続ける

Continue Doing

Level 2Sounds Like tsuzukeru

Use 〜続ける（つづける） to describe an action that persists over time. This includes both a single uninterrupted session (like running for an hour) and habitual actions repeated over a long period (like keeping a diary for years).

How It Works

The auxiliary verb 〜続ける is used to indicate that a specific action or state is maintained over time. While it is similar to the progressive form（〜ている）, 〜続ける places a much stronger emphasis on the persistence and sustained effort of volitional actions. For non-volitional verbs (such as natural phenomena), it simply emphasizes the uninterrupted or continuous progression of a state or event. Note that while the dictionary form 〜続ける expresses the non-past tense (future or habit) and is often used to express volition or determination to continue an action into the future, the form 〜続けている is used to describe an action that is currently ongoing or has been continuing up to the present.

Key Characteristics:

  • Continuous Actions: Describes a single session of an activity that does not stop (e.g., 'kept talking for an hour').
  • Habitual Actions: Describes a routine or habit maintained over a long period, even if there are breaks in between (e.g., 'has continued to study Japanese for 5 years').
  • Verb Restrictions: It is generally incompatible with 'instantaneous' verbs that cannot be repeated, such as 'to die' or 'to arrive' (着く), unless the context allows for repetition (like 'to knock') or when multiple subjects perform the action one after another (e.g., 事故で人が死に続ける - people continue to die in accidents). Furthermore, state verbs (e.g., わかる, できる) are generally incompatible with 〜続ける, with the notable exceptions of verbs of existence (ある and いる), which are frequently used (あり続ける, い続ける). Additionally, unlike 〜ている, 〜続ける cannot be used to express the resultant state of a one-time action (e.g., you can say 結婚している for 'is married', but 結婚し続ける means 'to stay married' through continuous effort or 'to repeatedly get married', not simply the state of being married).
  • Transitivity and Particles: The resulting compound verb inherits the transitivity and particle requirements of the first verb. For example, a transitive verb takes を (e.g., 本を読み続ける), while an intransitive verb takes が (e.g., 川が流れ続ける). 〜続ける is used for both transitive and intransitive verbs, including natural phenomena. Note that 降り続く (to continue raining/snowing) is a specific vocabulary exception rather than a general rule for intransitive verbs.

Construction & Conjugation:
To use this pattern, take the ます-stem and add 続ける. The resulting compound verb functions as a standard Group 2 verb and can be conjugated further (e.g., 読み続けたい, 走り続けられない).

  • Group 1: 読みます → 読み続ける (Keep reading)
  • Group 2: 食べます → 食べ続ける (Keep eating)
  • Irregular: します → し続ける (Keep doing); 来ます → 来続ける (Keep coming)

Examples (5)

  1. 彼は３時間も走り続けた。

    He kept running for as long as three hours.

    Word by Word: He (topic) 3 hours (emphatic) run-continued.

    Here, 続ける is used with 走る（はしる） to emphasize a single, uninterrupted session of exercise.

  2. 昨夜から雨が降り続けている。

    It has been raining continuously since last night.

    Word by Word: Last night from rain (subject) fall-continuing is.

    This shows that 続ける can be used for natural phenomena. Combining it with 〜ている emphasizes the current ongoing state of the rain.

  3. 諦めずに夢を追い続けたい。

    I want to keep pursuing my dreams without giving up.

    Word by Word: Giving up-without dreams (object) chase-continue-want.

    In this case, 続ける is combined with 〜たい to express a desire to persist in a long-term goal.

  4. １０年間、毎日日記を書き続けています。

    I have continued to write in a diary every day for ten years.

    Word by Word: 10 years period, every day diary (object) write-continuing am.

    This demonstrates the habitual use of 続ける. Even though the person stops writing to sleep or eat, the routine itself is maintained over a long period.

  5. 物価が上がり続けています。

    Prices keep going up.

    Word by Word: Prices (subject) rise-continuing are.

    Used here to describe a continuous economic trend.

Common Mistakes

  • Attaching to the dictionary form instead of the stem.

    食べる続けるのは体に良くない。
    食べ続けるのは体に良くない。

    You must use the ます-stem. 食べる（たべる） becomes 食べ（たべ） before adding 続ける.

  • Confusing the auxiliary 〜続ける with the intransitive verb 続く（つづく）.

    授業が続けました。
    授業が続きました。

    When a subject (like a class) continues on its own, use the intransitive verb 続く（つづく）. Use 続ける as a suffix when an action is being performed continuously or repeatedly.

  • Using it with non-repeatable instantaneous verbs.

    彼は死に続けている。
    彼はまだ生きている。

    Verbs that describe a one-time instantaneous change, like 死ぬ（しぬ - to die） or 着く（つく - to arrive）, cannot be used with 続ける unless the action can be repeated (like knocking on a door).

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

続けるLevel 2Continue Doing

Learn This First

To use 続ける (continue doing), you must be able to conjugate verbs into their 'stem' form (the form used before ~masu). This requires a solid understanding of verb groups and the basic mechanics of Japanese verb conjugation.

Words in This Pattern

続ける