Grammar Info

N3 Lesson 1: 4/22

(あいだ)

While, During, Between, Period

Structure

Verb + (あいだ)
[い]Adjective + (あいだ)
[な]Adjective + + (あいだ)
Noun + + (あいだ)

Details

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About の間に

(あいだ) is an expression that can be used with almost any type of word, to highlight that (A) is the period/space within which something else will or did happen/exist. It may also be a period/space 'until' something else will or did happen/exist. It is a combination of the noun (あいだ), and the case marking particle .

When used with verbs or い-Adjectives, (あいだ) will simply follow the verb/adjective. However, の will be required after nouns, while な will be required after な-Adjectives.

When (あいだ) is being used to express the period/space 'until' something happens/exists, it will be paired with まで.

With (あいだ), the (B) action/location is usually something that can or did happen/exist at a 'specific' point during (A), and does/did not take up the whole time-frame/space of (A). In this way, it can translate more literally as 'in the span of (A)'. This comes from the kanji (あいだ)'s common meaning as 'an interval'.

Synonyms

Examples

--:--

    いつも(ねむ)っている(あいだ)歯軋(はぎし)りをしてしまう。

    I always grind my teeth while I'm asleep.

    (わたし)(ひま)(あいだ)電話(でんわ)をかけてください。

    Please call me while I am free.

    仕事(しごと)()くまで(あいだ)掃除(そうじ)したかったけど無理(むり)だった。

    During the time that I had before going to work I wanted to clean, but it was not possible.

    (わたし)(いえ)にいる(あいだ)電話(でんわ)をかけてください。

    Please call me while I am at home.

    (ぼく)東京(とうきょう)()っていた5年(ごねん)(あいだ)(かれ)()わってしまった。

    He had changed during the 5 years I was in Tokyo.

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      の間に – Grammar Discussion

      Most Recent Replies (21 in total)

      • Daru

        Daru

        This grammar point always refers to space!

        The first sentence is “in the valley in the space between the mountains”, whilst the second one is “between two tall people”, like you’ve correctly pointed out.

        Could you give a bit more clarification on what is it that you feel like you’re missing? To me it seems like you have a good grasp.

      • razmic

        razmic

        For this,
        長い航海の間に、僕は本物の船乗りになったんだ。
        During a long voyage, I became a real sailor.
        Is there a reason I could not use の序でに instead of の間に?
        Forgive me if this has been answered somewhere.

      • willemvanhazendonk

        willemvanhazendonk

        then how about the following sentences

        いつも、忙しい間には掃除できない
        いつも、忙しいうちには掃除ができない

        I assume the latter would be wrong/unnatural since it became a select time frame due to いつも
        while i am busy i cant always clean / or always while busy i cannot clean.

        then theres the following sentence:
        赤ちゃんは食べている内に寝てしまった
        赤ちゃんは食べている間に寝てしまった
        would the first one imply that because the baby fell asleep he won’t be able to eat anymore? wheres the second sentence simply states that the baby fell asleep?

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