connective N3 common casualpolitewritten
〜の間に — while ~
〜の間に ・ のあいだに
Meaning
- while ~ / during ~ — at some point within the span named by a noun
Key sentence
留守の間に荷物が届いた。
A package arrived while I was out.
Formation
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun + の | Nの + 間に | 夏休みの間に / 授業の間に |
Examples
夏休みの間に運転免許を取った。
I got my driver's license over the summer break.
睡眠の間に体は回復する。
The body recovers during sleep.
私の留守の間に、誰か来ましたか。
Did anyone come while I was away?
When you can't use it
- The に points to a single thing that happens at some moment within the span, so the main clause is a one-time event, not something continuous. For an action that goes on throughout the whole span, drop the に: 夏休みの間ずっと旅行していた.
Easily confused with
See 〜の間に in real sentences
Jengo shows 〜の間に the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.
Study it in JengoSources Compiled from published Japanese grammar references.