N4 Compound Verbs and Change

~続つづける: meaning, usage and examples

~続つづける means: to continue...

Updated 9 November 2026 · By the My Senpai team · Spotted a mistake? Tell us

Examples

1. 妹いもうとと電話でんわで１時間じかんも話はなし続つづけた。

   I kept talking on the phone with my younger sister for a whole hour.

2. 赤あかちゃんが朝あさからずっと泣なき続つづけている。

   The baby has been crying nonstop since this morning.

3. 一日中いちにちじゅうパソコンを使つかい続つづけて、目めが疲つかれました。

   After using the computer all day, my eyes got tired.

4. バスが来こなかったので、駅えきまで歩あるき続つづけました。

   The bus didn't come, so I kept walking all the way to the station.

When to use it

Add 続つづける to a verb's ます-stem to say an action keeps going or goes on for a long time: 歩あるき続つづける (keep walking), 待まち続つづける (keep waiting). It changes like a Group 2 verb: 続つづけます, 続つづけた. Use it for actions that continue without stopping, or habits someone keeps up for months or years.

Nuance

Neutral, everyday Japanese. It often comes with time words like 一いち時間じかんも, 三さん年間ねんかん, or ずっと to show how long. Depending on context it can sound tiring or impressive. For natural things like rain, 降ふり続つづく (with 続つづく) is the more common choice.

Compare

~続つづける vs ~ている: 待まっている just describes what is happening now; 待まち続つづけている stresses that the waiting has gone on and on. ~続つづける vs ~続つづく: 続つづける usually follows actions people do (話はなし続つづける); 続つづく follows things that happen by themselves, like rain (雨あめが降ふり続つづく).

Tip: Add a length of time, like 一いち時間じかん or 三さん年間ねんかん, to show how long it went on: 一いち時間じかん歩あるき続つづけた = I kept walking for an hour.