The grammar pattern ใ~nagaraใ is used to describe two actions being performed by the same person at the same time. It corresponds to the English expressions "while doing..." or "doing two things simultaneously." The primary (most important) action always comes second.
Take the Masu-form of the verb, remove "masu", and attach "nagara".
Verb Conjugation Examples
| Verb | Masu-form | Stem + nagara |
|---|---|---|
| ่ดใ (listen) | ่ดใใพใ | ่ดใใชใใ |
| ้ฃฒใ (drink) | ้ฃฒใฟใพใ | ้ฃฒใฟใชใใ |
| ๆญฉใ (walk) | ๆญฉใใพใ | ๆญฉใใชใใ |
้ณๆฅฝใ่ดใใชใใใๅๅผทใใพใใ
ใใใใใ ใใใชใใใในใใใใใใพใใ
I study while listening to music.
ใณใผใใผใ้ฃฒใฟใชใใใๆฐ่ใ่ชญใฟใพใใ
ใใผใฒใผใ ใฎใฟใชใใใใใใถใใ ใใฟใพใใ
I read the newspaper while drinking coffee.
ๆญฉใใชใใในใใใไฝฟใใชใใงใใ ใใใ
ใใใใชใใ ในใใใ ใคใใใชใใงใใ ใใใ
Please do not use your smartphone while walking.
็งใฏๅใใชใใใๅคงๅญฆใงๅๅผทใใฆใใพใใ
ใใใใฏ ใฏใใใใชใใใใ ใใใใง ในใใใใใใฆใใพใใ
I am studying at university while working.
When using "~nagara", the primary (most important/focal) action should be placed
at the end of the sentence.
"้ณๆฅฝใ่ดใใชใใใๅๅผทใใพใใ" (I study while listening to music.)
โ The main action is "studying".
"ๅๅผทใใชใใใ้ณๆฅฝใ่ดใใพใใ" (I listen to music while studying.)
โ The main action is "listening to music". (Studying is treated as the
secondary/background action.)
โก Practice Quiz
Check your understanding!