Japanese ながら: doing two actions at once

The idea

Remove ます from the polite verb form and add ながら: 読みます → 読みながら. The following verb expresses the main action and carries tense and politeness; the ながら action is background.

Examples

• 料理りょうりをしながら、音楽おんがくを聞ききます。I listen to music while I cook.
• 新聞しんぶんを読よみながら、コーヒーを飲のみます。I drink coffee while reading the newspaper.
• 公園こうえんを歩あるきながら、友達ともだちと話はなしました。I talked with a friend while walking in the park.
• 妹いもうとはお風呂ふろに入はいりながら、歌うたを歌うたいます。My younger sister sings while taking a bath.
• 説明せつめいを聞ききながら、地図ちずを見みてください。Please look at the map while you listen to the explanation.
• 働はたらきながら、日本語にほんごを勉強べんきょうします。I study Japanese while working.

Watch out

Do not attach ながら to the dictionary form: 読むながら is wrong. The two actions normally share a subject, and ながら does not simply list actions done one after another.

Try it yourself

1. 「読よみます」→ ＿＿ながら

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   読み

   読み — Remove ます from 読みます, then add ながら.

2. 「食たべます」→ ＿＿ながら

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   食べ

   食べ — Remove ます from 食べます; the stem is 食べ.

3. 「します」→ ＿＿ながら

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   し

   し — The stem of します is し.

4. 「来きます」→ ＿＿ながら

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   来

   来 — The stem of 来ます is 来, read き; write 来ながら.

Use it today

Describe two things you do at the same time. Change the final verb to the past and notice which action is presented as main.