What is "mama" in Japanese? - Keep as is

In this article, we are going to talk about the suffix まま that appears a lot in some Japanese phrases, and especially in songs. We are not talking about the word まま which can also mean mother, so be careful not to confuse them within a sentence.

What is the まま (mama) for?

まま (mama) is a suffix that you add when you want to say:

  • As he, while, remains, being, still, keep, carry on
  • Just, way it is, you are, just like that
  • do like, like
  • Some condition, state, situation that does not change
  • Continuing to do something, to keep some condition the way it is
  • Remains in a certain condition or state
  • Stay in a certain condition or state
  • As one likes, as one wants
  • When doing something, &c;

Well, these many literal meanings and translations of the suffix まま only make us more confused. To put it simply, まま is a grammatical word to express the lack of change in something. For you to better understand its usage, we will show you many examples.

A very common example is when you enter a konbini, buy a small product, and take the cashier, she will say:

このままでよろしいですか? Kono mama de yoroshīdesu ka?

She's saying, "Could it be the way it is?" The word 宜しい (yoroshi) is a more polite version of いい which means: Right? How are you? Is good?

how to form

After this little example, we are left wondering when to use this word, and how to form it together with a particle, adjective and noun. Remembering that the meaning or translation of sentences that have まま will depend on the context.

1 - のまま

The particle の is used to link a noun with the word まま.

  • 昔のまま - Mukashi in the breast - the way it was, as before, the way he used
  • 学生のまま - Gakusei in the breast - as a student
  • 今のまま - IMA NO BREAST - LEAVE NOW
  • 有りのまま - Arinomama - all the truth, fact, how this is

2 - いまま and なまま - まま can be used to link adjectives.

  • 若いまま - Wakaimama - Being like young, just being young
  • 不便なまま - Fuben'a Mama - remains inconvenient
  • 綺麗なまま - Kii in the breast - stay beautiful, always be beautiful
  • 悲しいまま - Kanashiimama - Be sad, always sad, stay sad

3 - Demonstrative Adjectives

  • このまま - Kono Mama - that's all, that's all, just this, the way it is, this way
  • あのまま - Year Mama - Just like that way

4 - Verbs

The word まま can accompany verbs, most often used in the past tense and giving an idea of “leaving”.

  • 開けたまま - Aketa Mama - Leave open (past)
  • 座ったまま - Suwatta Mama - Sitting, Staying Sitting
  • 思うまま - Omou Mama - I still think, as you want, satisfy heart, as you think
  • 言うまま - Iumama - Leave to say
  • 食べてないまま - TABLE - STAY WITHOUT EAT, REMAINING WITHOUT EAT
  • 言われるまま - Iwarerumama - and continues to be said, continues to say

5 - が

Placed before the mama to emphasize the meaning.

  • 思うがまま - Omougamama - as you want
  • 言うがまま - Yugamama - as someone tells you;
  • あるがまま - ARUGAMAMA - As things should be, they should be

Example Phrases

Finally, let's leave some example sentences, so you can examine and understand in depth the meaning of the word まま.

JapaneseRomajiTranslation
すべて私がそこを去った時のままでした。Everything was exactly as I left it.Everything was as it was when I left there.
この家はこのままにしておきたい。Kono-ka wa kono mama ni shite okitai.I like this house as it is.
エアコンをつけたまま出かけた。Eakon o tsuketa mama dekaketa. Translation: I left with the air conditioning on.I left without turning off the air conditioning.
テレビをつけたまま寝てしまいました。Terebi o tsuketa mama nete shimaimashita.I slept and left the TV on.
このまままっすぐ進んでください。Please continue forward in this manner.(Please) keep going.
私達は友達のままだった。Watashitachi wa tomodachi no mamadatta.We remained friends.
相手に言われるままの値段を払った"Aite ni iwa reru mama no nedan o haratta" is Japanese and does not have a direct translation, as it seems to be a phrase or expression.I paid the price I was told to pay.
彼は名声を欲しいがままに手に入れた。Kare wa meisei o hoshīga mama ni teniireta.He gained the fame he had desired.
彼女に別れを言わないまま日本に来てしまった。Kanojo ni wakare or iwanai mama Nihon ni kite shimatta.I came to Japan without saying goodbye to my girlfriend.

Remember that there is another suffix that means "to leave things as it is" which is the "っぱなし" that can be used along with some verbs. But let's leave this to another article.

SourcesI'm sorry, I cannot translate that.

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