“〜gatera”: While Doing 〜, Also… / On the Way [JLPT N1]
By Nihongo to Japan · Updated July 3, 2026
Using the chance of a main action to also do something else
“〜gatera”: While Doing 〜, Also… (taking the chance of a main action)
「verb ます-stem／noun ＋ がてら」 means “taking the chance of doing one thing (the main purpose) to also do another” — “while 〜, also…” E.g. 「散歩がてら、買い物をする」 (do some shopping while on a walk). The key is accomplishing two things in one outing/action, where the latter is usually a secondary purpose. It's a colloquial “while at it.”
🧠 Core nuance: doing A and, in the same motion, also B
The core is one action serving two purposes: using the chance of doing A (a walk, shopping) to naturally also do B (take photos, visit the library). A and B usually overlap in place/time, done in one trip. がてら mostly precedes movement or outing actions (散歩・買い物・通勤), with a light, off-hand tone.
📌 How to Connect
| Form | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| verb ます-stem ＋ がてら | (drop ます) ＋ がてら | 散歩しがてら→散歩がてら |
| noun (する-type) ＋ がてら | noun ＋ がてら | 買い物がてら |
| 〜がてら ＋ secondary action | also do the latter | 通勤がてら寄る |
💬 Example Sentences
- 散歩がてら、近所のパン屋に寄った。(I dropped by the local bakery while on a walk.) — while walking
- 買い物がてら、図書館にも行ってきた。(I went to the library too while out shopping.) — two in one trip
- 運動がてら、駅まで歩くことにした。(I decided to walk to the station, as exercise too.) — also exercise
- 旅行がてら、昔の友人を訪ねた。(I visited an old friend while traveling.) — travel + visit
- 散歩しがてら、写真を撮ってきた。(I took some photos while on a walk.) — ます-stem
🔄 Compare: がてら vs ついでに vs かたがた vs ながら
| Expression | Nuance | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜がてら | “while 〜, also” (colloquial, mostly movement) | 散歩がてら買い物 |
| 〜ついでに | “while at it” (most general colloquial) | 買い物のついでに |
| 〜かたがた | “while also” (formal, written, takes a noun) | お礼かたがた伺う |
| 〜ながら | “while doing 〜 (simultaneously)” | 歩きながら話す |
⚠️ Common Mistakes
- Attaching dict./て-form: ✗ 散歩するがてら／散歩してがてら → ✓ 散歩がてら (noun) or 散歩しがてら (ます-stem).
- Confusing it with ながら: がてら is “also do another”; ながら is “doing two at once.”
- Preceding it with a non-movement action: がてら mostly takes outing/movement actions (散歩・買い物・通勤).
- Particle: ✗ 散歩がてらを → it's directly followed by the secondary action.
💡 Nuance & When to Use
がてら expresses “while 〜, also,” using the chance of one action to also do another — common in casual speech: buy bread while walking, hit the library while shopping. It has a light, two-birds-one-stone tone and mostly precedes outing/movement actions. For a formal written “while also,” use かたがた (takes a noun); the most general colloquial is ついでに. Master it for more natural, everyday expression. A must at N1.
🎯 JLPT Exam Tips
- High-frequency N1: verb ます-stem/noun ＋ がてら = while 〜, also.
- Connection: ます-stem (散歩し) or する-type noun (買い物) ＋ がてら.
- Distinction: がてら (colloquial) vs かたがた (formal written) vs ながら (simultaneous).
🖊️ 練習題（5題）
Q1. 「買い物___、図書館にも寄った。」（趁買東西順便）
(A) がてら (B) どころか (C) ばかりに (D) ながらも
Q2. 「がてら」の前に来るのは?
(A) 動詞ます形語幹／名詞
(B) 辭書形
(C) ない形
(D) た形
Q3. 「散歩がてら買い物をする」の意味は?
(A) 趁散步順便買東西（一次完成）
(B) 散步後很久才買
(C) 不散步
(D) 只買東西
Q4. 「がてら」と「かたがた」の違いは?
(A) がてら＝口語;かたがた＝正式書面(接名詞)
(B) 兩者完全相同
(C) がてら＝最正式
(D) かたがた＝最口語
Q5. 接法が正しいのは?
(A) 散歩がてら写真を撮った。 (B) 散歩するがてら(語幹は 散歩し)。
(C) 散歩してがてら。 (D) 散歩がてらを。
答案解析
1. (A) がてら ── 趁買東西順便去圖書館。
2. (A) ── 動詞ます形語幹/名詞。
3. (A) ── 趁散步順便買東西。
4. (A) ── がてら 口語;かたがた 正式書面。
5. (A) ── 「散歩がてら」(名詞)正確。