Japatan
Formation
- Vた形 + まま
- Vない形 + ない + まま
- いA + まま
- なA + な + まま
- N + の + まま
Explanation
まま shows that a state stays the same. It is often used when you do something without changing a state that would normally change, like going in with your shoes on. It can also describe something left as it is, as in 電気がついたままだ. Verbs take the ta-form or nai-form before まま.
Examples
日本の家では、靴をはいたまま部屋に入らないでください。
In Japanese homes, please don't go into the rooms with your shoes on.
会議室の電気がついたままです。消してもいいですか。
The lights in the meeting room have been left on. May I turn them off?
朝ご飯を食べないまま、学校へ行きました。
I went to school without eating breakfast.
この町の古い通りは、今も昔のままです。
The old street in this town is still just as it was long ago.
Notes
Use the ta-form, not the dictionary form (開けたまま, not 開けるまま). 〜ながら is doing two actions at once; 〜まま is about an unchanged state.
Related grammar
Mini quiz
1眼鏡を（ ）まま、おふろに入ってしまいました。
Answer and explanation
Answer: 4 かけた
まま follows the ta-form: かけたまま means without taking the glasses off. "I got in the bath with my glasses still on."
2寒いので、窓を開けた（ ）にしないでください。
Answer and explanation
Answer: 2 まま
〜たままにする means to leave something as it is. The other words cannot be used with にする this way. "It's cold, so please don't leave the window open."
3この魚は焼かないで、生（ ）食べます。
Answer and explanation
Answer: 1 のまま
生 is a noun here, so use N + の + まま: 生のまま. "We don't cook this fish; we eat it raw."
