JLPT N3 Grammar – The difference between “〜途中で” and “〜うちに”

Table of Contents

1. The difference between “〜途中とちゅうで” and “〜うちに”
2. 〜途中とちゅうで
3. 〜うちに
4. Let’s Compare
5. Summary
6. Quiz
7. Similar Articles
8. Comments

Q: Are there any differences in grammar between”〜途中とちゅうで” and “〜うちに”?

A: The difference between these two grammar patterns lies in when the next event happens within the first state.
Let’s take a closer look.

〜途中とちゅうで (JLPT N3)

[Meaning]
Indicates that another event occurs during the middle of an ongoing action

[Rule]
[V] Verb dictionary form + 途中とちゅうで
[N] Noun + の + 途中とちゅうで

[Examples]　
いつも駅えきに行いく途中とちゅうでコンビニに行いきます。
I always stop by the convenience store on my way to the station.
⇒ During the action of “going to the station,” a different action, “stop by the convenience store,” occurs.

日本にほん語ごの勉強べんきょうの途中とちゅうで、家いえに誰だれかが来きました。
Someone came to my house while I was studying Japanese.
⇒ Someone arrived, causing my Japanese study to be temporarily interrupted.

山登やまのぼりの途中とちゅうで雨あめが降ふってきました。
It started raining while I was climbing the mountain.
⇒The rain drew my attention away from what I was doing.

〜うちに (JLPT N3)

[Meaning]
It expresses a change that occurs while an action or state is continuing.
It is especially used when the change happens naturally or without the speaker noticing.

[Rule]
[V] Verb dictionary form / negative form + うちに
[N] Noun + の + うちに

[Examples]　
山登やまのぼりしているうちに夜よるになってしまいました。
It became night while I was climbing the mountain.
⇒ While the speaker was climbing, it became night without me realizing it.

日本にほん語ごを勉強べんきょうしているうちに、漢字かんじが分わかるようになりました。
While studying Japanese, I gradually began to understand kanji.
⇒ As the speaker continued studying, he began to understand kanji without noticing the exact moment.

In the first clause, words that express a continuing state are used.
It means that while that state continues, a natural change occurs or a change happens without the speaker noticing it.
Unlike “〜途中とちゅうで,” the action does not stop, nor does the speaker’s attention shift because of the event that occurs.

[Examples]　
本ほんを読よんでいるうちに、寝ねてしまいました。
I fell asleep while I was reading a book.

しばらく来こないうちにお店みせがなくなっていました。
The shop had closed while I hadn’t visited for a while.

Let’s Compare

When there is an interruption or a shift of attention, “〜途中とちゅうで” is used.
Something else happens途中とちゅうで, and the speaker’s attention shifts to that event.
On the other hand, when the change is natural or happens without the speaker noticing, “〜うちに” is used.
The action continues without being interrupted, and the change or result appears naturally.

Let’s look at the examples.

[Examples]　
本ほんを読よんでいる途中とちゅうで、電話でんわが鳴なりました。

A phone rang while I was in the middle of reading a book.
⇒ The action of reading is interrupted.

本ほんを読よんでいるうちに、寝ねてしまいました。

I fell asleep while I was reading a book.

⇒ The action of reading continues, and the change happens without the speaker noticing.

Let’s look at one more pair of examples.

[Examples]　
買かい物ものに行いく途中とちゅうで、雨あめが降ふってきました。

It started raining while I was on my way to go shopping.

⇒ Noticing the rain shifts the speaker’s attention, and the action may temporarily stop.

練習れんしゅうしているうちに、発音はつおんが上手じょうずになってきました。

My pronunciation naturally improved as I kept practicing.

⇒ The action continues without stopping, and a natural change occurs.

Summary

Grammar	Characteristics of what happens next	Does the action stop?	Does the attention shift?
〜途中とちゅうで	別べつの出来事できごとが起おきる	止とまることが多おおい	別べつのことに向むく
〜うちに	自然しぜんな変化へんか・気きづかない変化へんか	止とまらない	動うごかない（もとの行動こうどうを続つづける）

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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