〜かたわら
While/alongside
The pattern 〜かたわら is used when someone performs two different roles or activities over a sustained period. It usually follows the structure: [Main Activity/Job] かたわら [Side Activity/Hobby].
How It Works
1. Meaning and Usage
〜かたわら translates to "while," "alongside," or "in addition to." It is specifically used for long-term, ongoing commitments. It is most commonly found in formal writing, such as biographies, news reports, or professional introductions.
2. The "Main vs. Side" Nuance
A key feature of this pattern is the hierarchy between the two actions:
- Activity A (Before かたわら): Usually the person's main profession, social role, or primary duty (e.g., working at a company, being a student, or parenting).
- Activity B (After かたわら): A secondary pursuit, such as a side business, a serious hobby, or volunteer work.
3. Critical Restrictions
- Same Subject: The subject must be the same for both activities. You cannot use this to describe two different people doing different things.
- No Momentary Actions: This pattern cannot be used for short-term physical actions happening at the same time (e.g., eating while walking). For those situations, use ながら.
4. Grammatical Connection
- Verbs: Use the [Dictionary Form] + かたわら (e.g., 働くかたわら).
- Nouns: Use [Noun] + の + かたわら (e.g., 仕事のかたわら).
5. Formal Register
This is a highly formal expression. In casual conversation, people would use ながら or simply し to list activities. Use this pattern when you want to sound professional or literary.
Examples (4)
- 彼は銀行に勤務するかたわら、週末はボランティア活動に参加している。
While working at a bank, he also participates in volunteer activities on weekends.
Word by Word: He bank at work while, weekends volunteer activities in participating is.
Working at the bank is the primary job, while volunteering is the secondary activity balanced alongside it.
- 母は家事のかたわら、近所の子供たちにピアノを教えている。
Alongside her household chores, my mother teaches piano to neighborhood children.
Word by Word: Mother housework 's alongside, neighborhood children to piano teaching is.
This uses the [Noun + の] construction. Housework is the main daily responsibility, and teaching piano is the side activity.
- 彼女はモデルのかたわら、大学で心理学を学んでいる。
Alongside her work as a model, she is studying psychology at university.
Word by Word: She model 's alongside, university at psychology studying is.
Being a model is her primary role, and her university studies are the parallel pursuit.
- 父は農業を営むかたわら、地元の市役所でも働いている。
While running a farm, my father also works at the local city hall.
Word by Word: Father agriculture run while, local city hall at also working is.
This describes two professional roles held simultaneously in a person's life.
Common Mistakes
Using it for simultaneous physical actions.
テレビを見るかたわら、ご飯を食べる。テレビを見ながら、ご飯を食べる。かたわら is for long-term life roles, not for doing two physical actions at the same time (like eating while watching TV). Use ながら for physical simultaneity.
Using different subjects for the two activities.
田中さんが働くかたわら、鈴木さんは寝ている。田中さんは働くかたわら、小説を書いている。The subject must be the same person for both activities. You cannot use it to compare what two different people are doing.
Using the wrong verb form.
働きかたわら、勉強する。働くかたわら、勉強する。Unlike ながら which uses the [ます form] stem, かたわら requires the [Dictionary Form] of the verb.
How It Connects
Learn This First
〜かたわら is a formal expression used to describe doing one activity (often a main job or occupation) while also engaging in another. To use it, learners need to know how to connect nouns using the particle 'の' and how to attach nouns to the dictionary form of verbs. It is conceptually similar to 'ながら' but used for long-term, ongoing activities rather than momentary simultaneous actions.
- のPossessive/nominalizer
The pattern 〜かたわら is often used with nouns followed by the possessive particle 'の' (e.g., 仕事のかたわら).
Level 1 - Noun Modification
Understanding how verbs and nouns modify other nouns is essential because 〜かたわら functions as a noun-based structure that follows the dictionary form of verbs or nouns.
Level 1 - ながらWhile Doing
ながら is the basic 'while' pattern; understanding simultaneous actions is a conceptual prerequisite for this more formal and professional version.
Level 2
Related Patterns
- 〜ついでにWhile at It
Used when one action provides a convenient chance to do another one-off task, unlike the long-term commitment of かたわら.
Level 3 - 〜がてらWhile/on the Occasion
Used for doing a secondary task while performing a primary movement (like a walk), but is less formal and less focused on professional roles.
Level 5 - としてAs/in the Role of
Used to define a specific role (e.g., 'working as a teacher'), which often appears in the same context as describing professional roles.
Level 3 - 一方でOn the Other Hand
Means 'on the other hand' or 'at the same time,' often used to contrast two different aspects or ongoing situations.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice 〜かたわら in Bubblegum
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