「ながら（も）」- Expressing Contrary Situations
Explanation
「〜ながら（も）」 is an important grammatical structure used to express contrary situations. It is pronounced as 「ながら（も）」. This structure is often used to describe a situation where, despite a certain condition or state existing, the result is the opposite. It is equivalent to "although... but..." in English.
Grammar Pattern
| Grammar Point | Connection | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Verb Masu-form + ながら（も） | Verb Masu-form | Indicates that despite a certain condition or state existing, the result is the opposite. |
| い-Adjective Dictionary Form + ながら（も） | い-Adjective Dictionary Form | Indicates that despite a certain condition or state existing, the result is the opposite. |
| な-Adjective Stem + ながら（も） | な-Adjective Stem | Indicates that despite a certain condition or state existing, the result is the opposite. |
| Noun + ながら（も） | Noun | Indicates that despite a certain condition or state existing, the result is the opposite. |
Basic Usage
「〜ながら（も）」 is used to express that despite a certain state or condition existing, the result is the opposite. This usage emphasizes the coexistence of two opposing actions or qualities, often used to indicate a contrast or contradiction.
彼 はまだ若 いながら（も）、非常ひじょう にしっかりしている。- Kare wa mada wakai nagara (mo), hijou ni shikkari shite iru.
- Although he is still young, he is very mature.
Deep Dive
Basic Concept
The core of 「〜ながら（も）」 lies in expressing a contradiction or opposition. It is similar to conjunctions like 「けれども」 or 「しかし」, but it emphasizes the coexistence of opposing conditions more strongly.
Examples
彼 は全然勉強 しないながら（も）、試験 に合格 した。- Kare wa zenzen benkyou shinai nagara (mo), shiken ni goukaku shita.
- Although he didn't study at all, he passed the exam.
彼女 は歌 が下手 ながら（も）、カラオケが大好 きだ。- Kanojo wa uta ga heta na nagara (mo), karaoke ga daisuki da.
- Although she is bad at singing, she loves karaoke.
Real-Life Scenarios
Dialogue Example
- A:
彼 は試験 に合格 したそうですね。 - A: Kare wa shiken ni goukaku shita sou desu ne.
- A: I heard he passed the exam.
- B: そうですね、全然
勉強 しなかったながら（も）、運 が良 かったんですね。 - B: Sou desu ne, zenzen benkyou shinakatta nagara (mo), un ga yokatta n desu ne.
- B: Yes, although he didn't study at all, he was lucky.
Summary
「〜ながら（も）」 is a very useful grammatical structure in Japanese for expressing contrary situations or states. This grammar is not only common in written language but also frequently used in spoken language. Mastering the usage of 「〜ながら（も）」 can make your Japanese expressions richer and more precise.