V-stem + nagara (〜ながら): Beginner’s Guide to Saying “While ~ing” in Japanese

Introduction

Want to say “I study while listening to music” or “Kenta is cooking while singing”?
Use V-stem + ながら.

This pattern links two actions that happen at the same time. The action marked with ながら is the background/minor action; the clause after it is the main action you want to emphasize.

1. Structure & Meaning

Pattern: V1 (stem) + ながら, V2 (any form)
Meaning: “Do V2 while (also) doing V1.”

音楽おんがくを聞ききながら勉強べんきょうします。
I study while listening to music.

gokigen penguin

Key rule: Both actions must be performed by the same subject. If different people do the two actions, use another pattern (e.g., A 時、B).

Example: While Woody does shopping, Yumi cleans the room.

× ウディさんが買かい物ものしながら、ゆみさんが部屋へやを掃除そうじします。

✅ ウディさんが買い物する時とき、ゆみさんが部屋を掃除します。

2. How to Form It

1. Take the verb’s ます-form, drop ます → this is the stem.
2. Add ながら.
3. Add the main clause (V2) in the tense you need.

3. Example Sentences

1. サラさんは歌うたいながら料理りょうりしています。
   Sarah is cooking while singing.
2. 歩あるきながら電話でんわしないでください。
   Please don’t make calls while walking.
3. 朝あさごはんを食たべながらニュースを見みます。
   I watch the news while eating breakfast.
4. アルバイトをしながら大学だいがくに通かようのは大変たいへんです。
   Attending college while working part-time is tough.
5. 音楽おんがくを聞ききながら宿題しゅくだいをしていました。
   I was doing homework while listening to music.

4. Usage Notes

ながら expresses an action that occurs concurrently or simultaneously with another action. It translates to “While doing X“. Importantly, the action that is described with ながら is always secondary to the action expressed in the main clause.

Example:

• 飲のみながら、話はなしましょう。(= Let’s chat while we drink.) In this case, chatting is the main action under discussion and drinking is a secondary action that occurs concurrently.
• 話しながら、飲みましょう。 (= Let’s drink while we chat.) In this case, drinking is the main action under discussion and chatting is a secondary action that occurs concurrently.

More notes:

• Same subject only: ながら cannot connect actions done by different people. Use A 時、B or two sentences instead.
• Tense lives in V2: Conjugate only the second verb. The ながら part stays in stem form.
  • Example: そのとき私わたしは、ラジオを聞ききながら道みちを歩あるいていました。= At that time, I was walking down the street listening to the radio.
• Natural pairings: 歩きながら〜 / 音楽を聞きながら〜 / テレビを見ながら〜 are very common.

5. Practice Time!

Convert the cues using V-stem + ながら.

Your turn: Make two of your own with 読む／運転する／掃除する.

6. Common Mistakes

7. Related Grammar

• V-て + いる (progressive): describes one ongoing action, not two simultaneous actions.
  • Example: 母ははが部屋へやで本ほんを読よんでいます。= My mother is reading a book in her room.
• A 時、B: use when different people do A and B, or when you want a time point (“when A, B”).
  • Example: 私わたしが部屋へやに入はいったとき、母ははは本ほんを読よんでいました。= When I entered the room, my mother was reading a book.
• For Future Reference: The “Although” Meaning of ながら. While you should focus on the “while ~ing” meaning for now, be aware that ながら has a second, more advanced meaning: “although” or “despite.” This is used to show a contradiction. You’ll learn this at the intermediate level.
  • Example: エミは学生がくせいでありながら、会社かいしゃを経営けいえいしています。= Although Emi is a student, she runs a company.

8. FAQ

Conclusion

You can now:

• ✅ Build V-stem + ながら to say “while ~ing.”
• ✅ Keep the same subject rule and place the main action after ながら.
• ✅ Conjugate only the second verb for tense/politeness.

Practice by describing three things you regularly do at the same time (e.g., commute + listen to podcasts). With ながら, your Japanese will sound natural and efficient.