In this lesson, we will focus on expressions about specific actions in time: ばかり, とたんに, ながら and ながらも.
ばかり
We can use ばかり to express an action that has just finished.
To use it, conjugate the verb in the past, then add ばかり :
帰る→帰った→帰ったばかり
帰ったばかりです
You can also say ばっか or ばっかり (more familiar) instead of ばかり.
To use it, conjugate the verb in the past, then add ばかり :
帰る→帰った→帰ったばかり
帰ったばかりです
You can also say ばっか or ばっかり (more familiar) instead of ばかり.
今朝マルシェで買ったばかりのチーズ、こんな 感じで計り売りしています。
This is the cheese we bought this morning. You can buy it by weight like this.
9月の20日に発売されたばっかりなんです。
This product was just launched on September 20th.
就職したばかりで 疲れているのかもしれないと自分を納得させた。
I told myself that it's okay to be tired because I just got a new job.
Exercices
Conjugate the verbs below in the ばかり form.
買う
Answer →
買ったばかり
Translation →
I have just bought
分析する
Answer →
分析したばかり
Translation →
I have just analyzed
とたん
とたん is positioned to connect two actions: an action that has just ended, after which another action occurs.
とたん is only used to speak about things outside the control of the speaker.
To use it, put a past tense verb before とたん or とたんに.
とたん is only used to speak about things outside the control of the speaker.
To use it, put a past tense verb before とたん or とたんに.
泣く→泣いた→泣いたとたん(に)
女の子はそれを 見たとたん、誰からのケーキかすぐに気がついた。
As soon as the girl saw this cake, she realized who gave it to her.
そしてため息をついたとん、気がつきました。
Just after he sighed, he realized.
解決したとたんに、また会いたいと連絡があった。
As soon as the problem was resolved, he contacted me to see me again.
Conjugate the verbs below in the とたん(に) form.
開ける
Answer →
開けたとたん(に)
Translation →
As soon as you open it
始まる
Answer →
始まったとたん(に)
Translation →
As soon as it begins
ながら
ながら is used to talk about two simultaneous actions.
Conjugate the verb to the radical and add ながら.
Conjugate the verb to the radical and add ながら.
1)一段動詞 / ichidan verbs : stem form + ながら
食べる→食べながら
見る→ 見ながら
2) 五段動詞 / godan verbs : stem form + iながら
会う→会いながら
休む→休みながら
3) 不規則動詞 / Irregular verbs :
する→し+ながら
来る→来+ながら
週末のみの通学ですので、働きながらMBAを取得することができます。
You can get a MBA while working given the fact that you have to go to school on week-ends.
それを大体5ヶ月ぐらい繰り返しながら、収穫していく。
Harvesting is done by repeating this action during 5 months.
私は二人の子供を育てながら看護師の仕事を続けました。
I raised two children while working as a nurse.
It's important that the second verb has more importance than the first in the sentence.
Example :
-音楽を聴きながら、働く。
I work while listening to music.
Exercices
Connect the verbs below with the ながら form.
聞く 書く
Answer →
聞きながら書く
Translation →
I write while listening.
働く 食べる
Answer →
働きながら食べる
Translation →
I eat while working.
ながら・ながらも
An another use of ながら is to say things done at the same moment are contradictory.
So we have to pay attention to not confuse with the previous ながら because the meaning is very different.
It is possible to add the particle も at the end. In this case, the sentence further emphasizes the fact that the two actions are contradictory.
Noun + ながら(も)
Adjective + ながら(も)
思っていたよりも面白くなかったなと思いながらも、映画が終わるまで見続てしまう。
Though I found the movie less interesting than I expected, I watch it to the end.
デレク・レドモンド選手は何度も手術を受けながらも、オリンピックに出場しました。
Although Derek Redmond went in for surgery several times, he competed in the Olympics.
大変だとは言いながらも、これからも市民のためにみんなで力を合わせてやっていけたらとは思います。
Although it is hard work, I hope we can continue to work together for the benefit of citizens.
Exercices
Connect the words below to the ながら / ながらも form.
初心者
Answer →
初心者ながら(も)
Translation →
Even though I am a beginner
厳しい
Answer →
厳しいながら(も)
Translation →
Even though he is strict
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