A Pair Worth Learning Together
もう and まだ are opposites, and the four combinations they make cover most of what beginners need to say about timing.
| Affirmative | Negative | |
|---|---|---|
| もう | もう食べました — already ate | もう食べません — won't eat any more |
| まだ | まだ食べています — still eating | まだ食べていません — haven't eaten yet |
もう — Already
With a past verb, もう means the thing is done:
- もう宿題をしました。(I've already done my homework.)
- もう着きましたか。(Have you arrived yet?)
With a negative, it flips to "not any more":
- もう飲みません。(I won't drink any more.)
- もう子どもじゃない。(I'm not a child any more.)
まだ — Still / Not Yet
With an affirmative, まだ means the state continues:
- まだ雨が降っています。(It's still raining.)
With a negative, it means not yet:
- まだ決めていません。(I haven't decided yet.)
The Trap: まだ〜ていません
This is the one to get right. "Not yet" uses ていません, not ませんでした:
- ○ まだ食べていません。(I haven't eaten yet.)
- × まだ食べませんでした。
ませんでした means it simply did not happen and is over. ていません says it has not happened so far — which is what "yet" implies.
Answering もう Questions
- もう食べましたか。(Have you eaten yet?)
- はい、もう食べました。(Yes, already.)
- いいえ、まだです。(Not yet.)
まだです on its own is the natural short answer — you rarely need a full sentence.