Translation guide
Describes events, actions, or items occurring in rapid, continuous succession. Japanese uses adverbs, verb forms, and set phrases to convey this idea, with nuances of speed, order, and sometimes negative connotation.
To describe multiple things or events happening quickly one after the other, often with a sense of continuous flow.
The most common and neutral way to say 'one after another'. Used for events, people, or things occurring in sequence.
Tourists got off the bus one after another.
New shops are opening one after another.
Emphasizes a continuous stream, often used for people or things arriving in large numbers.
Fans gathered at the venue one after another.
Used for events happening in quick succession, often with a nuance of relentlessness or without pause.
Problems occurred one after another.
To describe things happening in a fixed order, one by one, without necessarily implying speed.
To express that unfortunate events occur in succession, often with a sense of being overwhelmed.
Commonly used in news or formal contexts for incidents or accidents occurring one after another.
Accidents happened one after another.
Similar to 次々に but can carry a slightly more dramatic or negative nuance when used with bad events.
Bad news arrived one after another.
To describe multiple people performing the same action sequentially.
次々に is the most general and can be used for any sequence. 続々と emphasizes a large, continuous influx, often of people or things arriving. 続々と is not used for actions performed by the same subject repeatedly.
English 'one after another' is often not translated word-for-word. Using 一つ後にもう一つ is unnatural. Choose the appropriate adverb based on context.
The guests arrived one after another.
She asked questions one after another.
Please introduce yourselves one after another.