Grammar Info

N3 Lesson 8: 14/23

益々(ますます)Increasingly, More and more, Decreasingly, Less and less, Keep -ing

Structure

ますます + Phrase

Details

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About ますます

When using the adverb ますます, it will have the meaning of 'increasingly', 'more and more', or even 'to keep (A)ing'. It is used to emphasize continuous trends, and will regularly be seen at the beginning of a sentence.

Occasionally, the kanji form 益々(ますます) will be used. This will not change the nuance at all. The kanji 益(えき) simply means 'gain'.

Fun Fact

Despite sometimes being seen as 益々(ますます), this expression originally comes from the stacking of 増(ま)す, an う - Verb meaning 'to increase'. Due to this, ますます is most often used to highlight verbs that indicate some sort of change, or with adjectives that can increase in intensity.

  • 毎日(まいにち)日本語(にほんご)の勉強(べんきょう)をしているので、ますます日本語(にほんご)が話(はな)せるようになってきた。
    Because I am studying Japanese everyday, I am able to speak more and more.
  • 冬(ふゆ)になってから、ますます涼(すず)しくなった。
    Since becoming winter, it has become more and more brisk.

Caution

ますます is sometimes translated as 'less and less', but this situation is still actually considered as 'increasing' (increasingly negative).

  • 仕事(しごと)が忙(いそが)しくて、ますます子供(こども)と過(す)ごす時間(じかん)が減(へ)っていく。
    Because work is so busy, I have less and less time to spend with my children.
  • コロナのせいで観光客(かんこうきゃく)がますます減(へ)って行(い)く。
    Because of Covid, the number of tourists becoming less and less.

Examples

--:--

    益々(ますます)寒(さむ)さが厳(きび)しくなってまいりました。

    It's growing increasingly colder.

    景気(けいき)は益々(ますます)悪(わる)くなるばかりだ。

    The economy is getting worse and worse.

    商売(しょうばい)は益々(ますます)繁盛(はんじょう)している。

    My business is more and more prosperous.

    益々(ますます)責任(せきにん)が重(おも)くなってきた。

    My responsibilities are getting more and more difficult to bear.

    水(みず)不足(ぶそく)が益々(ますます)深刻(しんこく)になってきている。

    The water shortage is growing more and more severe.

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      ますます – Grammar Discussion

      Most Recent Replies (2 in total)

      • s1212z

        s1212z

        Looks like 一方だ can behave adverbially with a very similar meaning to ますます:

        -ますます+phrase+なる
        -phrase(w/ なる）+いっぽうだ

        Could you say this?

        ますます景気けいきは悪わるくなるから、ボーナスは出でないかもしれないですよ。

        Original BP entry:

        景気けいきは悪わるくなる 一方いっぽうだ から、ボーナスは出でないかもしれないですよ。

      • mrnoone

        mrnoone

        Sorry for the slow, asnwer

        ますます景気は悪くなるから、ボーナスは出ないかもしれないですよ。
        景気は悪くなる 一方だ から、ボーナスは出ないかもしれないですよ。

        Yeah, both are correct. Though ますます version sounds more casual.

        Cheers,

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