Love is not changed?―Ai-kawarazu 相変わらず(あいかわらず)

English: not get any better; as usual; same

Spanish: no major; igual

Tagalog: tulad ng dati

Have you ever seen 2000-yen bills? They didn't win any popularity.

Ai 相（あい）is not ai 愛（あい）―love―in this sense, so it does not mean 'love is not changed.'

Ai 相（あい）is used when you want to put emphasis on the verb which comes after.

● 誠（まこと）に相（あい）済（す）みませんでした。(Makoto-ni ai-sumimasen-deshita.)

I'm terribly sorry.

If things have been going just the same way or as usual, it’s ai-kawarazu 相変わらず(あいかわらず).

● 皆(みな)相変わらず(あいかわらず)元気(げんき)です。 (Mina ai-kawarazu genki-desu.)

We’re all good as before.

● どう？―うん、相変わらず(あいかわらず)ね。(Doo?―un, ai-kawarazu--ne.)

How's it going?―Oh, same old, same old.

The expression is sometimes used for situations which you disapprove. If you don’t see any improvements and are disapproving, you can use ai-kawarazu 相変わらず(あいかわらず).

You might abominate the morning rush on trains in Japan.

● 朝(あさ)のラッシュは相変わらず(あいかわらず)だ。(Asa-no rashu-wa ai-kawarazu-da.)

The rush hour crowds didn’t get any better.

With too many people, cars and bicycles passing the streets and avenues, Manhattan may be one of the cities which suffer terrible traffic.

● ニューヨークの交通(こうつう)は10(じゅう)年前(ねんまえ)と相変わらず(あいかわらず)で、ひどいもんです。

New York traffic hasn’t got any better than it was 10 years ago. It’s just terrible.

● 景気(けいき)が悪く(わるく)なっている。これからどうなるのだろう。―相変わらず(あいかわらず)でしょう。 (Keeki-ga waruku-natte-iru. Kore-kara doo-naru-no-daroo.―Ai-kawarazu deshoo.)

The economy is going downhill. How will it be?―It won’t get any better.

● あの男(おとこ)の生活(せいかつ)ぶりは相変わらず(あいかわらず)だ。彼(かれ)にはいろいろと世話(せわ)をしてくれる人(ひと)が必要(ひつよう)だよ。 (Ano otoko-no seekatsu-buri-wa ai-kawarazu-da. Kare-niwa iroiro-to sewa-o shite-kureru hito-ga hituyoo-da-yo.)

That man’s way of living hasn’t got any better. I’m sure he needs someone to take good care of him.

Keezai-sensoo 経済戦争（けいざいせんそう）is 'economic war.' In 1980's, the Japan-US trade friction was intense.

● 両国間(りょうこくかん)の関係(かんけい)は相変わらず(あいかわらず)改善(かいぜん)しない。 (Ryookoku-kan-no kankei-wa sukoshi-mo kaizen-shinai.)

The relationship between the two nations hasn’t improved.

Ai-mo-kawarazu 相(あい)も変わらず(かわらず) is also used. This expression where ‘mo’ も is inserted

always shows disapproval.

● 彼女(かのじょ)は相(あい)も変わらず(かわらず)無駄使い(むだづかい)している。 (Kanojo-wa ai-mo-kawarazu muda-zukai shite-iru.)

She’s been wasting money the same way.