ながら

Conjunction (Basic ㊦ 269)

A conjunction which indicates that the action expressed by the preceding verb takes place concurrently or simultaneously with the action expressed in the main clause.

Equivalent: While; over; with

田口さんはいつも新聞を読みながら朝ご飯を食べる・食べます。: Mr. Taguchi always reads a newspaper while eating his breakfast.
歩きながら本を読むのは危ないですよ。: It is dangerous to read while walking.
山口さんは笑いながら私の話の聞いていた。: Mr. Yamaguchi was listening to me with a smile. / While smiling, Mr. Yamaguchi was listening to my story.
私は寝ながら小説を読むのが好きだ。: I like to read novels in bed. / While in bed, I like to read novels.
ものを食べながら話してはいけません。: Don’t talk with food in your mouth. / You must not talk while eating things.
木村君は会社で働きながら学校に行っている。: Mr. Kimura works for a company while going to school.

Formation

Vます	ながら
	話しながら	While talking/talk while doing something
	食べながら	While eating/eat while doing something

Notes

1. Verbますながら expresses an action that occurs concurrently or simultaneously with another action. The action expressed by Verbますながら is always secondary to the action expressed in the main clause. Thus, in (1), B is acceptable as a response to A, but C is not.

A: ちょっと話がしたいんですが。
I'd like to have a little talk with you.

B: じや、コーヒーを飲みながら話しましょう。
Then, let's talk over a cup of coffee.

C: *じや、話しながらコーヒーを飲みましょう。
Then, let's drink a cup of coffee while talking.

Note that in English, "while ~ing" is not always the secondary action.

2. Verbますながら cannot be used when the subjects of the two actions are different, as in (2).

*ルームメートがステレオを聞きながら私は勉強した。
I studied while my roommate was listening to the stereo set.

(In this case, 間 is used. (⇨ 間))