〜ながら: This grammar shows two actions happening at the same time. You do one thing while you do another. The second action is the main one.

〜ながら

This grammar shows two actions happening at the same time. You do one thing while you do another. The second action is the main one.

N4 KMT2NeutralStandardCompound ParticleMixedCompound Simultaneity And OpportunityGrammar

Verb [stem] + ながらPrimary

い-Adjective + ながら

な-Adjective + ながら

Noun + ながら

This grammar shows two actions happening at the same time. You do one thing while you do another. The second action is the main one.

音楽を聴きながら勉強するのが好きです。

I like to study while listening to music.

PoliteNon PastAffirmativeMid SentenceDeclarativeMusic & Entertainment Education Daily Life

彼はテレビを見ながら夕食を食べた。

He ate dinner while watching TV.

NeutralPastAffirmativeMid SentenceDeclarativeDaily Life Food & Dining

歩きながら携帯電話を使わないでください。

Please do not use your mobile phone while walking.

PoliteNon PastNegativeMid SentenceProhibitionDaily Life Technology

残念ながら、その試合は中止になりました。

Unfortunately (lit. 'while it is regrettable'), the match was cancelled.

FormalPastAffirmativeClause InitialDeclarativeSports & Martial Arts

彼女は学生でありながら、会社を経営している。

Even though she is a student, she is running a company.

NeutralProgressiveAffirmativeMid SentenceDeclarativeEducation Work & Career Business & Finance

Think of it like this: one action is the 'main show'. The other action is happening 'in the background'. The 'main show' is what you care about most.

This is different from "tsuide ni". "Tsuide ni" means you do something extra. You do it because you are already doing something else. It is also different from "katawara". "Katawara" is for two long activities. These activities happen at the same time but are not connected.

Don't use this when two different people do things. For example, you cannot say "While I eat, my friend watches TV."

Use this when you want to say "even though" or "although." You can use it with words that describe states, like "to know" or "to think." A common phrase is "zannen nagara," which means "unfortunately."

Contrasts with(3)

〜かたわら / 〜傍ら

You use this when you do two big things at the same time. One is your main activity. The other is a second important activity.

〜間に

This means 'while' or 'during'. It shows something happens at one moment within a longer time.

〜間

This means something happens for the whole time another thing is happening. It's like saying 'while' or 'during' in English.

Less formal alternatives(7)

〜がてら

This grammar means you do two things at once. You do a second thing because the first thing makes it easy to do.

〜かたわら / 〜傍ら

You use this when you do two big things at the same time. One is your main activity. The other is a second important activity.

〜かたがた

You do two things at once. One main thing, and another thing too. It is a formal way to say "while also doing...".

〜際に

This means 'when' or 'at the time of something'. You use it for important or special events. It is a more polite way to say 'toki'.

〜折に

This phrase means 'when' or 'at the time of'. You use it for a special moment when something else happens.

〜をかねて

This means you do one thing, but it has two or more uses. It's like doing two jobs at once.

〜つつ

You use this to say you are doing two things at the same time. It is a more formal way to say "while doing something."

Verb stem form

This is a special form of a verb. You use it to join verbs together. You can also use it to make a noun from a verb.

ます形

This is a polite verb ending. You use it to show respect. It is the basic way to speak politely in Japanese.

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Dictionary

〜ながら

This grammar shows two actions happening at the same time. You do one thing while you do another. The second action is the main one.

N4 KMT2NeutralStandardCompound ParticleMixedCompound Simultaneity And OpportunityGrammar

Verb [stem] + ながらPrimary

い-Adjective + ながら

な-Adjective + ながら

Noun + ながら

This grammar shows two actions happening at the same time. You do one thing while you do another. The second action is the main one.

音楽を聴きながら勉強するのが好きです。

I like to study while listening to music.

PoliteNon PastAffirmativeMid SentenceDeclarativeMusic & Entertainment Education Daily Life

彼はテレビを見ながら夕食を食べた。

He ate dinner while watching TV.

NeutralPastAffirmativeMid SentenceDeclarativeDaily Life Food & Dining

歩きながら携帯電話を使わないでください。

Please do not use your mobile phone while walking.

PoliteNon PastNegativeMid SentenceProhibitionDaily Life Technology

残念ながら、その試合は中止になりました。

Unfortunately (lit. 'while it is regrettable'), the match was cancelled.

FormalPastAffirmativeClause InitialDeclarativeSports & Martial Arts

彼女は学生でありながら、会社を経営している。

Even though she is a student, she is running a company.

NeutralProgressiveAffirmativeMid SentenceDeclarativeEducation Work & Career Business & Finance

Think of it like this: one action is the 'main show'. The other action is happening 'in the background'. The 'main show' is what you care about most.

Don't use this when two different people do things. For example, you cannot say "While I eat, my friend watches TV."

Contrasts with(3)

〜かたわら / 〜傍ら

You use this when you do two big things at the same time. One is your main activity. The other is a second important activity.

〜間に

This means 'while' or 'during'. It shows something happens at one moment within a longer time.

〜間

This means something happens for the whole time another thing is happening. It's like saying 'while' or 'during' in English.

Less formal alternatives(7)

〜がてら

This grammar means you do two things at once. You do a second thing because the first thing makes it easy to do.

〜かたわら / 〜傍ら

You use this when you do two big things at the same time. One is your main activity. The other is a second important activity.

〜かたがた

You do two things at once. One main thing, and another thing too. It is a formal way to say "while also doing...".

〜際に

This means 'when' or 'at the time of something'. You use it for important or special events. It is a more polite way to say 'toki'.

〜折に

This phrase means 'when' or 'at the time of'. You use it for a special moment when something else happens.

〜をかねて

This means you do one thing, but it has two or more uses. It's like doing two jobs at once.

〜つつ

You use this to say you are doing two things at the same time. It is a more formal way to say "while doing something."

Verb stem form

This is a special form of a verb. You use it to join verbs together. You can also use it to make a noun from a verb.

ます形

This is a polite verb ending. You use it to show respect. It is the basic way to speak politely in Japanese.

Track your mastery

Kumi's KMT system tracks your mastery across kanji, vocabulary, grammar, and reading. Create a free account to use it on 220,000+ concepts.

〜ながら

Patterns4

Meaning

Examples5

Nuance1

Contrasts1

Restrictions1

Discourse Function1

Compare with10

Contrasts with(3)

Less formal alternatives(7)

Prerequisites2

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〜ながら

Patterns4

Meaning

Examples5

Nuance1

Contrasts1

Restrictions1

Discourse Function1

Compare with10

Contrasts with(3)

Less formal alternatives(7)

Prerequisites2

Track your mastery