ISORI

〜ながら

JLPT N5:

while doing

Says someone does two things at the same time: "do Y while doing X".

How to form it

  • Start from the ます form and replace ます with ながら: 聞(き)きます becomes 聞(き)きながら.
  • The main action goes at the end of the sentence; the ながら action is the one in the background: 音楽(おんがく)を聞(き)きながら勉強(べんきょう)する (study while listening to music).
  • Both actions are done by the same person.

Examples

音楽(おんがく)を聞(き)きながら、勉強(べんきょう)します。

I study while listening to music.

歩(ある)きながら電話(でんわ)しないでください。

Please don't talk on the phone while walking.

Common mistakes

  • Using it for actions that happen one after the other. Use 〜てから.
  • Using it when two different people do the two actions. Use 〜間(あいだ).

Similar meaning

Same form, different meaning

  • 〜ながらalthough

    The same ながら can mean "although": 知(し)っていながら (although I knew).