JLPT N4 Grammar – Difference between “〜あいだ” and “〜あいだに”

Table of Contents

1. Difference between “〜あいだ” and “〜あいだに”
2. AあいだB
3. AあいだにB
4. Let’s Compare
5. Summary
6. Quiz
7. Similar Articles
8. Comment

Q: What is the difference between “〜あいだ” and “〜あいだに”?

A: The meaning of these two changes significantly depending on whether or not “〜に” is included. Be sure to understand the usage and meaning well so that you can differentiate between them correctly.

AあいだB (JLPT N4)

[Meaning]
Do B for the entire duration of A

[Rules]　　
[V] Verb plain form / ている form ＋あいだ
[A] い adjective＋あいだ
[Na] な adjective＋あいだ
[N] Noun＋の＋あいだ

[Points]
Words commonly used together
Verbs: 待まつ(to wait)/待まっている(waiting), 食たべる(to eat)/食たべている(eating), 乗のる(to ride)/乗のっている(riding), いる(to be)
Nouns: 休やすみ(vacation), 試験しけん(exam), 学生がくせい(student), 病気びょうき(illness), 旅行りょこう(travel), 仕事しごと(work)

[Examples]
日本にほん語ご学校がっこうにいるあいだは、日本にほん語ごだけを使つかいます。
While I am at the Japanese language school, I only use Japanese.

友達ともだちを待まっているあいだ、ずっとスマホでゲームをしていました。
While I was waiting for my friend, I was playing games on my smartphone the whole time.

若わかいあいだは何なんでもやってみるといいですよ。
While you are young, you should try doing anything.

桜さくらがきれいなあいだ、毎週まいしゅうここで花見はなみをします。
While the cherry blossoms are beautiful, we have a picnic here every week.

母はははわたしが病気びょうきのあいだ、ずっと仕事しごとに行いきませんでした。
While I was sick, my mother didn’t go to work at all.

AあいだにB (JLPT N4)

[Meaning]
Do B before the time of A ends

[Rules]　　
[V] Verb plain form / ている form ＋あいだに
[A] い adjective＋あいだに
[Na] な adjective＋あいだに
[N] Noun＋の＋あいだに

[Points]
Words commonly used together
Verbs：寝ねる(to sleep)/寝ねている(sleeping), 住すむ(to live)/住すんでいる(living), いる(to be)
Nouns：休やすみ(vacation), 独身どくしん(single), 学生がくせい(student)

[Examples]
留学りゅうがくしているあいだに、友達ともだちをたくさん作つくりました。
While studying abroad, I made a lot of friends.

わたしがいないあいだに、だれか来きたようです。
It seems someone came while I was away.

暑あついあいだにあのカフェにかき氷ごおりを食たべに行いこう！
Let’s go to that cafe for shaved ice while it’s hot!

ひまなあいだに部屋へやを片付かたづけよう。
Let’s clean the room while we have free time.

学生がくせいのあいだにN3に受うかりたいです。
I want to pass the N3 while I am a student.

Let’s Compare

Let’s take a closer look at each one.

[ＡあいだＢ]

It is connected to words that indicate a state with a time span, and the latter part of the sentence uses words that express continuous actions or states. It means something like “Do B for the entire duration of A.”

[Examples]
日本にほん語ご学校がっこうにいるあいだは、日本にほん語ごだけを使つかいます。
While I am at the Japanese language school, I only use Japanese.
⇒ While at the Japanese language school, I always use only Japanese.

夏休なつやすみのあいだ、図書としょ館かんに通かよっていました。
During the summer vacation, I regularly went to the library.
⇒ During the summer vacation, I went to the library the whole time.

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[ＡあいだにＢ]

It is connected to words that indicate a time span, but the latter part of the sentence uses expressions that have an instantaneous nature. It means something like “Do B before the time of A ends.”

[Examples]
留学りゅうがくしているあいだに、友達ともだちをたくさん作つくりました。
While studying abroad, I made a lot of friends.
⇒ Before my study abroad period ended, I made a lot of friends.

独身どくしんのあいだに色々いろいろな国くにを旅行りょこうするつもりです。
I plan to travel to various countries while I am single.
⇒ Before I stop being single (before getting married), I plan to travel to various countries.

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Let’s consider the difference a bit more with the following sentences.

[Examples]　
若わかいあいだは、何なんでもやってみるといいですよ。　　　
若わかいあいだに、 何なんでもやってみるといいですよ。
While you are young, you should try everything.

There is a slight difference between these two.
“若わかいあいだ” focuses on habits or attitudes over a certain period of being young. On the other hand, “若わかいあいだに” indicates a specific period of being young and focuses on actions or events within that specific time.

Summary

[ＡあいだＢ]

• It is connected to words that indicate a specific time span, and the latter part of the sentence uses expressions that have an instantaneous nature.
• It indicates actions or events that occurred within that specific time.

[ＡあいだにＢ]

• It is connected to words that indicate a certain amount of time span, and the latter part of the sentence uses words that express continuous actions or states.
• It indicates habits or postures that are continuously performed during that time.

Quiz

Read the following sentence and choose the expression that fits the context from the options provided in the parentheses.

Click on the question to check the answer.

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