“mada mada・mada”: Still / Far From It (a long way to go) [JLPT N2]

Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026

An adverb for being still far from a goal or state

「日本語お上手ですね」「いやいや、まだまだです」 — that humble ‘I've a long way to go'

Praised with 「日本語お上手ですね」 (your Japanese is so good), Japanese people often reply 「いやいや、まだまだです」 (oh no, I've a long way to go). 「まだまだ」 = still far off, still not enough, an intensified form of 「まだ (still/yet)」, with the feel of “a long way from the goal” — for both modesty and encouragement. This guide covers the degree uses of 「まだ／まだまだ」 and how to tell them from the opposite 「もう (already).」

Core: まだ = still/yet, まだまだ = a long way to go

「まだ」 and its reduplication 「まだまだ」 both say “a state not yet reached,” differing in degree:

• まだ = still, yet (not yet…／ongoing): まだ終わっていない (not finished yet), まだ時間がある (there's still time).
• まだまだ = a long way to go, still far from enough (stressing ‘far from the goal'): 私の実力はまだまだだ (my ability has a long way to go), まだまだこれからだ (the best is yet to come).

Feel: “still/yet (まだ)” → “a long way to go, still early (まだまだ)” — reduplication heightens the degree and emotion, stressing “a big gap remains to the ideal/goal.” It can be modest (I'm not enough yet) or encouraging (room to grow, not over yet).

How it attaches

See it in context

• 「もう帰るの？」「いや、まだまだ飲むよ。」(“Leaving already?” “No, I'm going to keep drinking.”)
• 優勝したが、世界レベルにはまだまだだ。(I won, but I'm still far from world level.)
• 桜はまだまだ咲きそうにない。(The cherry blossoms show no sign of blooming yet.)
• 「お上手ですね」「いえいえ、まだまだです」(“You're skilled.” “Oh no, I've a long way to go.”)
• 人生はまだまだこれからだ。(Life still has a long way to go — the best is yet to come.)

⚠️ Easy traps to avoid

① 「まだ」 and 「もう」 are a pair; don't reverse them. 「まだ」 and 「もう」 are the most basic antonym pair: まだ = still/yet (not yet), もう = already. まだ終わっていない (not finished yet) ↔ もう終わった (already finished); まだ子どもだ (still a child) ↔ もう大人だ (already an adult). Questions often pair them: 「もう食べた？ (eaten already?)」 — 「いや、まだ (no, not yet).」 Test: for “not yet, still ongoing” use まだ; for “already achieved/changed” use もう. This pair is learned at N5 but used all the way to N1.

② 「まだ ＋ negative」 = not yet; don't drop the negative. With a negative, 「まだ」 = “not yet ～”: まだ食べていない (haven't eaten yet), まだ決まっていない (not decided yet), まだ着かない (not arrived yet). Here 「まだ」 stresses “up to now still not (but expected to),” often with 「〜ていない」. English “not yet” corresponds to 「まだ〜ていない」. Don't remember only “まだ = still” and miss the high-frequency 「まだ〜ない = not yet」.

③ 「まだまだです」 is a modesty set phrase; don't take it literally as negative. When praised, replying 「まだまだです」 doesn't really say you're bad — it's a fixed Japanese modest response = “oh no, I've a long way to go (I'll keep at it).” Like the Chinese “哪裡哪裡,” it's a social modesty phrase, conveying “I'm not good enough yet, still learning,” not to be taken at face value. Likewise 「まだまだこれからだ (the best is yet to come)」「まだまだ若い (still plenty young)」 are positive, encouraging — 「まだまだ」 isn't necessarily negative; the key is whether the context is modesty (I'm not enough) or encouragement (room left/not over yet).

🔄 Compare: まだ／まだまだ／もう／もはや

💡 How to remember this

「まだ」 is a basic adverb learned at N5, but 「まだまだ」's emotional and modest uses are worth mastering. Three points: ① 「まだ↔もう」 is the basic antonym pair (still/yet ↔ already), and 「まだ ＋ negative = not yet」 (まだ来ていない) is a high-frequency combo; ② 「まだまだ」 = intensified まだ = ‘a long way to go, far from enough,' stressing distance from the goal; ③ 「まだまだです」 is a modesty set phrase (the “oh no” when praised), not real self-deprecation, while 「まだまだこれからだ (the best is yet to come)」 is positive encouragement — same 「まだまだ」, context decides modesty vs encouragement. Next time a Japanese person praises your Japanese, smile and reply 「いえいえ、まだまだです」 — very idiomatic.

❓ Quick FAQ

Q: How exactly do I tell 「まだ」 and 「もう」 apart? I keep reversing them.

Remember the antonym pair “まだ = still/not yet, もう = already,” then see whether the sentence is about “not yet reached” or “already reached.” 「まだ」 = still, yet, a state not yet changed, still ongoing: まだ時間がある (still have time — not used up), まだ寝ている (still asleep — not awake), まだ終わっていない (not finished yet — not complete). 「もう」 = already, a state already achieved or changed: もう時間がない (already no time), もう起きた (already got up), もう終わった (already finished). The easiest cue: they often appear paired in Q&A: 「もう宿題やった？ (done your homework already?)」 — 「ううん、まだ (no, not yet)」/「うん、もうやった (yes, already did).」 Mnemonic: for “not yet, still ～” use まだ; for “already ～” use もう. Note too that 「まだ ＋ negative = not yet」 (まだ〜ていない), while 「もう ＋ negative = no longer」 (もう〜ない, e.g. もう子どもじゃない = no longer a child) — their meanings with a negative are exactly opposite, another common error point.

Q: If I reply 「まだまだです」 to praise, do I seem overly self-deprecating?

No — it's actually very fitting. 「まだまだです」 is a standard modest response in Japanese social life, equivalent to “oh no, I've a long way to go.” When praised (good Japanese, good cooking, capable at work…), Japanese people habitually deny it modestly rather than accept it openly, and 「まだまだです」 does exactly that — it doesn't really say you're bad, but conveys the modest posture of “I'm not good enough yet, still learning,” a polite, well-mannered response. Similar modest replies: 「いえいえ、そんなことないです (no, no such thing)」「恐れ入ります (you flatter me).」 So replying 「いえいえ、まだまだです」 when praised is very natural and Japanese. Just mind the setting and tone — it's usually said with a smile and a light tone, social lubrication, not real dejection. Conversely, when 「まだまだ」 is used of others or situations, it's often positive encouragement: 「君はまだまだ伸びる (you'll keep growing)」「勝負はまだまだこれからだ (the contest is far from over)」 — here it means “plenty of room left, not over yet.” Same word: modest about oneself, often encouraging about others.

🖊️ Practice Questions (5)

Q1. 「私の腕前なんて、___ですよ。」(still far from it; humble)

(A) まだまだ　(B) もう　(C) もうすぐ　(D) そろそろ

Q2. 「10月なのに、___暑い。」(still very hot)

(A) まだまだ　(B) もう　(C) すでに　(D) とっくに

Q3. 「まだまだです」(when praised)の意味は?

(A) Still far from it (a humble reply)

(B) Already very skilled

(C) No need to study anymore

(D) Ready in a moment

Q4. 「まだまだ」と「もう」の違いは?

(A) まだまだ = still far off / still very; もう = already

(B) The two are exactly the same

(C) まだまだ = already

(D) もう = still very

Q5. 用法が自然なのは?

(A) 彼はまだまだ成長する。　(B) もう日が暮れていない(まだまだの意味)。

(C) まだまだ終わった。　(D) まだまだもう来た。

Answer Explanations

1. (A) まだまだ ── still far from it (humble).

2. (A) まだまだ ── still very hot.

3. (A) ── still far from it (a humble reply).

4. (A) ── まだまだ means 'still far off'; もう means 'already'.

5. (A) ── 「まだまだ成長する」 is correct.