〜ながら
JLPT N4:although
"Although" or "while": the two parts contrast, often with a sense that they should not go together.
How to form it
- Verbs take the ます-stem, and the ている form is very common: 知っていながら (although I knew).
- い-adjectives take ながら directly, and nouns and な-adjectives take it straight after the word: 狭いながら, 残念ながら.
- ながらも stresses the contrast: 狭いながらも快適だ (small but comfortable).
Examples
知っていながら、教えてくれなかった。
They knew, but they didn't tell me.
悪いと思いながら、言ってしまった。
I knew it was wrong, but I said it anyway.
Notes
- Some phrases are fixed: 残念ながら (unfortunately).
Common mistakes
- Reading every ながら as "while doing". With state verbs like 知っている, and with adjectives and nouns, it means "although".
Similar meaning
- 〜のにeven though
"Even though" with surprise or frustration; more everyday.
- 〜つつwhile / although (literary)
つつ: "while" or "although"; more literary.
Same form, different meaning
- 〜ながらwhile doing
The same ながら after an action verb: doing two things at once.