〜続ける (つづける) — Keep doing / Continue
A compound verb suffix expressing the continuation of an action without stopping.
Structure
[Verb masu-stem] + 続ける
Examples
毎日練習し続けた結果、上手になった。
Mainichi renshuu shitsuzuketa kekka, jouzu ni natta.
As a result of continuing to practice every day, I improved.
練習し + 続けた = kept practicing
雨が降り続けている。
Ame ga furitsuzukete iru.
It keeps on raining.
降り + 続けている = continues to fall
彼は3時間も走り続けた。
Kare wa sanjikan mo hashiritsuzuketa.
He kept running for as long as three hours.
走り + 続けた = kept running without stopping
• Aspect suffix set: 〜始める (start), 〜続ける (continue), 〜終わる (finish). • Note: 続ける is a ru-verb. • Summary: 言い続ける (keep saying), 頑張り続ける (keep trying).
Commonly confused with
The JLPT rarely asks whether you recognise a pattern — it asks which of several similar patterns fits. These are the ones 〜続ける is tested against.
vs 〜ている (progressive)
〜ている just marks an action in progress; 〜続ける emphasizes persistence/duration — actively keeping it up over time (話し続ける = keep talking on and on, not merely 話している = is talking).
vs 〜始める / 〜終わる
続ける marks the middle 'continue' phase; 始める marks the onset and 終わる/終える marks completion of the same action.
More verb forms
- てくる — Come Doing / Has Been Doing (Toward Now)
- てみる — Try Doing (and See)
- Potential Form — Can / Be Able To (Verbs)
- がる／がっている — Describing Others' Feelings
- 〜出す (だす) — Abrupt Eruptions
- 〜始める (はじめる) — Intentional Beginnings
- 意向形 (いこうけい) — Volitional Form (Let's / I'll)
- くする / にする — Make something become (a quality)
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