まだ
mada
In Japanese, "not yet" is said as まだ (mada).
まだ is used to indicate that something is not the case for the moment, though it is expected to happen later. Depending on whether the sentence is affirmative or negative, まだ can mean either "not yet" or "still".
Meaning: not for the moment, though expected later (adv)
How does it change in a sentence?
When you want to express that an action or state has not yet occurred, まだ is typically paired with a verb in the negative continuous form (〜ていない). In formal settings, you can also use the construction まだ〜ません to express "not yet" using a negative verb.
How do you pronounce it?
mada
What mistakes should you avoid?
Be careful not to confuse まだ (not yet/still) with もう (already/more), as they are opposites in many contexts.
Did you know?
- While まだ means 'not yet', saying まだまだ doubles the emphasis. This often implies that there is still a long way to go or that one is far from reaching a goal.
- There is a nuance where まだ is used to politely decline an offer by suggesting it is 'not yet the right time'. This allows the speaker to say no without using a direct negative word.
- In very formal Japanese, the word まだ may be replaced by いまだに to emphasize that something has remained unchanged for an unexpectedly long time, often carrying a sense of irony or criticism.
Examples in context
- トムはまだ泳げない。Tom is not yet able to swim.This sentence shows how to use まだ to describe an ability that has not yet been attained.Tatoeba #200010 by bunbuku, translation #37212 by CK
- 傷はまだ治っていない。The wound is not yet healed.This sentence demonstrates how まだ is used with a negative continuous verb to describe a state that has not yet changed.Tatoeba #147209 by bunbuku, translation #267352 by CK
- まだ機は熟していない。It's not yet the right time.This sentence illustrates using まだ to indicate that a specific time or opportunity has not yet arrived.Tatoeba #12167743 by small_snow, translation #12171443 by Johannes_S
- プレゼンテーションはまだです。The presentation is not yet ready.
- 映画を見に行くのはまだだ。I haven''t gone to see the movie yet.
- まだ着いてない。They haven't arrived yet.
- 28 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Misaki asks Ren if he has finished his report.
- 美咲 Misaki蓮君、レポートはもう終わった？Ren-kun, repōto wa mō owatta?Ren, is your report finished yet?
- 蓮 Renいいえ、まだです。Iie, mada desu.No, not yet.
- 美咲 Misaki大変だね、頑張って。Taihen dane, ganbatte.That's tough, good luck.
- 蓮 Renありがとう。もう少し頑張るよ。Arigatō. Mō sukoshi ganbaru yo.Thanks. I'll work on it a little more.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry まだ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
