Meaning & Usage
✨ Basic Meaning
‘While you are at it’ or ‘on the occasion of.’
🎯 Primary Function
To indicate that one takes the opportunity of doing one action to do another related action.
📋 Grammar Structure
V-dictionary form / V-ta form + ついでに
Not applicable. (Rarely used with adjectives)
Not applicable. (Rarely used with adjectives)
Not used in negative form (the primary action must occur).
🎭 Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Common in business settings when mentioning incidental tasks (e.g., while visiting a client).
Informal Situations
Extremely common for daily requests and casual talk.
Written Language
Used in emails, journals, and blogs.
Spoken Language
Used frequently to ask for favors or describe one’s day.
💡 Common Applications
Errands and Chores
Used when performing a secondary minor task during a primary errand.
Example: 買い物のついでに、銀行に寄る。 (While shopping, stop by the bank.)
Travel and Trips
Taking advantage of being in a specific location for another purpose.
Example: 出張のついでに、観光する。 (While on a business trip, do some sightseeing.)
Frequency
High in daily conversation and informal writing.
Difficulty
JLPT N3
Tag:
Example Sentences
Example #1
コンビニに行くついでに、牛乳を買ってきて。
Furigana: コンビニにいく（行く）ついでに、ぎゅうにゅう（牛乳）をかって（買って）きて。
Romaji: Konbini ni iku tsuide ni, gyuunyuu o katte kite.
English: While going to the convenience store, please buy some milk.
Example #2
散歩のついでに、手紙を出してきた。
Furigana: さんぽ（散歩）のついでに、てがみ（手紙）をだして（出して）きた。
Romaji: Sanpo no tsuide ni, tegami o dashite kita.
English: While I was out for a walk, I mailed the letter.
Example #3
東京へ出張したついでに、古い友人に会った。
Furigana: とうきょう（東京）へしゅっちょう（出張）したついでに、ふるい（古い）ゆうじん（友人）にあ（会）った。
Romaji: Toukyou he shutchou shita tsuide ni, furui yuujin ni atta.
English: While on a business trip to Tokyo, I met an old friend.
Example #4
部屋を掃除するついでに、古い服を捨てた。
Furigana: へや（部屋）をそうじ（掃除）するついでに、ふるい（古い）ふく（服）をす（捨）てた。
Romaji: Heya o souji suru tsuide ni, furui fuku o suteta.
English: While cleaning my room, I threw away some old clothes.
Example #5
図書館へ本を返しに行くついでに、新しい本を借りた。
Furigana: としょかん（図書館）へほん（本）をかえ（返し）しにいく（行く）ついでに、あたらしい（新しい）ほん（本）をか（借）りた。
Romaji: Toshokan he hon o kaeshi ni iku tsuide ni, atarashii hon o karita.
English: While going to the library to return books, I borrowed a new one.
Example #6
買い物のついでに、パンを買ってきてくれない？
Furigana: かいもの（買い物）のついでに、パンをかって（買っ）てきてくれない？
Romaji: Kaimono no tsuide ni, pan o katte kite kurenai?
English: Since you’re going shopping, could you buy some bread for me?
Example #7
晩ご飯を作るついでに、明日のお弁当も用意した。
Furigana: ばん（晩）ごはん（ご飯）をつく（作）るついでに、あした（明日）のおべんとう（お弁当）もようい（用意）した。
Romaji: Bangohan o tsukuru tsuide ni, ashita no obentou mo youi shita.
English: While I was cooking dinner, I also prepared tomorrow’s lunch box.
Example #8
京都に行ったついでに、お寺をいくつか回った。
Furigana: きょうと（京都）にいった（行った）ついでに、おてら（お寺）をいくつかまわ（回）った。
Romaji: Kyouto ni itta tsuide ni, otera o ikutsuka mawatta.
English: Since I went to Kyoto, I visited several temples while I was at it.
Example #9
上司にメールを送るついでに、報告書も添付した。
Furigana: じょうし（上司）にメールをおく（送）るついでに、ほうこくしょ（報告書）もてんぷ（添付）した。
Romaji: Joushi ni meeru o okuru tsuide ni, houkokusho mo tenpu shita.
English: While sending an email to my boss, I attached the report as well.
Example #10
ジョギングをするついでに、郵便局に寄った。
Furigana: ジョギングをするついでに、ゆうびんきょく（郵便局）によ（寄）った。
Romaji: Jogingu o suru tsuide ni, yuubinkyoku ni yotta.
English: While I was out jogging, I stopped by the post office.
Notes & Nuances
📌 Important Points
Primary vs. Secondary Action
The action before ‘tsuide ni’ is the main purpose, and the action after is the incidental one.
Example: 掃除をするついでに、窓を拭いた。
Opportunity-based Action
It suggests that the opportunity for the second action arose because of the first.
Example: 勉強のついでに、お菓子を食べた。
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ 牛乳を買うついでに、コンビニに行った。
✅ コンビニに行くついでに、牛乳を買った。
‘Tsuide ni’ implies the second action is secondary. If you only went for milk, don’t use it.
🏛️ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: Neutral. Can be used with polite or casual endings.
Social Situations: Often used to make a request feel less burdensome by suggesting it can be done ‘along the way.’
Regional Variations: Standard across Japan.
🔍 Subtle Differences
ついでに vs. ながら
‘Nagara’ is for two things happening simultaneously (walking and talking). ‘Tsuide ni’ is for one thing done using the opportunity of another.
When to use: Use ‘tsuide ni’ when the actions are sequential or when one is a byproduct of the other.
📝 Conjugation Notes
Verbs must be in dictionary form (for future/habitual actions) or past form (for completed actions). Nouns require the particle ‘no’.
🔊 Pronunciation Tips
Stress is even, but ensure the ‘ni’ is clearly audible to mark the relationship between clauses.
🧠 Memory Tips
Think of it as ‘killing two birds with one stone’ where the first bird was your original target.
Other Grammar
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