Keep on…ing: 〜一方だ
Verb (dictionary) + 一方だ
Verb of change (dictionary) + 一方だ: “keep on…ing”, a continuous development in one direction, often worrying.
In short
〜一方だ describes a development that always goes in the same direction, without stopping: 観光客が増える一方だ, “tourist numbers keep on rising”. Most often, the speaker is worried about it. It's used with verbs expressing a change.
- 京都を訪れる観光客は増える一方だ。きょうとをおとずれるかんこうきゃくはふえるいっぽうだ。The number of tourists visiting Kyoto keeps on rising.
- 物の値段は上がる一方で、給料は変わらない。もののねだんはあがるいっぽうで、きゅうりょうはかわらない。Prices keep going up, while my salary stays the same.
- 雨は強くなる一方だった。あめはつよくなるいっぽうだった。The rain just kept getting heavier.
The basics
一方 (いっぽう) means “one direction”. 〜一方だ says something is developing in one direction only, and keeps going: it rises, falls, gets worse, with no turning back — English “keeps on…ing”, “just keeps getting…”, “more and more”. The tone is often one of worry or bitter observation.
Tourist numbers keep on rising.
- noun
- verb
- grammatical form
- 都会に出る若者が増えて、村は寂しくなる一方だ。とかいにでるわかものがふえて、むらはさびしくなるいっぽうだ。More and more young people are leaving for the cities, and the village keeps getting emptier.
- 彼の日本語は上手になる一方だ。かれのにほんごはじょうずになるいっぽうだ。His Japanese just keeps getting better.
How to form it
Verb of change in the dictionary form + 一方だ (end of sentence) or 一方で (to carry on). Typical verbs: 増える, 減る, 上がる, 下がる, 〜くなる, 〜になる, 進む, 広がる.
| Verb | + 一方だ | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 増える | 増える一方だ | keeps rising |
| 下がる | 下がる一方だ | keeps falling |
| 悪くなる | 悪くなる一方だ | just keeps getting worse |
| 広がる | 広がる一方だ | keeps spreading |
- その店の人気は広がる一方です。そのみせのにんきはひろがるいっぽうです。That shop's popularity keeps spreading.
- 外国語を話せる人の数は増える一方だ。がいこくごをはなせるひとのかずはふえるいっぽうだ。The number of people who can speak a foreign language keeps rising.
一方だ, ばかりだ, つつある
〜一方だ: a continuing trend, negative or neutral (sometimes positive). 〜ばかりだ (next point): only for deterioration, with a more emotional note. 〜つつある: a change in progress, without stressing that it won't stop.
| Form | Nuance | Possible meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 増える一方だ | it won't stop | negative or neutral |
| 悪くなるばかりだ | it just keeps getting worse | negative |
| 増えつつある | it's progressing right now | neutral, written |
- 病気は悪くなるばかりだ。びょうきはわるくなるばかりだ。The illness just keeps getting worse.
Common mistakes
- Using it with a verb that doesn't express a change: 「食べる一方だ」 makes no sense.
- Putting the verb in the past: 「増えた一方だ」 is wrong; it's always the dictionary form, and だ takes the past (増える一方だった).
- Mixing it up with 一方（で） “on the other hand”, which contrasts two facts: you can tell the meaning from its place in the sentence.
7 exercises on this point
Particles to choose, sentences to put back in order, translations: marked straight away, then reviewed at the right time. This JLPT N3 point is on the Randen Line (Nature and climate) of the Kyoto lines.