JLPT N2 grammar

〜間（あいだ）／間（あいだ）にmeaning and usage

Meaning

  1. During A
  2. During A (before A is finished/over)

How to form it

  • verb (dictionary form)/verb (nai-form)/い-adjective間/間に
  • verb (te-form)いる間/間に
  • な-adjective (stem)な間/間に
  • nounの間/間に

How it is used

With 「間」, B goes on for the whole time of A (often 「ずっと〜ていた」); with 「間に」, B happens at some point during A. Unlike 「〜うちに」, 「間に」 only marks the time span, without the sense of 'while you still can'.

Examples

  1. 私が夕飯を作る間、 弟はテレビを見ていました。

    My little brother was watching TV while I was cooking dinner.

  2. 私が寝ている間に、誰かが電話をくれたようだ。

    It seems someone called while I was asleep.

  3. 夏休みの間、ずっと祖父の家にいました。

    I stayed at my grandfather's house for the whole summer holidays.