As one is, since birth: 〜ながらに（して）
名詞・動詞ます形 + ながらに（して）／ながらの
ながらに(して) / ながらの: “as is, without a change of state”. Fixed, written expressions: 生まれながらに, 涙ながらに, 昔ながらの, 居ながらにして.
In short
This ながら has nothing to do with “while”. Here it means “as is, in the same state”: 生まれながらに (from birth, by nature), 涙ながらに (in tears), 昔ながらの (as in the old days, traditional), 居ながらにして (without leaving where one is). These are fixed expressions, in a written register.
- 彼女は生まれながらにして音楽の才能に恵まれていた。かのじょはうまれながらにしておんがくのさいのうにめぐまれていた。She was gifted with musical talent from birth.
- 母親は涙ながらに事件の様子を語った。ははおやはなみだながらにじけんのようすをかたった。The mother described what had happened, in tears.
- この店では、昔ながらの製法でしょうゆを造っている。このみせでは、むかしながらのせいほうでしょうゆをつくっている。This shop makes its soy sauce using traditional methods.
The basics
In classical Japanese, ながら meant “as is, unchanged”. Modern Japanese has kept it in a few expressions: you do something while remaining in a certain state (in tears, at home), or something has stayed as it was (since birth, since the old days).
にして reinforces it and makes the sentence even more formal: 生まれながらに and 生まれながらにして mean the same.
You can do your shopping without leaving home.
- noun
- verb
- grammatical form
- 今は家に居ながらにして買い物ができる。いまはいえにいながらにしてかいものができる。Nowadays you can do your shopping without leaving home.
- 彼は生まれながらに目が見えなかった。かれはうまれながらにめがみえなかった。He was blind from birth.
The expressions to know
The list is short. Learn each expression as a word, with its form: ながらに(して) before a verb, ながらの before a noun.
| Expression | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 生まれながらに(して)／の | from birth, innate | 生まれながらの才能 |
| 涙ながらに | in tears | 涙ながらに語る |
| 昔ながらの | as in the old days, traditional | 昔ながらの町並み |
| 居ながらにして | without moving from where one is | 居ながらにして世界を知る |
| いつもながら(の) | as always | いつもながらの見事な演技 |
- この通りには、昔ながらの町並みが残っている。このとおりには、むかしながらのまちなみがのこっている。This street has kept its old-time look.
- いつもながら、見事な演技だった。いつもながら、みごとなえんぎだった。As always, it was a remarkable performance.
Don't confuse it with the other ながら
ながら (N4): two actions at the same time (音楽を聞きながら勉強する). ながらも (N1, seen earlier): concession, “although” (狭いながらも楽しい我が家). まま: leaving a state as it is, with any verb (靴を履いたまま).
ながらに(して) can't be created freely: “×食べながらに” doesn't exist. If you want to say “while remaining in such a state” with any verb, use まま.
- 狭いながらも、楽しい我が家だ。せまいながらも、たのしいわがやだ。It's small, but it's our home and we're happy here.
- 靴を履いたまま部屋に入らないでください。くつをはいたままへやにはいらないでください。Please don't come into the room with your shoes on.
Common mistakes
- Reading 涙ながらに as “while”: it isn't about crying while talking, but about talking in a tearful, emotional state.
- Making up new expressions (“×食べながらに”, “×働きながらの”): only the fixed formulas exist.
- Forgetting の before a noun: 昔ながらの味, 生まれながらの才能.
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 Jōetsu Line (The land and the environment) of the Shinkansen.