JLPT N5

ながら

While doing ~

Structure

Verb stem ながら

How it works

The grammar point ながら is used to express two actions happening simultaneously by the same person. The second verb (at the end of the sentence) represents the main action, while the first verb (with ながら) is the background or secondary action.

Examples

音楽を聴きながら勉強します。

I study while listening to music.

テレビを見ながらご飯を食べました。

I ate a meal while watching TV.

歩きながら電話しないでください。

Please don't talk on the phone while walking.

Common mistakes

A common mistake is using the 'Te-form' instead of the 'Masu-stem' (e.g., saying '食べてながら' instead of '食べながら').

Tip

Always remember that the most important action comes last. If you are primarily studying but happen to have music on, 'Study' goes at the end.

More JLPT N5 grammar

はがをにでものと

See ながら in real Japanese

Import an article and tap any sentence using it. The explanation comes back about the sentence in front of you, not a textbook example.

Try InputDojo free