immersionlog

もはや

already, no longer (it's past that point)

もはや + 〜だ / 〜ない

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もはや says that things have passed a point of no return: もはや手遅れだ, "it's already too late".

With a positive, it means "has now become": スマホはもはや生活に欠かせない, "smartphones have become indispensable". With a negative, it means "no longer": 彼はもはや子どもではない, "he's no longer a child".

It's a written, dramatic version of もう. Where もう is neutral, もはや carries a sense that the change is complete and irreversible, often with resignation. もはやこれまでだ, "this is the end", is a classic line from period dramas.

Compare すでに, "already", which is neutral and factual, and いまだに, "still, even now", which is the opposite.

Examples

  • もはや手遅ておくれだ。

    It's already too late.

  • スマホはもはや生活せいかつに欠かかせない。

    Smartphones have become indispensable to daily life.

  • こうなっては、もはや誰だれにも止とめられない。

    Now that it's come to this, no one can stop it any more.

  • 彼かれはもはや子こどもではない。

    He's no longer a child.

  • もはやこれまでだ。

    This is the end.