InitialJ
N5verbsimultaneous

ながら (nagara) - While

[Verb stem] + ながら + [Verb]

Quick answer

[Verb stem] + ながら + [Verb] means "While doing". Mastering this N5 structure builds fluency for reading and listening. Full examples and exercises are below.

Meaning

While doing

Explanation

ながら indicates doing two actions simultaneously.

Examples

音楽を聞きながら、勉強します。
おんがくをききながら、べんきょうします。
I study while listening to music.
音—Sound楽—Music聞—Hear強—Strong
歩きながら、話しました。
あるきながら、はなしました。
I talked while walking.
歩—Walk話—Talk

Practice this grammar

[Verb stem] + ながら + [Verb]

Which sentence correctly uses "ながら (nagara) - While"?

Vocabulary from these examples

話TalkN5聞HearN5強StrongN4楽MusicN4音SoundN4歩WalkN4話Talk

Last updated Jul 4, 2026