ずっと – Meaning, how to use it, Difference between other Words
The meaning of ずっと is continuously, the whole time, and can be used in several different situations.
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The Meaning of ずっと
①ずっと means some state, such as an amount of time or distance to continue uninterrupted.
②ずっと also means there is a huge difference between two things
③When ずっと is used with time expressions it means a long time. When used with the distance it means far.
Translating ずっと from Japanese to English
Depending on if you are talking about time, distance, or some other difference between two things, several different words can be used.
■ continuously
■ the whole time
■ ever since
■ straight
■ for a long time
■ all the way from
■ forever
How to Visualize ずっと
You can think of ずっと as a long line. This long line separates things. The length of this line can represent time, distance, or any difference between the two things.
https://japaneseuniverse.com/2024/02/18/pac-man-in-japaneseconcepts-behind-development-to-global-icon/Specific Situations when to use ずっと
Comparing the Difference Between Things
When comparing two things, ずっと means one of those things are greatly different. It can be used to explain a great difference in size, distance, time, and so on.
Continuing Uninterrupted
ずっと also is used when you want to explain something that continued for a long period of time. So, for example, if you want to say you slept all night without waking up you would use ずっと.
Using ずっと to explain distance, you could talk about a river for example that is very long and stretched all the way from point A to point B.
Far away, Long ago or Far into the Future
Also when talking about something that happened a really long time ago, or that is a great distance away you would use ずっと.
How is ずっと used in a sentence
このほうがずっと大きい
このほうがずっとおおきい
This one is much bigger
それよりずっと以前の話だ
それよりずっといぜんのはなしだ
it happened much longer before that
駅は学校のずっと先にある
えきはがっこうのずっとさきにある
The train station is way straight past the school
ずっと寝ている
ずっとねている
I was sleeping the whole time
ずっと待っている
ずっとまっている
I was waiting from the beginning
I was waiting the whole time
Real Life Examples of ずっと
今日は結局通勤・帰路・帰宅後ずっとVan Halen聴いてたな……
— 明治文化の亡霊 (@mi8ura3) October 7, 2020
夕方の6時から今までずっとねてた
— か.な⁽⁽ଘ📛ଓ (@aho_skt_) October 7, 2020
The Difference between ずっと and Similar Words
遥かに (はるかに) – far away, in the distance
遥かに() explains far distances. Like ずっと, it can also be used to explain time or the difference between two things.
このほうが遥かに大きい
このほうがずっとおおきい
This one is much bigger
The difference though is that 遥かに does not explain continuing states. The sentence below would not be possible.
✖遥かに寝ている
✖はるかにねている
いつまでも – always
If you want to say always, evermore, or indefinitely you can also say いつでも(). These two words in that situation would mean the same things.
初めから (はじめから) – From the Beginning
初めから means from the beginning. ずっと also can mean from the beginning or from an indefinite, long time ago.
初めから待っている
はじめからまっている
I was waiting from the beginning
ずっと待っている
ずっとまっている
I was waiting from the beginning
I was waiting the whole time
The difference is that 初めから tells you there was some starting point. ずっと can mean that but it is more ambiguous.
If you want to learn more Japanese I reviewed a dictionary of grammar series which I personally recommend and use myself.
I also have several other posts on various topics on Japanese Universe if you are interested.
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