Translation guide
Describes a sequence of events, actions, or items occurring in rapid succession, one by one, or continuously.
Express that multiple things or people happen or appear in quick sequence, one after another.
The most common and versatile way to say 'one after the other'. It emphasizes a continuous, rapid sequence.
観光客が次々とバスから降りてきた。
Tourists got off the bus one after the other.
新しい店が次々とオープンしている。
New shops are opening one after another.
Similar to 次々と, but slightly more formal or written. Often interchangeable.
問題が次々に発生した。
Problems occurred one after another.
Emphasizes a continuous stream or influx, often used for people or things arriving in large numbers.
参加者が続々と会場に集まった。
Participants gathered at the venue one after another.
Means 'in rapid succession' or 'one right after the other', often with a nuance of no pause in between.
彼は立て続けに3本のホームランを打った。
He hit three home runs one after the other.
Formal, often used in news reports for events happening in succession, especially negative ones.
事故が相次いで発生した。
Accidents occurred one after another.
Describe two or more people or things doing something in turn, one after the other in a repeated cycle.
Used when people take turns doing something, one after the other.
子どもたちは代わる代わるブランコに乗った。
The children took turns on the swing, one after the other.
Means 'alternately', emphasizing a back-and-forth or A-B-A-B pattern.
Emphasize that items or people are dealt with individually, in sequence, rather than all at once.
Literally 'one by one', used for objects or actions. Can be used with counters.
問題を一つずつ解決していきましょう。
Let's solve the problems one after the other.
Specifically for people, 'one person at a time'.
生徒が一人ずつ前に出て発表した。
The students came forward one after the other to present.
Means 'in order' or 'in turn', emphasizing a sequence.
順番に名前を呼ばれた。
Our names were called one after the other.
Express that something happens repeatedly or incessantly, one instance after another.
Describes something happening incessantly, without a break, often used for phone calls, visitors, etc.
今日はひっきりなしに電話がかかってくる。
The phone has been ringing one call after another today.
Literally 'without pause', more literary or formal.
絶え間なく車が通る。
Cars pass by one after the other without stopping.
次々と is the most general and neutral. 立て続けに emphasizes that there is almost no gap between events, often with a sense of intensity or pressure.
次々と質問が出た。
Questions came one after another.
立て続けに質問が出た。
Questions came in rapid succession, one right after the other.
Do not translate 'one after the other' word-for-word as 一つの後に他 (ひとつのあとにほか). This is unnatural. Use the adverbial expressions above.
客が次々と到着した。
The guests arrived one after the other.
彼女はクッキーを次々と食べた。
She ate the cookies one after the other.
The two sang songs one after the other, taking turns.