Quick Reference

Meaning & Definition

まだ (mada) captures the sense that something is continuing when you might expect it to have stopped, or that something expected hasn’t happened yet. It’s one of those small adverbs that Japanese speakers reach for dozens of times a day to express patience, impatience, and unfinished business alike.

まだ carries two closely related meanings that both revolve around an expectation that hasn’t been resolved.

The first use is still — an ongoing state that persists. Mada neteiru (まだ寝ている) means ‘still sleeping,’ implying the person hasn’t woken up yet. Here まだ pairs with an affirmative verb to show continuation.

The second use is not yet — something expected hasn’t occurred. This construction pairs まだ with a negative verb form: mada tabenai (まだ食べない) or more naturally mada tabete inai (まだ食べていない) means ‘haven’t eaten yet.’ The negative ending carries the ‘not yet’ meaning; まだ simply frames the unfulfilled expectation.

Contrast with もう (mou): もう means ‘already’ in affirmative sentences (mou tabeta = already ate) and ‘anymore’ in negative sentences (mou tabenai = won’t eat anymore). The two adverbs sit on opposite sides of completion — まだ says the threshold hasn’t been crossed, もう says it has.

How to Use It

The まだ vs もう pair trips up many learners because both can appear with negative verbs but mean opposite things. Mada wakaranai (まだわからない) = ‘still don’t understand / don’t understand yet’ — the situation is unresolved. Mou wakaranai (もうわからない) = ‘I don’t understand anymore’ — a state that used to exist has ended. A practical check: if you can substitute ‘still’ or ‘not yet’ in the English translation, use まだ. If ‘already’ or ‘anymore’ fits, use もう. Also note that standalone まだ as a one-word reply means ‘not yet’ — a common answer to questions like Dekita? (Done?) answered simply with Mada.

Example Sentences

Cultural Context

In Japanese communication, まだ often does more than state a fact — it signals how the speaker feels about the delay. Said with a falling tone and a sigh, mada da ne (まだだね) conveys weary resignation. Said with a rising, surprised tone, mada!? expresses genuine disbelief that something isn’t done. This emotional layering is part of why まだ appears so naturally in everyday speech, from waiting for a train to checking whether dinner is ready.

The word also shows up in encouragement. Mada mada (まだまだ), said by a coach or senior colleague, means ‘you still have a long way to go’ — not as a put-down, but as a push to keep improving. It acknowledges current effort while pointing toward a higher standard. This doubling of まだ is a common idiomatic pattern that learners encounter early in conversation practice and martial arts contexts alike.

In formal writing and business Japanese, まだ appears in polite negative constructions such as mada ukete orimasen (まだ受けておりません — have not yet received), where the unresolved status needs to be communicated without implying blame. Knowing whether to frame a pending situation with まだ or with a different temporal marker is a subtle skill that intermediate learners develop through reading business email examples.

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