Mastering 間 (aida): Expressing "While" or "During" in Japanese (JLPT N4 Grammar)

Japanese Grammar Template

Meaning & Usage

✨ Basic Meaning

“While”, “during”, “in the meantime”

🎯 Primary Function

To indicate that an action or state continues throughout the entire duration of another action or state.

📋 Grammar Structure

[Verb Dictionary form/ない form] 間 [い-adjective] 間 [な-adjective] な間 [Noun] の間

🎭 Usage Contexts

🏢 Formal Situations

Used naturally in both formal and informal contexts. The politeness depends on the ending of the main verb/clause.

😊 Informal Situations

Very commonly used.

✍️ Written Language

Frequent in descriptive writing.

🗣️ Spoken Language

Very common in everyday conversation.

💡 Common Applications

Describing a continuous action happening concurrently with another state or action.

Used when the action or state in the second clause takes place for the entire duration of the action or state in the first clause.

Example: 夏休みの間、ずっと日本語を勉強しました。 (Natsuyasumi no aida, zutto Nihongo o benkyō shimashita. – I studied Japanese the whole time during the summer vacation.)

Describing a state that continues while another action or state is ongoing.

Similar to the above, emphasizing the continuity of a state (e.g., silence, being away) throughout a period.

Example: 先生が話している間、静かに聞いてください。 (Sensei ga hanashite iru aida, shizuka ni kiite kudasai. – Please listen quietly while the teacher is speaking.)

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📊

Frequency

Very high frequency in daily communication.

🎚️

Difficulty

Intermediate (N4 level), especially differentiating from 間に.

Example Sentences

母が買い物に行っている間、私は家で掃除をしていました。

While my mother was out shopping, I was cleaning the house.

子供が寝ている間、大人はゆっくり休みました。

While the children were sleeping, the adults relaxed slowly.

この本を読んでいる間、他のことは何も考えられませんでした。

While I was reading this book, I couldn’t think about anything else.

Notes & Nuances

📌 Important Points

Emphasizes the entire duration

間 (aida) is typically used when the action or state in the second part of the sentence spans the *entire duration* of the action or state in the first part.

Example: 夏休みの間、ずっと雨が降っていました。(Natsuyasumi no aida, zutto ame ga futte imashita. – It rained *the whole time* during the summer vacation.)

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⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ Using 間 when the second action happens only at one point.

✅ Use 間に instead of 間.

間 is for actions/states continuing throughout the first clause’s duration. 間に is for actions/states happening *at some point* during the first clause’s duration.

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🏛️ Cultural Context

Politeness Level: Neutral; politeness is determined by the main verb.

Social Situations: Used widely in various social contexts.

Regional Variations: None significant for this grammar pattern.

🔍 Subtle Differences

間 (aida) vs. 間に (aida ni)

間: The second action/state continues throughout the duration of the first event. 間に: A single action or change happens at some point within the duration of the first event.

When to use: Use 間 when the second action/state is continuous or spans the whole period. Use 間に when the second action is a single, punctual event or a change of state within the period.

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📝 Conjugation Notes

Connects directly after the plain form of verbs (dictionary or ない form), い-adjectives, な-adjectives + な, and nouns + の.

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

Pronounced あいだ (a-i-da). The pitch accent is typically flat.

🧠 Memory Tips

Think of 間 as a tunnel or bridge (representing the duration). If something is happening *continuously* inside the tunnel (like walking through it), use 間. If something happens *at a specific point* inside the tunnel (like seeing a specific sign), use 間に.

Practice Exercises

夏休み＿＿、家族と旅行に行きました。

の間

の間に

と

に

先生の話している＿＿、メモを取りました。

間

間に

とき

ながら

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thuandao

I’m a software engineer based in Japan, with experience in developing web and mobile applications. I’m passionate about technology, especially in DevOps, AI, and app development using platforms like AWS, Flutter, and Node.js. My goal is to build a website that shares knowledge about the Japanese language and IT, helping everyone learn and grow more easily in the digital era.

Mastering 間 (aida): Expressing “While” or “During” in Japanese (JLPT N4 Grammar)

✨ Basic Meaning

🎯 Primary Function

📋 Grammar Structure

🎭 Usage Contexts

💡 Common Applications

📌 Important Points

⚠️ Common Mistakes

🏛️ Cultural Context

🔍 Subtle Differences

📝 Conjugation Notes

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

🧠 Memory Tips

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✨ Basic Meaning

🎯 Primary Function

📋 Grammar Structure

🎭 Usage Contexts

💡 Common Applications

📌 Important Points

⚠️ Common Mistakes

🏛️ Cultural Context

🔍 Subtle Differences

📝 Conjugation Notes

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

🧠 Memory Tips

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Like this:

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