Grammar Info

N2 Lesson 4: 2/18

つつWhile, And

Structure

Verb［stem］+ つつ

Details

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    Formal

About つつ

つつ is a particle in Japanese that appears after the ます-stem form of verbs. When used, it indicates that (B) is an action that is happening at the same time as (A). This usually translates simply as 'while (A), (B)'.

つつ is a formal grammar structure and will appear in writing more than in speech.

Caution

Unlike ながら, つつ is used more often when the (A) action is an ongoing state, rather than an actual physical action that involves movement. ながら may be used for both physical motions and states.

Despite this, the (B) action in つつ sentences may either be physical movements or ongoing states.

Related

Examples

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    ツバメは飛行(ひこう)しつつ、寝(ね)ることができる。

    The swallow can sleep while flying.

    布団(ふとん)をしきつつテレビに見入(みい)ってしまった。

    While laying out my futon, I got transfixed by the TV.

    集金(しゅうきん)しつつ、空(あ)き家(や)の調査(ちょうさ)もしています。

    While working as a bill collector, I am also surveying empty houses.

    育児(いくじ)をしつつ、フルタイムで働(はたら)くのは大変(たいへん)なことです。

    Working full time while raising children is really hard.

    父(ちち)の足跡(あしあと)をたどりつつ、自分(じぶん)の生(い)き方(かた)を探(さが)している。

    While following in my father's footsteps, I am searching for how to live my own life.

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つつ – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (3 in total)

  • Eroliene

    Eroliene

    ツバメは飛行しつつ、寝ることができる。

    Based on how the grammar point was explained, this example sentence seems super, mega wrong.

    Caution - Unlike ながら, つつ is used more often when the (A) action is an ongoing state, rather than an actual physical action that involves movement.

    Flight is an active, physical activity which involves movement. The only explanation I can fathom is a nuance wherein the swallow being asleep makes it a non-active participant in its own flying, downgrading its flight to the “ongoing state” status of hurtling through the air.

    This is some hefty nuance to be dropped in unexplained, so it feels more likely that it is an error. If this is in fact hefty nuance, please confirm! My mind would indeed be blown.

  • descents

    descents

    Damn I thought I was the only one, I am confused with this usage as well

  • l2Characters

    l2Characters

    Me too. I think some clarification should be added here. I have a guess that it has to do with motion (through space and time) because the つつも lesson gave an example in which it wouldn’t be used with ている and I couldn’t find any examples of that. But I don’t know if that guess has any real merit or not.

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