Alongside one's main work: 〜かたわら
動詞辞書形・名詞の + かたわら
Verb or noun の + かたわら = “alongside (one's main activity)”: two lasting activities pursued by the same person. Written register.
In short
A かたわら B: while pursuing A (a job, studies, a main activity), you carry on B in parallel, over a long period. Both activities are serious and lasting; the subject is the same. You find it in biographies, author introductions, articles. Written register.
- 彼は会社員として働くかたわら、小説を書いている。かれはかいしゃいんとしてはたらくかたわら、しょうせつをかいている。Alongside his job as an office worker, he writes novels.
- 母は子育てのかたわら、通信教育で資格を取った。ははこそだてのかたわら、つうしんきょういくでしかくをとった。While raising her children, my mother earned a qualification by distance learning.
- 彼女は大学で教えるかたわら、翻訳家としても活躍している。かのじょはだいがくでおしえるかたわら、ほんやくかとしてもかつやくしている。As well as teaching at university, she has a career as a translator.
The basics
かたわら (傍ら) literally means “side, close by”: 母のかたわらに座る (“sit beside one's mother”). In grammar, it refers to an activity carried on “alongside” the main one: you work, and on the side you write, study, volunteer.
It's a construction for portraits: it presents a double life, over months or years.
Alongside his job at a company, he writes novels.
- noun
- verb
- grammatical form
- 会社で働くかたわら、小説を書いている。かいしゃではたらくかたわら、しょうせつをかいている。Alongside his job at a company, he writes novels.
- 彼は弁護士の仕事のかたわら、市民向けの講座を開いている。かれはべんごしのしごとのかたわら、しみんむけのこうざをひらいている。As well as working as a lawyer, he runs courses open to the public.
How to form it
かたわら follows a dictionary-form verb or a noun followed by の. The second part is often in the ている-form, or in the past for a completed career.
| Before | Construction | Example |
|---|---|---|
| verb | dictionary + かたわら | 働くかたわら |
| noun | noun + の + かたわら | 仕事のかたわら |
| literal sense | noun + のかたわらに | 母のかたわらに座る |
- 彼女は主婦業のかたわら、絵本作家として活動している。かのじょはしゅふぎょうのかたわら、えほんさっかとしてかつどうしている。As well as keeping house, she works as a picture-book author.
Two lasting activities
かたわら doesn't describe two actions done at the same instant (“eating while watching TV”): for that, you say ながら. It's about two activities pursued in parallel in life, over time, by the same person.
- テレビを見ながらご飯を食べる。テレビをみながらごはんをたべる。Eating while watching TV.
かたわら, ながら, がてら, 一方で
ながら: two simultaneous actions. がてら: an outing that serves two purposes, a one-off. 一方で: two facts set side by side, often in contrast. かたわら: a double life, main activity + side activity.
| Form | Duration | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜ながら | same instant | 歩きながら話す |
| 〜がてら | one outing | 散歩がてら買い物する |
| 〜かたわら | months, years | 働くかたわら絵を描く |
| 〜一方で | parallel, contrast | 賛成する一方で不安もある |
- 彼は医者として働く一方で、患者の声を記録し続けてきた。かれはいしゃとしてはたらくいっぽうで、かんじゃのこえをきろくしつづけてきた。While working as a doctor, he never stopped recording his patients' voices.
Common mistakes
- Using it for two simultaneous actions: “音楽を聞くかたわら宿題をする” is wrong; it's ながら.
- Forgetting の after a noun: 仕事のかたわら, not “仕事かたわら”.
- Confusing it with かたがた (politeness formula) or がてら (a one-off outing).
7 exercises on this point
Particles to choose, sentences to put back in order, translations: marked straight away, then reviewed at the right time. This JLPT N1 point is on the Nishi-Kyūshū Line (Trade and the economy) of the Shinkansen.