〜っぱなし: Leaving Something As Is (Often Carelessly)
What it means
〜っぱなし comes from the verb 放す (はなす, "to release / let go of"). Attached to a verb stem, it paints a picture of an action that was done and then just left that way.
There are two senses, and which one you get depends on the verb:
- Left in a state (often careless). You did something — opened, turned on, left running — and never reversed it. This usually sounds negligent: you should have closed it, turned it off, put it away.
- Kept happening nonstop. An action or state continued without a break — standing, losing, raining.
ヤッタンは窓を開けっぱなしにして出かけた。
ヤッタンは まどを あけっぱなしに して でかけた。
Yattan left the window open and went out.
Sense 1 — careless: the window should have been shut.
電車が混んでいて、一時間立ちっぱなしだった。
でんしゃが こんでいて、いちじかん たちっぱなしだった。
The train was packed, so I was standing the whole hour.
Sense 2 — the standing never stopped.
弟は水を出しっぱなしで歯を磨いている。
おとうとは みずを だしっぱなしで はを みがいている。
My little brother brushes his teeth with the water running.
Sense 1 — wasteful, should be turned off.
How to form it
Take the verb's ます-stem (the same stem you use for 〜ます) and add っぱなし:
| Verb (dictionary) | ます-stem | + っぱなし |
|---|---|---|
| 開ける (open) | 開け | 開けっぱなし |
| つける (turn on) | つけ | つけっぱなし |
| 出す (put out / let run) | 出し | 出しっぱなし |
| 立つ (stand) | 立ち | 立ちっぱなし |
| 負ける (lose) | 負け | 負けっぱなし |
It behaves like a noun, so it slots into normal noun patterns:
- 〜っぱなしだ — predicate: 一日中、歩きっぱなしだ。
- 〜っぱなしにする — deliberately leave it that way: 電気をつけっぱなしにする。
- 〜っぱなしの + noun — modifies a noun: 出しっぱなしの水 ("water left running").
- 〜っぱなしで — "while left that way": 窓を開けっぱなしで寝た。
昨日のチームは負けっぱなしで、一点も取れなかった。
きのうの チームは まけっぱなしで、いってんも とれなかった。
Yesterday's team kept losing and couldn't score a single point.
Sense 2 — a continuous run of losing.
先生に、エアコンをつけっぱなしにしないよう注意された。
せんせいに、エアコンを つけっぱなしに しないよう ちゅういされた。
The teacher warned me not to leave the air conditioner on.
〜っぱなしにする in a negative request — the careless nuance is front and center.
〜っぱなし vs 〜たまま
Both can describe "leaving something in a state," so learners mix them up. The difference is tone:
- 〜たまま is neutral — it simply says a state continued unchanged: ドアを開けたままにする just reports the door stayed open. (See 〜まま.)
- 〜っぱなし adds a judgment: the thing was left undone when it should have been undone — carelessness, waste, or neglect. 電気をつけっぱなし sounds like a complaint.
So when a parent scolds a child, they reach for っぱなし. When you neutrally explain "I keep it open for ventilation," たまま fits better. (Note also: 〜たまま works with some adjectives and the copula, while 〜っぱなし only attaches to verbs.)
Common mistakes
- Using the wrong verb form. It attaches to the ます-stem, not the dictionary or て-form: 開けっぱなし (✓), not 開けるっぱなし or 開けてっぱなし (✗).
- Missing the negative / careless tone. Don't use っぱなし for a state you maintain on purpose for a good reason — that sounds like you're criticizing yourself. For neutral "leave it as is," prefer 〜たまま.
- Forgetting it acts like a noun. You need だ / にする / の to connect it: 立ちっぱなしだ (✓), not 立ちっぱなし。 standing alone as a verb (✗).
- Confusing the two senses. With transitive "set-and-leave" verbs (開ける, つける, 出す) you get the careless "left as is" reading; with intransitive continuous verbs (立つ, 降る, 負ける) you get the "nonstop" reading. Let the verb guide you.
Quick recap
- 〜っぱなし = ます-stem + っぱなし, from 放す.
- Sense 1: left in a state, usually carelessly (should have undone it).
- Sense 2: something keeps happening nonstop.
- Patterns: 〜っぱなしだ / 〜っぱなしにする / 〜っぱなしの + noun / 〜っぱなしで.
- vs 〜たまま: たまま is neutral; っぱなし adds a careless / negligent nuance.
Your turn
Choose the correct っぱなし form and sense.
Start the 5-question drill →Take the full N3 〜っぱなし drill →
Frequently asked questions
What does 〜っぱなし mean?
It means either (1) leaving something in a state without undoing it, usually carelessly — like leaving a window open or a light on — or (2) something happening nonstop, like standing the whole day. It comes from the verb 放す ('to let go').
How do I form 〜っぱなし?
Take the verb's ます-stem and add っぱなし: 開ける → 開けっぱなし, 立つ → 立ちっぱなし. It then behaves like a noun, so you add だ, にする, の, or で.
What's the difference between 〜っぱなし and 〜たまま?
〜たまま neutrally reports that a state stayed unchanged. 〜っぱなし adds a critical nuance — the thing was left undone when it should have been undone (carelessness or waste). Use たまま when there's no blame.
Can 〜っぱなし attach to adjectives?
No. It only attaches to verb ます-stems. If you need to leave an adjective-described state unchanged, use 〜たまま instead (例: 暑いまま).