Translation guide
Expressing that two or more actions or events happen at the same time.
Describing two actions that occur simultaneously, often with a focus on the overlap in time.
Used to express doing two actions at the same time. The main action is the second verb, and the subordinate action is the verb in the ながら form. Both actions are performed by the same subject.
I study while listening to music.
I talked on the phone while walking.
Means 'at the same time as'. It can be used when two events occur simultaneously, and the subjects can be different. Often used in more formal or written contexts.
The meeting started at the same time as he arrived.
A fire broke out simultaneously with the earthquake.
Indicates that an action takes place during a period of time when another state or action is ongoing. The verb before 間 is in the dictionary form or ている form.
I read a book while the child was sleeping.
I plan to study Japanese during summer vacation.
Similar to ながら, but more formal and literary. Used mainly in written language. The verb stem + つつ indicates a simultaneous action.
He continued his efforts while dreaming of success.
Emphasizing that two events happen exactly at the same moment, often with a sense of coincidence or synchronization.
Means 'the moment something happened'. It emphasizes the exact timing of the second event right after the first, but often implies near-simultaneity.
The moment I opened the door, the cat jumped out.
As above, but here it stresses the exact simultaneity of two events. Can be used with nouns or verbs.
A literary expression meaning 'as soon as' or 'the moment'. It implies that the second action happens immediately after the first, almost simultaneously. Used in written language.
Describing two states or conditions that exist at the same time, without focusing on actions.
Used to connect two states or qualities that coexist. Often used with adjectives or nouns.
This car is fast and, at the same time, safe.
Means 'while being' or 'although'. It expresses that two seemingly contradictory states exist simultaneously. More emphatic than ながら.
While being a student, he runs a company.
Referring specifically to the act of interpreting spoken language in real time.
ながら is used when the same person does two actions at the same time. 間に is used when an action takes place during a time period defined by another action or state, and the subjects can be different.
I study while listening to music. (same subject)
While I was studying, he was playing games. (different subjects)
The English word 'simultaneous' is often translated as 同時の, but in natural Japanese, it's more common to use patterns like 〜ながら or 〜と同時に to express simultaneous actions. Using 同時の as a direct adjective can sound unnatural in many contexts.
The two events happened simultaneously.
She can study and listen to music simultaneously.
They started running at the exact same time as the starting signal.
The moment he arrived home, it started raining.
She does simultaneous interpretation between English and Japanese.