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〜一方だ

keeps (getting more / less), only ever

Verb dictionary form + 一方だ

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一方だ describes a trend that keeps going in one direction: 物価は上がる一方だ, "prices just keep going up". 一方 means "one way", so it's literally "only the one way".

It goes after the dictionary form of verbs of change: 増える, 減る, 上がる, 下がる, 悪くなる, 大きくなる. The trend is usually unwelcome, and the sentence often carries a complaint or worry.

In the past, 一方だった describes a trend that kept going: 雨は強くなる一方だった, "the rain just kept getting heavier".

Don't confuse it with 一方で, "on the other hand", which joins two contrasting facts. That comes later in this deck.

Examples

  • 物価ぶっかは上あがる一方いっぽうだ。

    Prices just keep going up.

  • 最近さいきん、仕事しごとが増ふえる一方いっぽうです。

    Lately my workload just keeps growing.

  • 町まちの人口じんこうは減へる一方いっぽうだ。

    The town's population keeps shrinking.

  • 雨あめは強つよくなる一方いっぽうだった。

    The rain just kept getting heavier.

  • このままでは、問題もんだいは大おおきくなる一方いっぽうだ。

    At this rate, the problem will only get bigger.

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