JLPT N1Mostly writtenSet phrases

ながらに（して）just as it is; from birth, in tears

Not the ながら of "while doing". This one means "staying just as it is", and it lives in a handful of fixed phrases: from birth, in tears, as in the old days.

彼かの女じょは生うまれながらにして優すぐれた音おん感かんを備そなえていた。

She was born with an excellent ear for pitch.

受じゅ賞しょう者しゃは涙なみだながらに支し援えん者しゃへの感かん謝しゃを語かたった。

In tears, the award winner thanked everyone who had given their support.

この店みせは昔むかしながらの製せい法ほうを守まもっている。

This shop still makes things the way they were made long ago.

How to form it

生うまれながらに（して）　／　涙なみだながらに　／　昔むかしながらの + noun

A noun or a verb's ます-stem, then ながら, in fixed phrases only. ながらに goes before a verb and ながらの before a noun. して adds weight and nothing more.

Where you'll meet it: News, essays, speeches: mostly it is for reading. Two are everyday: 昔むかしながらの, on menus and shop signs, and いつもながら.
In conversation: 生うまれつき, 泣なきながら, 昔むかしのまま.

The set

The set is closed, and these five are the ones to know.

生うまれながらに（して）from birth, by nature

彼かの女じょは生うまれながらにして人ひとを引ひきつける声こえを持もっていた。

She was born with a voice that draws people in.

Before a noun, 生うまれながらの: 生うまれながらの芸げい術じゅつ家か, a born artist.

涙なみだながらにin tears

代だい表ひょうは涙なみだながらに被ひ災さい地ちの現げん状じょうを訴うったえた。

In tears, the representative spoke out about conditions in the disaster area.

With a verb of speaking: 語かたる, 訴うったえる, 話はなす.

居いながらにしてwithout leaving where you are

今いまは家いえに居いながらにして、世せ界かい中じゅうの美び術じゅつ館かんを見みて回まわれる。

These days you can tour the world's museums without leaving home.

昔むかしながらのjust as in the old days

この旅りょ館かんでは昔むかしながらのもてなしを大たい切せつにしている。

This inn prides itself on hospitality of the old-fashioned kind.

いつもながらas always

いつもながら、職しょく人にんの手て際ぎわのよさには感かん心しんさせられる。

As always, I can only admire how deftly the craftsman works.

No に.

You will also meet 陰かげながら (quietly, from the sidelines) and 生いきながらにして (while still alive).

泣なきながら or 涙なみだながらに?

彼かの女じょは泣なきながら、当とう時じのことを話はなした。

She cried as she talked about that time.

What people say. Crying is something she is doing: the ながら of "while doing".

彼かの女じょは涙なみだながらに、当とう時じのことを話はなした。

In tears, she spoke of that time.

The same scene in a news report. 涙なみだ is a noun: the state she is in.

Close neighbours

ながらN5

"While doing": two things one person does at once. It is made freely, from verbs for something you go on doing, and takes no に.

音おん楽がくを聞ききながら、宿しゅく題だいをします。

I do my homework while listening to music.

ながら（も）N2

"Although". 子こどもながらに is this one: "child though I was".

子こどもながらに、母ははの苦く労ろうは分わかっていた。

Child though I was, I understood how hard things were for my mother.

ままN4

The everyday "still that way". It goes with any state: 昔むかしのまま, 立たったまま.

この町まちは昔むかしのままだ。

This town is still just as it was long ago.

Check yourself

1Which sentence sounds natural?

Choose an answer to see why.

2Where is he?

彼かれは自じ宅たくに居いながらにして、海かい外がいの大だい学がくの授じゅ業ぎょうを受うけている。

Choose an answer to see why.

More sentences

陰かげながら応おう援えんしています。

I'm cheering you on from the sidelines.

Something people do say, and write in cards.