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N5

まだ

Still

冷蔵庫れいぞうこにケーキがまだあります。

There is still cake in the fridge.

Explanation

「まだ」 has 2 uses

1Still

With a positive verb: it is still going on, often with 〜ている, ある or いる: 「雨がまだ降っている」 (It is still raining).

冷蔵庫れいぞうこにケーキがまだあります。

There is still cake in the fridge.

まだ親おやがいるからゲームできない。

My parents are still here, so I can't play games.

2Not yet

With a negative: it has not happened yet: 「バスはまだ来ない」 (The bus has not come yet).

バスはまだ来きません。

The bus has not come yet.

その映画えいがはまだ見みていません。

I have not seen that film yet.

Mixed up with

In an affirmative sentence 「まだ」 carries a feeling of 'why is it still …': 「11時なのに、まだ起きないの?」 (It's already eleven and you're still not up?)

In a negative sentence it carries the expectation 'it should have happened by now, but it hasn't': 「新幹線はまだ来ません」. When someone asks 「もう〜ましたか」, the most natural negative answer is 「いいえ、まだです」.

Examples

1Still

  1. まだ親おやがいるからゲームできない。

    My parents are still here, so I can't play games.

  2. まだ日本語にほんごの勉強べんきょうしているの?

    Are you still studying Japanese?

2Not yet

  1. バスはまだ来きません。

    The bus has not come yet.

  2. その映画えいがはまだ見みていません。

    I have not seen that film yet.

Tested 2 times in past papers

N5 · Jul 2018, Q46N5 · Jul 2013, Q50