while doing (two actions at once)

Verb stem plus ながら shows two actions done at the same time by the same person. The action before ながら is secondary; the main action comes in the final clause. Both actions must share the same subject.

Examples

• 音楽おんがくを聞き[きき]ながら、勉強べんきょうします。

  Ongaku o kikinagara, benkyou shimasu.

  I study while listening to music.

• 彼かれはテレビを見みながらご飯はんを食たべています。

  Kare wa terebi o minagara gohan o tabete imasu.

  He is eating dinner while watching TV.

Vocabulary in these examples

• 音楽 music
• 聞く to listen; to ask
• 勉強 study
• する to do
• 彼 he, him
• テレビ television

Related patterns · Connectors

• 〜のに although, even though, despite
• 〜ので because, since (objective reason)
• 〜し and what is more (listing reasons)
• 〜ても even if, even though
• 〜間に / 〜間 while, during