still can't forget that scene — with feeling). It's heavier than 「まだ」, stressing “(after a long delay) still …,” and mostly emotional (impatience, surprise, regret). Difference: 「まだ」 neutral, colloquial, plain “still …”; 「未だに」 written, emotional, stressing “(after all this time) still …／stubbornly not …”. So in daily talk “not ready yet” is 「まだできていない」; to stress/complain “after all this time it's still not ready” use 「未だにできていない」. 「まだ」 is light, 「未だに」 heavy and emotional.
🖊️ Practice Questions (5)
Q1. 「問題は___解決していない。」(still not resolved, neutral written)
(A) 依然として (B) もうすぐ (C) そろそろ (D) わざと
Q2. 「あれから10年、___あの味が忘れられない。」(to this day I still can't forget)
(A) 未だに (B) もうすぐ (C) せっかく (D) わざわざ
Q3. What is the nuance of 「未だに連絡がない」?
(A) To this day there's still no contact (with surprise/dissatisfaction)
(B) Contact will come right away
(C) Contact has already been made
(D) No contact is needed
Q4. What is the difference between 「依然として」 and 「未だに」?
(A) 依然として = neutral "still"; 未だに = often carries the surprise/dissatisfaction of "still, even now"
(B) They are exactly the same
(C) 依然として = carries dissatisfaction
(D) 未だに = neutral
Q5. Which usage is natural?
(A) 状況は依然として厳しい。 (B) 依然として来週来る(future)。
(C) 未だに明日する。 (D) 依然としてわざと。
Answer Explanations
1. (A) 依然として ── Still not resolved (neutral).
2. (A) 未だに ── To this day I still can't forget.
3. (A) ── To this day still no contact (surprise/dissatisfaction).
4. (A) ── 依然として neutral; 未だに carries surprise/dissatisfaction.
5. (A) ── 「依然として厳しい」 (describing an ongoing state) is correct.