Word
もう
Meaning in Englishalready / more
Sentence
Related sentences
N3
もう少し早く知らせてくれれば準備できたのに
Mou sukoshi hayaku shirasete kure reba junbi dekita noni
If you told me earlier I could have prepared
N1
これからどうするかはもう少し考えてから決めようと思う
Kore kara dou suru ka wa mou sukoshi kangaete kara kimeyou to omou
I will decide what to do after thinking a bit more
N5
もう一度言ってください。
Mou ichido itte kudasai.
Please say it again.
N5
私はもう食べました。
Watashi wa mou tabemashita.
I already ate.
N5
私はもう行きました。
Watashi wa mou ikimashita.
I already went.
N5
もう朝ご飯を食べました
Mou asagohan o tabemashita
I already ate breakfast
N5
もう少し待ってください。
Mou sukoshi matte kudasai.
Please wait a little longer.
N5
もう少し話してください。
Mou sukoshi hanashite kudasai.
Please speak a little more.
Word context
What it means
What does もう mean? It means 'already', 'any more', or 'no longer' and is a versatile adverb that marks that an action is completed or a state has changed, while also serving as a general sentence-level cue to move the conversation forward.
Main meanings
- already indicates something has happened before now
- with a negative verb it expresses that something is no longer the case or not anymore
- as a sentence-level cue, it can push a response or shift the topic in casual speech
- in some phrases it functions as an intensifier or part of a fixed expression such as もういい
How to use it
Used across registers to indicate that an action has already occurred or a state has changed. It answers questions about timing and changes expectations, and it commonly appears in casual speech and writing. In negative contexts, もう + ない expresses that something no longer happens. Typical usage includes statements about completion, quick succession, or prompting a decision.
Variants and close terms
- すでに — already (sude ni)
- まだ — not yet (mada)
- もう少し — a little more (mou sukoshi)
Word class
adverb (副詞)
Grammar