Meaning and Usage
"ますます" is an adverb used to express an increase or intensification of a state or condition. It means "more and more" or "increasingly." It is often used to describe gradual changes over time, such as skills improving, situations becoming more intense, or feelings growing stronger.
Common Contexts
You will frequently hear "ますます" in everyday conversation, news, and formal speech when emphasizing that something is progressing or escalating. It is more formal and emphatic than simply saying "もっと" (more).
Collocations and Patterns
- ますます + adjective/verb (e.g., ますます忙しくなる): to indicate something is becoming more of that quality.
- ますます + positive/negative adjective (e.g., ますます良くなる, ますます悪くなる): to show improvement or deterioration.
- ますます + 〜ている (e.g., ますます増えている): to describe ongoing increase.
Register and Nuance
"ますます" is polite and neutral, suitable for both casual and formal contexts. It often conveys a sense of inevitability or natural progression.
Common Mistake
Learners sometimes confuse "ますます" with "もっと." While both mean "more," "ますます" implies a continuous or progressive increase, often over time, whereas "もっと" is a simple comparative meaning "more" without that nuance.