Translation guide
The English verb "stay" covers several distinct meanings, each with different natural Japanese expressions. The most common meanings are remaining in a place, continuing a state, and lodging somewhere. Direct translation often fails; context determines the best choice.
To not leave a location; to continue being somewhere.
The most basic verb for animate beings remaining in a place. Use with に for location.
ここにいてください。
Please stay here.
彼は家にいる。
He stays at home.
More formal/literary; implies staying put, often against a desire to leave. Intransitive.
To remain behind when others leave. Intransitive.
Formal term for a temporary stay, often used for travel or business.
東京に一週間滞在します。
I will stay in Tokyo for a week.
To sleep at a place (hotel, friend's house) for a short period.
To stay overnight. Intransitive. Use に for the place.
To remain in a certain condition or keep doing something.
Attach to past tense or noun+の to mean 'stay as is'. Often used with いる/おく.
そのままにしておいて。
Leave it as it is. (Let it stay like that.)
窓を開けたまま寝た。
I slept with the window open. (The window stayed open.)
To halt movement or keep someone/something from going.
Transitive verb: to stop something/someone. Use を.
To put off an action or decision.
Formal 'postpone'. Not a direct translation of 'stay', but used in contexts like 'stay of execution'.
裁判の判決は延期された。
The court's decision was stayed.
To provide structural support; to keep something from falling.
For things remaining in a place, use ある (aru) instead of いる. いる is only for people and animals.
本が机の上にある。
The book stays on the desk.
泊まる is for overnight stays (hotel, friend's house). 滞在する is broader: staying in a city for days/weeks, not necessarily sleeping there. 滞在する is more formal.
東京に滞在するが、ホテルには泊まらない。
I'm staying in Tokyo but not staying at a hotel.
The pattern 〜まま is very common for 'stay in a state'. It often pairs with にしておく (leave it) or でいる (remain).
その場にとどまった。
I stayed where I was.
Only he stayed behind.
友達の家に泊まった。
I stayed at a friend's house.
ホテルに泊まりますか？
Will you stay at a hotel?
Formal equivalent of 泊まる, used in business or official contexts.
当ホテルにご宿泊のお客様。
Guests staying at our hotel.
Can also mean lodging, but broader (temporary stay in a city/country).
京都に滞在中です。
I'm staying in Kyoto.
Attach to verb stem to mean 'keep doing'. For staying in an action.
彼は話し続けた。
He stayed talking. / He kept talking.
Can be used figuratively: stay in memory, stay within limits.
その光景が心にとどまっている。
The scene stays in my mind.
彼を引き止めた。
I stopped him from leaving. (I made him stay.)
Specifically to detain or persuade someone to stay.
帰ろうとするのを引き止められた。
I was asked to stay (when I tried to leave).
Noun meaning 'respite' or 'grace period'. Used in legal contexts like 'stay of execution'.
死刑執行の猶予。
A stay of execution.
To support physically or emotionally. Not a direct translation of 'stay' but used for 'stay a structure'.
壁を支柱で支える。
Stay the wall with a prop.
Noun: a prop, a stay (nautical/architectural). Rare outside technical fields.
帆柱の控え綱。
A stay for the mast.
このままにしておいてください。
Please leave it as it is. (Let it stay like this.)
このままにしておいてください。
Please leave it as it is. (Let it stay like this.)