また vs まだ
JLPT N5 vocabulary · what is the difference?
These two are not related in meaning at all — they are confused only because they look and sound nearly identical. また (no dakuten) means "again, also"; まだ (with dakuten on だ) means "still" or, with a negative, "not yet". Listen for the voiced だ: if it is there, nothing has happened yet.
When to use each
また
また
また means a repeat: something happened before and happens once more. It also means "also, furthermore" when adding a second item. It says nothing about time being unfinished.
また明日会いましょう。
またあしたあいましょう。
Let us meet again tomorrow.
また失敗しました。
またしっぱいしました。
I failed again.
まだ
まだ
まだ means a state has not changed yet. With a positive verb or adjective it is "still"; with a negative it is "not yet". It always looks at something unfinished or unchanged.
まだ食べていません。
まだたべていません。
I have not eaten yet.
父はまだ働いています。
ちちはまだはたらいています。
My father is still working.
Sentences where only one works
また来てください。
またきてください。
Please come again.
Said to a guest who has already visited. Swap in まだ and you get "please come, not yet", which means nothing.
バスはまだ来ません。
バスはまだきません。
The bus still has not come.
You are waiting and nothing has arrived. またバスは来ません would instead mean the bus is failing to come yet again — a different complaint.
宿題はまだ終わっていません。
しゅくだいはまだおわっていません。
My homework is not finished yet.
An unfinished state, so まだ. また終わっていません would say you once more have not finished, as if it were a habit.
また同じ間違いをした。
またおなじまちがいをした。
I made the same mistake again.
A repeat of a completed event — only また works. まだ would claim the mistake is somehow still ongoing.
Common mistakes
また食べていません。
まだ食べていません。
The learner means "I have not eaten yet", but また…ていません says "once again I am not eating", which sounds bizarre. The dakuten is the whole difference.
まだ明日会いましょう。
また明日会いましょう。
Parting words are "see you again", so また. まだ明日 would be something like "tomorrow is still not here", not a farewell.
「もう終わりましたか。」「また。」
「もう終わりましたか。」「まだです。」
The short answer to a もう question is まだです, "not yet". Answering また sounds like you said "again" for no reason.
Frequently asked questions
Is there any meaning they share?
No. They overlap in nothing; the confusion is purely visual and auditory. Treat them as two unrelated words that happen to be one dakuten apart.
How do I hear the difference in fast speech?
まだ has a voiced だ, so it sounds heavier than the crisp た in また. Context helps too: まだ almost always comes with ていません, ない, or a state word like 早い.
Does まだ always mean a negative?
No. With a positive verb it means "still": まだあります is "there is still some", まだ早いです is "it is still early". The "not yet" reading comes from the negative that follows.