JapaneseJLPT
JLPT N4 grammar · Chapter 6

~ながら

Do two actions at the same time

You'll be able to describe one person carrying out two actions simultaneously.

Illustration of the scene described by Ren studies while listening to music.
Read it first

蓮れんは音楽おんがくを聞ききながら勉強べんきょうします。

ren wa ongaku o kikinagara benkyou shimasu.

What do you think this sentence means?

Ren studies while listening to music.

Why it means that

Do two actions at the same time

~ながら links two actions performed by the same person simultaneously. The final action is usually the main one, and the ながら action is accompanying it.

Example

お茶おちゃを飲のみながら話はなしましょう。

ocha o nominagara hanashimashou.

Let’s talk while drinking tea.

How it is built

Form and use ~ながら

Remove ます rather than using the て-form. Both actions normally share their subject. If different people are involved, use an appropriate time clause such as 間あいだ.

Verb ます-stem+ながら+Main action
Examples

お茶おちゃを飲のみながら話はなしましょう。

ocha o nominagara hanashimashou.

Let’s talk while drinking tea.

母ははは歌うたいながら料理りょうりします。

haha wa utainagara ryouri shimasu.

My mother cooks while singing.

Examples

スマホを見みながら歩あるくのは危あぶないです。

sumaho o minagara aruku no wa abunai desu.

It's dangerous to walk while looking at your phone.

私わたしはいつもラジオを聞ききながら運転うんてんします。

watashi wa itsumo rajio o kikinagara unten shimasu.

I always listen to the radio while I drive.

毎朝まいあさ、コーヒーを飲のみながら新聞しんぶんを読よみます。

maiasa, koohii o nominagara shinbun o yomimasu.

Every morning, I read the newspaper while drinking coffee.

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