続く|つづくtsuzuku[0]heiban (flat)
This browser can't play pronunciations (needs Safari 18.4 or later, or Chrome / Edge / Firefox).
Definitions
- godan verb, intransitive verbto continue; to last; to go on
- godan verb, intransitive verbto continue (without a break); to be unbroken
- godan verb, intransitive verbto occur again and again
- godan verb, intransitive verbto lead to; to connect to; to adjoin
- godan verb, intransitive verbto come after; to follow; to succeed; to rank next to
- godan verb, intransitive verbto hold out; to keep; to last
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 続く（つづく） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 続きます（つづきます） |
| Negative (nai) | 続かない（つづかない） |
| polite (masen) | 続きません（つづきません） |
| classical zu / nu | 続かず・続かぬ（つづかず・つづかぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 続いた（つづいた） |
| polite (mashita) | 続きました（つづきました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 続かなかった（つづかなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 続きませんでした（つづきませんでした） |
| Te form | 続いて（つづいて） |
| Potential | 続ける（つづける） |
| Passive | 続かれる（つづかれる） |
| Causative | 続かせる（つづかせる） |
| Causative passive | 続かせられる・続かされる（つづかせられる・つづかされる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 続けば（つづけば） |
| tara | 続いたら（つづいたら） |
| Volitional | 続こう（つづこう） |
| polite (mashou) | 続きましょう（つづきましょう） |
| Imperative | 続け（つづけ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Transitive / intransitive pair
雨が続く
続く describes a state or event that continues on its own (e.g., 雨が続く), whereas 続ける indicates someone deliberately maintains an action or effort (e.g., 努力を続ける).
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym継続けいぞくWrittenWritten/formal prose. A Sino-Japanese word for keeping a previous state going, as in 「契約を継続する」; more formal than the everyday 続く.
- Synonym持続じぞくWrittenWritten/formal prose. Says a state holds for a long time, as in 「効果が持続する」; stresses endurance over time rather than the mere fact of continuing.
- Synonym存続そんぞくWrittenWritten/formal prose. For things continuing to exist — 「会社の存続」「権利の存続」; fits organizations, systems and rights, with the focus on existence itself.
- Synonym次ぐつぐNeutralNeutral. To come right after something or rank second to it, as in 「東京に次ぐ都市」; about order and ranking, not duration.
- Synonym打ち続くうちつづくWrittenWritten/formal prose. A literary word for things occurring one after another, as in 「打ち続く戦乱」.
- Related長持ちながもちCasualColloquial. For things that last well and don't wear out, as in 「この靴は長持ちする」; it's about durability, not continuing in general.
- Related維持いじWrittenWritten/formal prose. For keeping something at a certain level or state, as in 「現状維持」; stresses keeping things unchanged rather than going on.
- Related保持ほじWrittenWritten/formal prose. For holding and keeping something, as in 「記録保持者」; stresses continued possession rather than a state going on.
- Related保つたもつNeutralNeutral. Mostly transitive, for keeping a certain state, as in 「健康を保つ」; also works intransitively, as in 「天気が保つ」.
- Related続けるつづけるNeutralNeutral. The transitive counterpart of 続く: you actively keep doing or keep something going, while 続く is intransitive.
- Related引き続くひきつづくWrittenWritten/formal prose. For occurring in succession or going on without a break; the adverb 「引き続き」 is more common, as in 「引き続きご覧ください」.
- Related永らえるながらえるWrittenWritten/formal prose. To live a long time, as in 「生き永らえる」; carries a reflective, emotional tone.
- Antonym途切れるとぎれるNeutralNeutral. The opposite of 続く: something that was going on breaks off partway or is interrupted.
- Antonym終わるおわるNeutralNeutral. The opposite of 続く: to come to an end, as in 「授業が終わる」.
For something that continues, lasts or happens one after another, 「続く」 is the default; use 「続ける」 to actively keep it going. In formal prose, 「継続」 continues a prior state, 「持続」 and 「保つ」 keep a state over time, 「存続」 is continued existence, and 「長持ち」 means durable; 「途切れる」 breaks it off, 「終わる」 ends it.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also
