“〜katagata”: While Also / On the Occasion Of 〜 (formal courtesy) [JLPT N1]

Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026

Doing one thing as the main purpose while also doing another (written etiquette)

「お礼かたがた、お伺いします」 — one visit, combining thanks and greetings

When writing a business letter or a formal greeting, 「先日のお礼かたがた、ご挨拶に伺います」 (I'll call to greet you, combining it with thanks for the other day) — 「〜かたがた」 = combining with ～, on the occasion of ～ (also doing another thing), used to express “with one matter as the main purpose, also handling another at the same time.” It's a formal, written courtesy expression. This guide covers attachment (to a noun), the register gap with 「ついでに／がてら,」 and especially separating it from the sound-alike, most-confused-at-N1 「かたわら.」

Core: one trip, two errands — a main purpose combined with a side one

「noun ＋ かたがた」 means “while doing one thing, also serving two purposes”:

• 転勤のご挨拶かたがた、日頃のご厚誼に御礼申し上げます (on the occasion of a transfer greeting, I thank you for your kindness).
• 報告かたがた、お願いに参りました (I've come to report, and also to make a request).
• お見舞いかたがた、近況を伺いに行った (on a sympathy visit, I also asked after their situation).

Feel: the core is “a two-birds-one-stone courtesy combination” — while doing some action (a visit, a letter), serving two purposes at once: outwardly A (thanks, greetings, a report), also handling B (a visit, contact). It's very formal, written, polite, an elevated expression for business letters and formal greetings. It corresponds to “combining with ～, on the occasion of ～, taking ～ as the occasion (to also handle).”

Attachment rules

Examples in use

• 新築のご挨拶かたがた、ささやかな品をお持ちしました。(On the occasion of a housewarming greeting, I brought a small gift.)
• お詫びかたがた、直接ご説明に伺いたく存じます。(I'd like to visit to apologize and explain in person.)
• 帰省かたがた、恩師を訪ねた。(While home for the holidays, I visited my old teacher.)
• 契約更新のご相談かたがた、一度お会いできればと存じます。(I'd like to meet regarding the contract renewal.)
• ご報告かたがた、御礼申し上げます。(Herewith my report and my thanks.)

⚠️ Where learners slip up

① Attach a noun, not a verb. This is the commonest attachment error. 「かたがた」 precedes a noun (courtesy action nouns: お礼・挨拶・報告・見舞い), not a verb: ✗ 報告するかたがた → ✓ 報告かたがた, ✗ 挨拶するかたがた → ✓ 挨拶かたがた. Because 「かたがた」 itself treats the preceding noun as “while doing this,” a noun attaches directly. Mnemonic: (courtesy action noun) ＋ かたがた = combining with, on the occasion of ～.

② Separate it from the sound-alike 「かたわら」 (the most-confused pair at N1). 「かたがた」 and 「かたわら」 sound alike, and both translate as “while／combining,” making them the most-confused pair on N1 exams and in reading. The key difference is the time axis: 「かたがた」 = a one-time, momentary combination — on this one trip of A, also handle B (お礼かたがた訪問する = one visit, combining thanks and greetings), a one-off; 「かたわら」 = a long-term, ongoing parallel — alongside one's main work／life, for years doing another secondary thing in parallel (仕事のかたわら小説を書く = alongside work, [long-term] writing novels), long-term (see 〈かたわら〉). Test: one trip, one-time handling two things → かたがた; doing two things in parallel for years (like a side job) → かたわら. The time axis, one “one-time,” one “long-term,” is the key to telling them apart.

③ A formal written courtesy register, not used in speech; register gap with 「ついでに／がてら.」 「かたがた」 carries a heavy formal, written, polite color, appearing almost only in business letters, formal greetings, official documents, rarely in everyday speech. Its register gap within the “in passing” family is clear: 「かたがた」 = most formal (written courtesy): お礼かたがた伺う. 「がてら」 = mid (everyday-usable, one trip, see 〈がてら〉): 散歩がてら買い物. 「ついでに」 = most colloquial (do incidentally on an occasion, see 〈ついでに〉): 買い物のついでに. Register order (formal→colloquial): かたがた ＞ がてら ＞ ついでに. Test: writing a formal letter, a weighty greeting → かたがた; everyday “while ～, in passing” → がてら; the most casual “in passing” → ついでに.

🔄 Compare: かたがた／かたわら／がてら／ついでに

💡 How to remember this

「〜かたがた」 = combining with ～, on the occasion of ～ (also handling another thing) — three points: ① attach a noun (お礼・挨拶・報告 ＋ かたがた, not a verb); ② easily confused with the sound-alike 「かたわら」 — かたがた is “a one-time, momentary combination” (one trip, two things), かたわら is “a long-term, ongoing parallel” (a side job for years, see 〈かたわら〉), opposite time axes; ③ a formal written courtesy register, with a register gap from がてら (mid) and ついでに (colloquial). This is an elevated business-letter expression — 「お礼かたがた,」 「ご挨拶かたがた,」 「ご報告かたがた」 carry a weighty, courteous air, well suited to formal greetings and thanks. To elegantly say in a formal letter “taking ～ as the occasion, also ～,” 「〜かたがた」 is most fitting.

❓ Quick FAQ

Q: How do I actually tell 「かたがた」 from 「かたわら」? They sound alike, and both translate as ‘while.'

This is the most-confused pair at N1 — grasp the “one-time vs long-term” time axis. 「〜かたがた」 = a one-time, momentary combination (on this one trip of A, also handle B): it's “while doing some (one-time) action, serving two purposes at once” — the time axis is “one-time, one trip”: お礼かたがた、訪問する (one visit, combining thanks and greetings — just this once), ご挨拶かたがた、ご報告いたします (on the occasion of a greeting, also report — one-time). It precedes a courtesy noun (お礼・挨拶・報告), very formal and written. 「〜かたわら」 = a long-term, ongoing parallel (alongside one's main work, for years also doing another): it's “alongside living one's main life／main work, for years doing another secondary thing in parallel (mostly a side job, hobby)” — the time axis is “long-term, ongoing”: 仕事のかたわら、小説を書いている (alongside work, [for years] writing novels — over many years), 大学で教えるかたわら、研究を続ける (alongside teaching at university, continuing research) (see 〈かたわら〉). It precedes a verb dictionary form or noun の. In one line: 「かたがた」 = one-time combining (one trip, two things, momentary); 「かたわら」 = long-term parallel (two things over years). Test trick: ask “is this ‘doing two things once' or ‘doing two things in parallel for years'” — one-time, one trip (like a visit combining thanks) → かたがた; long-term, ongoing (like writing novels alongside work) → かたわら. One more clue: かたがた attaches to a noun (お礼かたがた), かたわら attaches to a verb dictionary form (勤めるかたわら) — the attachment differs too.

Q: 「かたがた」 and 「を兼ねて」 both mean ‘combining' — same thing?

Close in meaning (both “serving two purposes”), the difference is register and emphasis. 「〜かたがた」 = combining with, on the occasion of ～ (formal written courtesy): it's very formal, polite, mostly for business letters and weighty greetings, preceding a courtesy noun (お礼・挨拶・報告), the feel being “taking the occasion of doing A (a courtesy matter), also handling B”: お礼かたがた、ご挨拶に伺います (on the occasion of thanks, I call to greet). It carries the gravity of letter style. 「〜を兼ねて」 = also serving as, combining (one action serving two purposes, more neutral, general): it's more neutral, fine in speech or writing, expressing “one action serving two purposes／functions at once”: 運動を兼ねて、一駅歩く (walk one station, also as exercise — walking serving the purpose of exercise too), 実益を兼ねた趣味 (a hobby that also brings practical benefit). It's not limited to courtesy settings, broader in use. Difference: 「かたがた」 leans formal written courtesy (business greetings, attaches to a courtesy noun); 「を兼ねて」 is more neutral, general (one action serving two purposes, any setting). Test: a formal letter, weighty greeting “taking ～ as the occasion to combine” → かたがた; neutrally “one action serving two purposes” → を兼ねて. E.g. 「新任のご挨拶かたがた (on the occasion of a new-post greeting — formal letter)」 uses かたがた; 「散歩を兼ねて犬の世話をする (care for the dog, also as a walk — neutral)」 uses を兼ねて. One is written courtesy, one is neutral combining.

🖊️ Practice Questions (5)

Q1. 「ご挨拶___、伺いました。」（came partly to pay respects; formal）

(A) かたがた　(B) どころか　(C) ばかりに　(D) ながらも

Q2. 「かたがた」の前に来るのは?

(A) A noun

(B) A verb て-form

(C) An い-adjective

(D) An interrogative

Q3. 「お礼かたがた伺う」の意味は?

(A) Visit, partly to give thanks

(B) Refuse to give thanks

(C) Forget to give thanks

(D) Just passing by

Q4. 「かたがた」の文体は?

(A) Formal writing (often used for greetings and thanks)

(B) Intimate colloquial

(C) Children's speech

(D) Imperative language

Q5. 接法が正しいのは?

(A) 報告かたがたメールします。　(B) 報告するかたがた (a noun is the basic form)。

(C) 報告してかたがた。　(D) 報告をかたがた。

Answer Explanations

1. (A) かたがた ── Partly to pay respects (formal).

2. (A) A noun ── 名詞＋かたがた.

3. (A) ── Visit partly to give thanks.

4. (A) ── Formal writing.

5. (A) ── 「報告かたがた」 (a noun) is correct.