already・yet・still(もう/まだ) Already, Yet, Still
形容詞・副詞 Adjectives & Adverbs
日本語の「もう/まだ」を英語は3人で分担します。already =「もう(完了)」、yet =「まだ(未完了・否定と疑問で)」、still =「まだ(継続中)」。定位置も三者三様: already と still は文中(一般動詞の前、be 動詞・助動詞の後)、yet は文末です。
Japanese もう and まだ split three ways in English: already (done sooner than expected), yet (not done — negatives and questions), still (continuing). Their posts differ too: already and still sit mid-sentence — before a main verb, after be or an auxiliary; yet waits at the end.
3人の分担表
The Three-Way Split
already は「予想より早く、もう済んだ」の驚き込み: I've already eaten.(もう食べたよ)。yet は「まだ済んでいない・もう済んだ?」の未完了担当で、否定文と疑問文の文末に住みます: I haven't finished yet. / Are you done yet? still は「前の状態がまだ続いている」: I'm still hungry.(まだお腹すいてる)。「完了した=already、未完了=yet、継続中=still」の3分割です。
Already carries a note of "sooner than expected": I've already eaten. Yet handles the not-done side, living at the end of negatives and questions: I haven't finished yet. Are you done yet? Still means the earlier state persists: I'm still hungry. Done = already; not done = yet; ongoing = still.
分担の実演 The split, demonstrated
It's only nine and I'm already sleepy.
まだ9時なのに、もう眠い。
「予想より早い」の already。 Sooner than expected — already.
Has the bus left yet? — Not yet.
バスもう出た? ——まだだよ。
疑問の文末 yet と、返事の Not yet.。 Question-final yet, answered by Not yet.
Are you still working at that café?
まだあのカフェで働いてるの?
継続の still。文中(be・助動詞の後)が定位置。 Continuation still — mid-position, after the auxiliary.
not yet
「まだしていない」(いずれする含み)。中立の未完了。 Not done — with "but it's coming" built in. Neutral.
I haven't decided yet.
まだ決めてないんだ。
still not
「いまだにしていない」(遅い、というじれったさ込み)。 Still not done — impatience included.
He still hasn't replied.
彼、いまだに返事をよこさない。
よくある間違い Common Mistake
I didn't finish my homework already.
宿題、まだ終わってない。(のつもりで)
I haven't finished my homework yet.
宿題、まだ終わってない。
「まだ〜ない」は yet の担当で、否定文の文末に置きます。already は完了側の言葉なので、否定文に入れると「もう済ませたわけではない」という別のねじれた文になります。否定+文末= yet、と型で覚えてください。
"Not yet" belongs to yet, at the end of a negative sentence. Already lives on the done side — force it into a negative and you get a twisted "it's not that I've already done it." Negative + sentence-final = yet. Keep the frame.
- Not yet. まだだよ。 「もう〜した?」への定番の返事。2語で完結する。 The two-word answer to every "done yet?" question.
- as yet 今のところはまだ 書き言葉の yet。報告書・ニュースの「現時点では未」。 Yet in business attire — reports and news.
- better still / better yet さらに良いことに 提案を一段上げる接続の慣用。still/yet の「その上」の顔。 Raising the offer one notch — still and yet's "on top of that" face.
- still going strong 今も健在で 継続の still の看板慣用。長寿・現役を讃える定番。 Continuation still's flagship — saluting long runs.
まとめ Summary
- already =もう(完了・驚き込み)。文中に。 Already: done, sooner than expected — mid-sentence.
- yet =まだ(否定・疑問の文末)。返事は Not yet.。 Yet: not done — final position in negatives and questions.
- still =まだ続いている。文中(be の後・一般動詞の前)。 Still: continuing — mid-position (after be, before a main verb).
- still not は「いまだに」のじれったさ込み。 Still not adds the impatience.