namake.

Lesson 40: Already done with もう and まだ

Ask with もう whether an action is complete, answer with もう or まだです, and announce a next action with これから.

Already done, still pending, or from now

Open chapter 1 and first use the word support directly below. Then read the completion question aloud and point to もう, the object, and the past question form.

1. もう + past tense asks about completion

With もう, ask whether something has already been completed. Therefore use the polite past form: もう荷物を送りましたか. The question concerns the status up to now, not merely a future plan.

Form the past tense with the familiar polite ending: 送ります → 送りました, 買います → 買いました. No te-form is needed.

もう荷物を送りましたか。

もう切符を買いましたか。

2. Answer already done or still pending

For a completed answer, repeat もう with the past form: はい、もう送りました. For a task that is still pending, the fixed short answer いいえ、まだです is sufficient in this lesson.

まだです gets its meaning from the preceding question. Therefore, in a standalone text, mention the task or question first so it is clear what is not finished yet.

はい、もう送りました。

いいえ、まだです。

3. これから + non-past for the next step

If the task is still pending, you can add a separate next sentence with これから and the polite non-past form: これから送ります. This means you will do it from now or next.

Keep the timeline visible: もう + ました looks back at completion; まだです reports that it is still pending; これから + ます looks ahead to the next action.

4. Build a short status dialogue

Choose a concrete task, such as sending a present or letter. First ask with もう + ましたか. Then choose one of two routes: completed with はい、もう...ました, or pending with いいえ、まだです and optionally a separate これから...ます sentence.

This lesson does not activate a general te-form. A longer form with まだ and a te-form belongs to later material; here the negative answer remains まだです.

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