Translation guide
Describes events, actions, or states that happen one after another in a sequence. Japanese uses various adverbs, verb forms, and compound structures to express this idea naturally.
Express that multiple events or actions occur in a continuous sequence, often with a sense of flow or repetition.
Adverb meaning 'one after another' or 'in rapid succession'. Used for events or actions that follow each other without much pause.
問題が次々に発生した。
Problems occurred one after another.
客が次々に店に入ってきた。
Customers came into the store one after another.
Adverb meaning 'in quick succession' or 'one right after another', emphasizing the lack of interval between events.
電話が続けざまに鳴った。
The phone rang repeatedly in quick succession.
Pattern indicating repeated alternation or succession of actions. Often used to describe a cycle of doing something, then something else happens, repeatedly.
書いては消し、書いては消しして、やっと手紙を書き上げた。
Writing and erasing, writing and erasing, I finally finished the letter.
Adverb meaning 'one after another' or 'in succession', often used in news or formal contexts for events like accidents, resignations, etc.
不祥事が相次いで発覚した。
Scandals were uncovered one after another.
Adverb meaning 'continuously' or 'in a row'. Focuses on the unbroken sequence, often used with numbers or time periods.
彼は3日連続して遅刻した。
He was late three days in a row.
Describe physical objects or people arranged consecutively, one after another in space.
Adverb describing a long line of things or people, often implying an impressive or orderly row.
新製品がずらりと並んでいる。
The new products are lined up in a row.
Adverb meaning 'in a line' or 'in single file'. Neutral and straightforward.
生徒たちが一列に並んだ。
The students lined up in a row.
Express consecutive days, months, years, or other time units.
Suffix attached to a number + counter to mean 'consecutive'. E.g., 3日連続 (three consecutive days).
5年連続で優勝した。
They won the championship for five consecutive years.
Suffix meaning 'succession of' or 'run of', often for weather or events. E.g., 雨続き (a spell of rainy days).
雨続きで洗濯物が乾かない。
With all this rain in succession, the laundry won't dry.
次々に is neutral and can be used for any sequence. 続けざまに emphasizes the rapid, almost uninterrupted nature of the succession, often with a nuance of annoyance or intensity.
次々に質問が出た。
Questions came one after another.
続けざまに質問されて困った。
I was bombarded with questions in quick succession and didn't know what to do.