JLPT N1Written, formal

かたわらalongside (one's main work)

Someone has a main occupation and, for years, keeps up a second activity beside it. It is written language, at home in profiles and biographies.

父ちちは会かい社しゃに勤つとめるかたわら、週しゅう末まつには少しょう年ねん野や球きゅうを指し導どうしている。

Alongside his company job, my father coaches boys' baseball on weekends.

after a noun

彼かの女じょは育いく児じのかたわら、通つう信しん制せいの大だい学がくで法ほう律りつを学まなび続つづけた。

While raising her children, she kept up her law studies at a distance-learning university.

How to form it

Verb (dictionary form) + かたわら・ Noun + の + かたわら

勤つとめるかたわら, 仕し事ごとのかたわら. The verb stays in the dictionary form when the story is in the past. Often written 傍かたわら.

Before it: The main occupation: 会かい社しゃに勤つとめる, 大だい学がくで教おしえる, 仕し事ごと, 家か業ぎょう, 育いく児じ, 学がく業ぎょう.
After it: What the same person also keeps up: writing, teaching, studying, volunteering.
Where you'll meet it: Author notes, profiles, obituaries, biographies, introductions of a speaker. Mostly one to read; you might write it in a profile of your own.

In use

彼かの女じょは大だい学がくで物ぶつ理り学がくを教おしえるかたわら、地ち域いきの子こども向むけに科か学がく教きょう室しつを開ひらいている。

Besides teaching physics at a university, she runs science classes for local children.

山やま田ださんは医い師しのかたわら、医い療りょう制せい度どについて一いっ般ぱん向むけの記き事じを書かいている。

Yamada is a doctor, and also writes articles on the healthcare system for general readers.

彼かれは家か業ぎょうを手て伝つだうかたわら、夜や間かん大だい学がくに通かよっている。

He helps in the family business and goes to college at night as well.

Two things to know

It is years, not one morning

Both halves go on for a long time. Two things done at the same moment take ながら.

Not said: 彼かれはコーヒーを飲のむかたわら、新しん聞ぶんを読よんだ。

(He read the newspaper while drinking coffee.)

One morning at the table: コーヒーを飲のみながら.

かたわら is also "beside"

Its first meaning is a place, at someone's side, and novels use it that way.

弟おとうとは母ははのかたわらで絵え本ほんを読よんでいた。

My little brother was reading a picture book at our mother's side.

Close neighbours

ながらN5

The everyday word, and the one to say aloud. It covers two things at the same moment and two things kept up over the same years.

姉あねは働はたらきながら、大だい学がくで勉べん強きょうしています。

My older sister is studying in college while working.

かたがたN1

Formal and courteous, for visits and letters: you come to thank someone, apologize or pay your respects, and do something else with it.

お礼れいかたがた、ご挨あい拶さつに伺うかがいました。

I have come to pay my respects, and to thank you as well.

がてらN1

One outing with a second thing fitted into the same trip. Grown-up and a little old-fashioned, but not formal.

私わたしは散さん歩ぽがてら、図と書しょ館かんに予よ約やくした本ほんを受うけ取とりに行いった。

While out for a walk, I went to the library to pick up a book I had reserved.

を兼ねてN1

One trip, event or thing planned to serve two purposes. Everyday as well as written.

散さん歩ぽを兼かねて、図と書しょ館かんまで歩あるいて本ほんを返かえしに行いった。

I walked to the library to return a book, and made a stroll of it.

Check yourself

1Which sentence sounds natural?

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which one fits?

兄あには市し役やく所しょに勤つとめる（　　）、休きゅう日じつは山やまのガイドをしている。

Choose an answer to see why.

More sentences

佐さ藤とう氏しは企き業ぎょうを経けい営えいするかたわら、若わか手て起き業ぎょう家かの支し援えんにも取とり組くんでいる。

Alongside running a company, Sato also works to support young entrepreneurs.

母ははは農のう業ぎょうのかたわら、地じ元もとの合がっ唱しょう団だんで活かつ動どうしている。

Alongside farming, my mother is active in a local choir.

その画が家かは創そう作さくを続つづけるかたわら、長なが年ねんにわたって戦せん災さい孤こ児じを支し援えんした。

While continuing to paint, the artist supported war orphans for many years.