Translation guide
Expresses that something happens repeatedly every year, often over a long period. Japanese uses adverbs, set phrases, or the structure '年々 (nen-nen)' to convey this idea.
To say that something happens each year, often with a sense of continuity or gradual change.
The most common and neutral way to say 'every year' or 'year after year'. Can be used in most contexts.
Year after year, I suffer from hay fever around this time.
Emphasizes a gradual change or progression over the years. Often used with comparatives or verbs of change.
Year after year, prices are rising.
Literally 'as if every year', used when something happens almost every year, often with a nuance of inevitability or frequency.
Typhoons come year after year.
Emphasizes 'all year round' or 'constantly throughout the year', stronger than just 'year after year'. Often used in casual or emphatic speech.
He's busy year after year (all the time).
To emphasize that something has been happening for many years, often unchanged.
A literary or emphatic expression meaning 'year after year, for many years'. Often used in written or formal contexts.
Year after year, the same scenery stretches out.
Means 'as the years go by' or 'with each passing year', focusing on accumulation or change over time.
Formal expression meaning 'over many years' or 'for a long period of years'. Common in news or reports.
毎年 simply states 'every year' without implying change. 年々 implies a trend or gradual change over the years. Use 年々 when you want to emphasize that something is increasing, decreasing, or evolving year by year.
English 'year after year' can sometimes be translated directly as '年の後年', but this is not natural Japanese. Stick to the expressions above.
Year after year, experience grows.
Research has been continued year after year.