Attaches to the -masu stem of a verb to indicate simultaneous action or a state that continues while another action occurs.
I study while listening to music.
Used in fixed expressions like 二つながら (both) or 我ながら (even for oneself) to mean 'both' or 'all' of something.
See also: ふたつながら
as (e.g. 'as always'); in (e.g. 'in tears')
Follows nouns or adverbial forms to indicate a state or manner, often in set phrases like いつもながら (as always) or 涙ながら (in tears).
while doing something else at the same time
Prefix-like use in compounds such as ながら族 (people who do two things at once, e.g., watching TV while eating). Not freely productive.
See also: ながら族 (ながらぞく)
I study while listening to music.
He spoke while laughing.
Though it's small, it's a happy home.
Despite being young, he is very reliable.
Both are wonderful works.
I think I did well, even if I say so myself.
He was late, as always.
She said goodbye in tears.
'Nagarazoku' is a term for people who do something else while doing one thing.
Even though I know it's wrong, I can't stop.
She explained the situation in tears.
つつ and ながら both attach to a verb's -masu stem to mean 'while doing', but つつ sounds more literary and formal than the everyday ながら.
のに and ながら can both mean 'although', but のに carries a stronger tone of surprise or complaint, while ながら is more neutral.
ながら marks a mild, often simultaneous contrast without judgment, whereas くせに carries a critical or accusatory tone.
Standard kana spelling; the kanji form 乍ら is rarely used.
Rarely used kanji form; learners should use the kana spelling.
Derived from the classical Japanese particle ながら, which originally indicated a state or condition. The kanji 乍 is an ateji (phonetic borrowing) and is rarely used in modern Japanese.