Today’s Grammar Point:  ～ながら/～ながらも

I talked about the multitasking ながら in this post but today I’m going to talk about ～ながら that means “in spite of ～,” “although ～,” etc. The “～” part is usually a verb or phrase that describes a condition, rather than a momentary action. Just like the multitasking ながら, the subject (the doer) of both verbs before and after ながら is the same person. With this meaning, you can add も to stress the “adverse” feel and make it sound a bit more official. ～ながら and ～ながらも both are more often used in writing than in speech.

Connections

• [verb stem] + ながら（も）
• [てform verb] + い + ながら（も）
• [いadj] + ながら（も）
• [なadj] （+で + い） + ながら（も）
• [noun] （+で + い） + ながら（も）

Examples

東京とうきょうは住すみにくい街まちだと言いわれながらも、たくさんの人ひとが住すんでいる。
Although it is said that Tokyo is a difficult city to live in, many people live there.

身体からだに悪わるいと知しりながら、タバコを吸すっている。
I smoke, knowing that it is bad for my health.

止やめた方ほうがいいと思おもいながらも、なかなか止やめられない。
I think it’s better to stop it, but it’s hard to stop.

父ちちは病院びょういんにいながらも、仕事しごとをし続つづけた。
My father continued to work even though he was in the hospital.

鈴木すずきさんは、赤あかん坊ぼうがいながら、赤あかん坊ぼうの世話せわは奥おくさん任まかせだ。
Mr. Suzuki has a baby, but he leaves the care of the baby to his wife.

両親りょうしんに学費がくひを出だしてもらいながら、ジョンさんはアルバイトに忙いそがしくて、大学だいがくに行いっていない。
John is busy working part-time and isn’t going to college, even though his parents are paying his tuition.

ジョンさんは結婚けっこんしていながら、毎晩まいばん夜遅よるおそくまで外そとで酒さけを飲のんでいる。
Even though he is married, John stays out drinking until late every night.

身体からだに良よくないと聞きいていながら、いつまでたってもタバコが止やめられない。
I heard that it’s not good for my health, but I cannot ever stop smoking.

ジョンさんは背せが低ひくいながら、バスケットボールがすごく上手じょうずだ。
Although John is short, he is very good at basketball.

父ちちは元気げんきながらも、最近さいきんは物忘ものわすれがひどい。
Although my father is fine, he has been terribly forgetful these days.

姉あねは母親ははおやでいながら、仕事しごともバリバリこなしている。
Although my sister is a mother, she is also very busy with her own work.

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