つづける

To continue

サリーは暗くらくなるまで走はしり続つづける。

Sally will continue to run until it gets dark.

Explanation

「〜つづける」 means 'keep on …ing'. It attaches to the verb stem and shows that an action or state goes on for a long time without a break, or the same action repeats: 「10時間も歩き続けた」 (I kept walking for ten hours), 「3年間日本語を勉強し続けている」 (I have kept studying Japanese for three years). It often comes with words for length of time.

Mixed up with

Versus 「〜ていく」: 「〜つづける」 looks at going on without a break from the past or now; 「〜ていく」 looks at developing from now toward the future.

As a compound, 「〜続ける」 works with most verbs, even for things that happen by themselves (「雨が降り続ける」). 「〜続く」 combines with only a few verbs (「降り続く」「鳴り続く」) and is more written.

Easily confused withつづける・ていく: the difference ›

Examples

あの警察官けいさつかんは一時間いちじかん以上いじょう見回みまわり続つづけた。
That police officer continued to patrol around for over one hour.
日本語にほんごは難むずかしいけど、勉強べんきょうを頑張がんばり続つづける。
Japanese is difficult, but I'll keep working hard at my studies.
テレビを見み続つづけるつもりですか。
Do you plan to continue to watch TV?
私わたしは漢字かんじを覚おぼえるまで、同おなじ漢字かんじを書かき続つづける。
I will continue to write the same kanji until I memorize it.
まっすぐ見みて、歩あるき続つづけなさい！
Look straight, and continue walking!
文法ぶんぽうの間違まちがいを毎日まいにち直なおし続つづけたらどうだ？
Why not keep correcting your grammar mistakes every day?
大おおきい魚さかなを釣つるまで釣つり続つづけます。
I will continue to fish until I catch a big fish.
餌えさをあげても、その犬いぬは鳴なき続つづけるよ。
Even if you give that dog a treat, it will continue to bark.
携帯けいたいが鳴なっていたが、彼かれは無視むしして、話はなし続つづけた。
His phone was ringing, but he ignored it and continued talking.
文法ぶんぽうの勉強べんきょうを毎日まいにちし続つづけたら、すぐ上手じょうずになるだろう。
If you keep studying grammar every day, you'll soon get good at it.
お母かあさんにテレビを消けしなさいと言いわれているのに、まだ見み続つづけるの？
Even though mom told you to turn off the TV, you still continue to watch it?
怪我けがをしたし、水みずももうなくなったが彼かれがマラソンを走はしり続つづけるって。
I heard that even though he got injured and is out of water, he will continue to run the marathon.
大学だいがくを卒業そつぎょうしたので、どうやってこれから日本語にほんごの勉強べんきょうをし続つづけたらいいのだろう？
Since I graduated university, how am I supposed to continue my Japanese studies?
今日きょうの天気てんきは晴はれのはずだったのに、雨あめが降ふり続つづけていますね。
It was supposed to be a clear day today, but it is continuing to rain.

Explanation

Mixed up with

Versus 「〜ていく」: 「〜つづける」 looks at going on without a break from the past or now; 「〜ていく」 looks at developing from now toward the future.

Examples

あの警察官けいさつかんは一時間いちじかん以上いじょう見回みまわり続つづけた。
That police officer continued to patrol around for over one hour.
日本語にほんごは難むずかしいけど、勉強べんきょうを頑張がんばり続つづける。
Japanese is difficult, but I'll keep working hard at my studies.
テレビを見み続つづけるつもりですか。
Do you plan to continue to watch TV?
私わたしは漢字かんじを覚おぼえるまで、同おなじ漢字かんじを書かき続つづける。
I will continue to write the same kanji until I memorize it.
まっすぐ見みて、歩あるき続つづけなさい！
Look straight, and continue walking!
文法ぶんぽうの間違まちがいを毎日まいにち直なおし続つづけたらどうだ？
Why not keep correcting your grammar mistakes every day?
大おおきい魚さかなを釣つるまで釣つり続つづけます。
I will continue to fish until I catch a big fish.
餌えさをあげても、その犬いぬは鳴なき続つづけるよ。
Even if you give that dog a treat, it will continue to bark.
携帯けいたいが鳴なっていたが、彼かれは無視むしして、話はなし続つづけた。
His phone was ringing, but he ignored it and continued talking.
文法ぶんぽうの勉強べんきょうを毎日まいにちし続つづけたら、すぐ上手じょうずになるだろう。
If you keep studying grammar every day, you'll soon get good at it.
お母かあさんにテレビを消けしなさいと言いわれているのに、まだ見み続つづけるの？
Even though mom told you to turn off the TV, you still continue to watch it?
怪我けがをしたし、水みずももうなくなったが彼かれがマラソンを走はしり続つづけるって。
I heard that even though he got injured and is out of water, he will continue to run the marathon.
大学だいがくを卒業そつぎょうしたので、どうやってこれから日本語にほんごの勉強べんきょうをし続つづけたらいいのだろう？
Since I graduated university, how am I supposed to continue my Japanese studies?
今日きょうの天気てんきは晴はれのはずだったのに、雨あめが降ふり続つづけていますね。
It was supposed to be a clear day today, but it is continuing to rain.

つづける

Explanation

Mixed up with

Examples

つづける

Explanation

Mixed up with

Examples

Tested once in past papers