JapaneseJLPT
JLPT N3 grammar · Chapter 1

～うちに・～ないうちに

Act before things change, or describe a change during an activity

You’ll be able to act while an opportunity lasts, use ～ないうちに for “before something happens,” and describe a change that develops during an ongoing activity.

Illustration of the scene described by Let’s return to the van before it gets dark.
Read it first

暗くらくならないうちに、車くるまに戻もどりましょう。

kuraku naranai uchi ni, kuruma ni modorimashou.

What do you think this sentence means?

Let’s return to the van before it gets dark.

Why it means that

Act while there is still time

～うちに means “while a state or opportunity continues.” ～ないうちに means “before something happens or changes.” The second clause is the action you want to complete in time.

Examples

学生がくせいのうちに、たくさん本ほんを読よみたいです。

gakusei no uchi ni, takusan hon o yomitai desu.

I want to read lots of books while I am a student.

忘わすれないうちに、メモします。

wasurenai uchi ni, memo shimasu.

I will write it down before I forget.

How it is built

Choose the form that matches the meaning

Before うちに, use a state: a verb in ている form or a state verb such as いる, an い-adjective, a な-adjective + な, or a noun + の. For a clear “before,” use a verb’s ない form + うちに: 忘わすれないうちに. With an ongoing activity, ～ているうちに can also mean that an unplanned change gradually happens during it.

Verb ている・いる / い-adj / な-adj + な / Noun + の+うちにVerb ない-form+うちに
Examples

温あたたかいうちに食たべてください。

atatakai uchi ni tabete kudasai.

Please eat it while it is warm.

日本にほんにいるうちに、京都きょうとへ行いきたいです。

nihon ni iru uchi ni, kyouto e ikitai desu.

I want to go to Kyoto while I am in Japan.

音楽おんがくを聞きいているうちに、眠ねむくなりました。

ongaku o kiite iru uchi ni, nemuku narimashita.

While I was listening to music, I gradually became sleepy.

Compare

～うちに vs ～間に

Both place an action inside a period. ～うちに adds that you use the time before the situation changes; ～間あいだに simply says when the action happened. Only うちに works with a negative for “before”: 忘わすれないうちに, not ×忘わすれない間あいだに.

  • ～うちに, while it lasts

    子こどもが寝ねているうちに、部屋へやを片付かたづけました。

    kodomo ga nete iru uchi ni, heya o katazukemashita.

    I tidied the room while my child was still asleep.

    Uses the chance before the child wakes up.

  • ～間に, during

    子こどもが寝ねている間あいだに、部屋へやを片付かたづけました。

    kodomo ga nete iru aida ni, heya o katazukemashita.

    I tidied the room while my child was asleep.

    Only says when the tidying happened, with no sense of a chance running out.

Examples

スープが冷さめないうちに、どうぞ飲のんでください。

suupu ga samenai uchi ni, douzo nonde kudasai.

Please drink the soup before it gets cold.

このコートは来週らいしゅう、元もとの値段ねだんに戻もどります。安やすいうちに買かっておこう。

kono kooto wa raishuu, moto no nedan ni modorimasu. yasui uchi ni katte okou.

This coat will return to its original price next week. I’ll buy it while it is cheap.

若わかいうちに、いろいろな仕事しごとを経験けいけんしたいです。

wakai uchi ni, iroiro na shigoto o keiken shitai desu.

I want to try different kinds of work while I am young.

7 more examples in the grammar path — free for a limited time.