Grammar Info

N4 Lesson 6: 13/16

～ている間(あいだ)に

While, During the time that ~

Structure

Verb［ている］+ 間(あいだ)に

Details

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    一般

About ているあいだに

When (A) ている is paired with 間(あいだ)に (B), it expresses that '(B) is happening/happened within the timeframe of (A)'. These events do not need to be related in any specific way, but the (B) action must happen somewhere within the duration of (A). This construction translates naturally as 'during the time that (A), (B)'.
  • ねえ、数(かぞ)えている間(あいだ)には話(はな)しかけるな。
    Hey, don't talk to me while I'm counting.
  • 荷物(にもつ)を運(はこ)んでいる間(あいだ)に転(ころ)んで怪我(けが)をした。
    I tripped and hurt myself when I was carrying luggage.
ている間(あいだ)に will often be used when the (B) action is somehow beyond the control of the speaker. However, this is not always the case.
  • 旅行(りょこう)に行(い)っている間(あいだ)に家(いえ)に泥棒(どろぼう)が入(はい)った。
    While I was on a trip, a burglar came into my house.
Fun Fact
間(あいだ) literally means an 'interval', and therefore highlights the (A) event as being the 'whole' span of time, within which (B) happened/will happen at some point.

Synonyms

Examples

  • 妻(つま)が寝(ね)ている間(あいだ)に、私(わたし)は好(す)きなことができる。

    While my wife is sleeping, I can do what I like.

  • サッカーをしている間(あいだ)に電話(でんわ)がかかってきました。

    I got a phone call while playing soccer.

  • 勉強(べんきょう)をしている間(あいだ)にお腹(なか)が空(す)いてきた。

    I became hungry while studying.

  • 映画(えいが)を見(み)ている間(あいだ)に、お父(とう)さんが帰(かえ)って来(き)た。

    While I was watching a movie, my father came home.

  • 運転(うんてん)をしている間(あいだ)に、目(め)の前(まえ)で事故(じこ)が起(お)こった。

    While I was driving, an accident happened right before my eyes.

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ているあいだに – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (7 in total)

  • mrnoone

    mrnoone

    @Johnathan-Weir

    Hey

    It points that action expressed by verbていた has already been completed at the moment of speech.

    So it means:
    ジムに行っていた間に、君はいったい何してたんだ。
    (What the heck were you doing while I was at the gym?)

    But, in this case:
    ジムに行っている間に、君はいったい何してたんだ。
    also means
    (What the heck were you doing while I was at the gym?), because the tense is expressed at the end of the sentence anyway. So if the action at the end was finished and it took place during the 間に action then obviously 間に is also finished.

    I wouldn’t use ていた間に when talking about the present or future though.
    Using ている間に is generally much more common.

    By the way, verb[た]+間に is not used.

    I hope it helps,
    Cheers!

  • Ochamame

    Ochamame

    Why is ハイキングをしている間に狼の鳴き声が聞こえた。wrong? Do particles have to be dropped before 間に?

  • yusanchan

    yusanchan

    I have difficulty in comparing ている間に and ているところ, when shall i use them, or are they very similar or the same? I always mixed up the answer during review.

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