How to tell them apart
まま describes a state or condition that stays unchanged, often one already given or intentionally left as is, like 寝たままだ or このままにしておく. っぱなし attaches to a verb stem and stresses that an action keeps going or something is left in a state that probably should be fixed, like 鳴りっぱなしだ or 水を出しっぱなし. Swapping them is wrong because まま needs a noun or past-tense verb before it, while っぱなし needs an active verb stem and carries a nuance of neglect or continuous action.
- まま Use まま when a state or condition remains unchanged or you intentionally leave something as is.
- っぱなし Use っぱなし when an action keeps going or something is left in an improper, neglected state.
| Grammar point | Meaning | JLPT level |
|---|---|---|
| まま mama | in its current state; while things stay unchanged | N4 |
| っぱなし ppanashi | Left in an unchanged state; continues without stopping | N3 |
まま mama
in its current state; while things stay unchanged
まま expresses keeping a situation unchanged, meaning something is left as it is. It follows a noun with の or phrases like この/その/あるが, as in このまま and あるがまま, often with しておく to mean leaving things alone.
-
問題をこのままにしておいてはいけない。
We shouldn't let the problem rest here.
-
物を有るがままにみようよしなさい。
Try to see things as they really are.
っぱなし ppanashi
Left in an unchanged state; continues without stopping
っぱなし attaches to the masu-stem of a verb and expresses that an action or state continues without being stopped or changed, often with a nuance that it should have been dealt with, as in leaving a tap running or a light on. It can also describe continuously doing something, like standing the whole way or repeatedly breaking promises.
-
水道の水がちょろちょろと出っぱなしで困ってるんだよ。
It's a problem that the tap keeps leaking.
-
彼どうしたのかしら。このところ約束を破りっぱなしだよ。
I wonder what's wrong with him. He keeps breaking his word these days.
まま and っぱなし are JLPT N4–N3 grammar points that Japanese learners often mix up. This page compares them side by side on meanings, usage and example sentences, so you can tell them apart.