まだ and もう locate a situation in relation to a change.

The idea

まだ with an affirmative predicate means a state continues; with a negative it means an expected event has not happened yet. もう with an affirmative often means already; with a negative it means no longer. もう can also mean “another”, as in もう一杯.

Patterns to compare
FormExample
まだ＋肯定こうていまだ降ふっています
まだ＋否定ひていまだ終おわっていません
もう＋肯定こうていもう食たべました
もう＋否定ひていもう働はたらいていません

Examples

  • 雨あめはまだ降ふっています。It is still raining.
  • 宿題しゅくだいはまだ終おわっていません。I have not finished my homework yet.
  • 昼ひるご飯はんはもう食たべました。I have already eaten lunch.
  • 店みせはもう開あいています。The shop is already open.
  • 父ちちはもう働はたらいていません。My father no longer works.
  • まだ時間じかんがあるので、もう一杯いっぱい飲のみます。There is still time, so I will have one more drink.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

Do not translate まだ and もう in isolation: the predicate and its polarity determine whether the meaning is still, yet, already or no longer.

Try it yourself

  1. The rain continues. Choose the verb. まだ雨あめが＿＿います。（降ふって／止やんで）

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    降って

    降って completes まだ雨が降っています: the rain is still falling.

  2. Lunch is finished. Choose the verb. もう昼ひるご飯はんを＿＿。（食たべました／食たべませんでした）

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    食べました

    食べました makes もう signal that lunch has already been eaten.

  3. The homework is not finished yet. Choose the adverb. ＿＿宿題しゅくだいが終おわっていません。（まだ／もう）

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    まだ

    まだ with the negative 終わっていません means the homework is not finished yet.

  4. Father used to work but no longer does. Choose the ending. もう父ちちは働はたらいて＿＿。（います／いません）

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    いません

    いません makes もう働いていません mean that he no longer works.

Use it today

Describe something that is still happening, something not yet finished and something you no longer do.