まだ (still/not yet)

• Reading: まだ
• Romaji: mada
• Formation: まだ + Verb ている (still) / まだ + Verb ていない (not yet) / まだ + Adjective/Noun

Meaning

An adverb indicating that someone or something remains in the same state as before. With affirmative verbs it means 'still'; with negative verbs it means 'not yet.'

まだ expresses that a prior state continues unchanged up to the present. With affirmative predicates, it means 'still': まだ雨が降っている (it's still raining). With negative predicates, it means 'not yet': まだ食べていない (I haven't eaten yet). The negative pattern まだ～ていない is important because it implies the action is expected to happen eventually, unlike simply not doing something. まだ can stand alone as a response — まだです (not yet). It contrasts with もう, which signals that a change has already taken place.

Examples

1. まだ雨が降っています。 It's still raining.
2. まだ宿題が終わっていない。 I haven't finished my homework yet.
3. 彼はまだ若いから、心配しなくていい。 He's still young, so you don't need to worry.

Usage Guide

Context: spoken, written, everyday

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• まだ時間があるから、急がなくていいよ。
• 返事はまだ来ていません。
• この店はまだ開いていますか。
• まだ決めていないんです。

Don't Say

• まだ宿題が終わらない。(For 'not yet finished,' use ていない form — 終わっていない) → まだ宿題が終わっていない。
• まだ昨日の映画を見た。(まだ with past affirmative is contradictory — use もう for 'already') → もう昨日の映画を見た。

Origin & History

まだ is a native Japanese adverb attested from the earliest texts, deriving from a root meaning 'as yet' or 'remaining in a state,' with continuous use from Old Japanese through modern.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal