Meaning and Usage
The suffix ～続く (～つづく) is attached to verbs or nouns to express that an action or state continues or goes on without interruption. It is commonly used in both spoken and written Japanese to describe ongoing situations or repeated occurrences.
Common Collocations
- 雨が続く (あめがつづく): rain continues
- 痛みが続く (いたみがつづく): pain continues
- 話が続く (はなしがつづく): the conversation continues
Nuances and Register
～続く is neutral in tone and can be used in formal and informal contexts. It often implies a natural or expected continuation but can also describe undesirable ongoing conditions, such as illness or bad weather.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse ～続く with ～続ける (～つづける). The difference is that ～続く is intransitive (the action/state continues by itself), while ～続ける is transitive (someone continues an action). For example, 雨が続く means "the rain continues," but 雨を続ける is incorrect because you cannot continue rain.
Summary
Use ～続く to describe something that keeps happening or remains in the same state over time. It is a versatile and frequently used expression to talk about ongoing events or conditions.