“〜katawara”: While (also doing) 〜 (a long-term parallel pursuit) [JLPT N1]

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

「仕事のかたわら小説を書いている」 — doing another thing in parallel alongside one's main work or life.

「仕事のかたわら、小説を書いている」 — alongside the main job, doing another for years

To say “I write novels for years while working,” 「彼は会社に勤めるかたわら、小説を書いている」 (he works at a company and alongside it writes novels [for years]) — 「〜かたわら」 = while doing ～ (doing another in long-term parallel), used to express “alongside one's main work or life, doing another secondary thing in parallel for years” (mostly a side job, hobby). Its focus is “long-term, ongoing parallel.” This guide covers attachment, the difference from the momentary-parallel 「ながら,」 and separating it from the sound-alike, most-confused 「かたがた.」

Core: alongside the main work, doing another in long-term parallel

「verb dictionary form／noun の ＋ かたわら」 means “alongside doing some main thing (one's main work／life), for years doing another secondary thing in parallel”:

• 大学で教えるかたわら、小説の執筆を続けている (alongside teaching at university, continuing to write novels).
• 家業を手伝うかたわら、地域のボランティアもしている (alongside helping the family business, also volunteering in the community for years).
• 彼女は女優のかたわら、事業も経営している (alongside being an actress, she also runs a business).

Feel: 「かたわら」 literally means “beside (傍ら),” extended to “beside one's main activity, for years also doing another in parallel.” Its focus is “long-term, ongoing parallel” — not a one-time in-passing, but “alongside living one's main work／life, for years also doing another (mostly a side job, hobby, extra activity).” The first half is mostly the main work (勤める・教える・仕事), the second a side job／hobby (小説を書く・研究・ボランティア). It corresponds to “while ～, alongside ～ (long-term), doing ～ and ～ (for years).”

Attachment rules

Examples in context

• 銀行員として働くかたわら、夜は専門学校で教えている。(Alongside working as a banker, he teaches at a vocational school at night.)
• 主婦業のかたわら、翻訳の仕事を引き受けている。(Alongside being a homemaker, she takes on translation work.)
• 彼は治療を続けるかたわら、闘病記をブログに綴った。(Alongside continuing treatment, he wrote a blog about his illness.)
• 農業を営むかたわら、民宿も経営している。(Alongside farming, he also runs a guesthouse.)
• 研究のかたわら、若手の指導にも力を注いでいる。(Alongside research, she also devotes herself to mentoring juniors.)

⚠️ Easy traps to avoid

① The core is ‘long-term, ongoing parallel,' not a one-time in-passing. 「かたわら」's most important feel is “alongside one's main work／life, for years doing another thing in parallel” — its time span is “long-term, ongoing,” mostly for “a side job, hobby, a second thing pursued for years”: 仕事のかたわら、小説を書く (alongside work, [for years] writing novels — writing is a side job pursued over years), 子育てのかたわら、資格の勉強を続ける (alongside child-rearing, long-term studying for a qualification). It's not the one-time in-passing of “buying something on a trip out” (that's がてら／ついでに). It corresponds to “alongside ～ (long-term), doing ～ and ～ (for years).” Test: to say “alongside the main work, for years doing another (side job／hobby) in parallel” → かたわら.

② Attach a verb dictionary form or noun の. Get the attachment right. Precedes a verb dictionary form (勤めるかたわら, 教えるかたわら) or a noun ＋ の (仕事のかたわら, 研究のかたわら). The first half is “the main work／activity being done.” Mnemonic: (verb dictionary form／noun の) ＋ かたわら = while ～ (long-term parallel).

③ Separate it from 「かたがた」 (sound-alike) and 「ながら.」 This is the key distinction. 「かたわら」 vs 「かたがた」 (the most-confused pair at N1, sound-alike): they sound alike (かたわら／かたがた), but the time axes are opposite — 「かたわら」 = long-term parallel (alongside the main work, doing another for years, attaches to a verb dictionary form／noun の): 仕事のかたわら小説を書く (for years); 「かたがた」 = one-time combining (on this one trip of A, also B, attaches to a courtesy noun, formal written): お礼かたがた訪問 (one trip, see 〈かたがた〉). 「かたわら」 vs 「ながら」: 「ながら」 = two actions at once right now (momentary parallel): 歩きながら話す (talk while walking, parallel at the same moment, see 〈ながら〉); 「かたわら」 = two things in parallel over years (long-term): 仕事のかたわら小説を書く (long-term parallel, not “this moment working and writing at once”). Difference: かたわら is “long-term parallel (over years)”; ながら is “simultaneous right now (momentary)”; かたがた is “one-time combining (one trip).” Time span: かたわら (longest) ＞ かたがた/がてら (one-time) ＞ ながら (momentary). Test: long-term parallel → かたわら; simultaneous now → ながら; one-trip combining → かたがた／がてら.

🔄 Compare with similar forms: かたわら／かたがた／ながら／がてら

💡 The one thing to remember

「〜かたわら」 = while ～ (doing another in long-term parallel) — three points: ① the core is “long-term, ongoing parallel” — alongside the main work, for years also doing another secondary thing (mostly a side job, hobby: 仕事のかたわら小説を書く); ② attach a verb dictionary form or noun の; ③ separate it from the sound-alike 「かたがた」 (one-time combining, see 〈かたがた〉) and 「ながら」 (simultaneous now, see 〈ながら〉) — the three time axes are かたわら long-term, かたがた one-time, ながら momentary. This pattern suits depicting a “multi-hyphenate, two-track” life — “running a business alongside acting,” “writing for years alongside a day job.” To elegantly say “alongside their main work, they also for years ～,” 「〜かたわら」 is spot-on (remember it's ‘long-term parallel,' not ‘simultaneous now' nor ‘one-trip in passing').

❓ FAQ

Q: What's the difference between 「仕事のかたわら小説を書く」 and 「働きながら小説を書く」?

The difference is ‘long-term parallel' vs ‘simultaneous right now.' 「〜かたわら」 = long-term parallel (alongside the main work, for years also doing another): its time span is “long-term, ongoing” — depicting someone “alongside living their main work／life, for years pursuing another (side job／hobby) in parallel,” the two things being a parallel at the “life level,” not a given moment: 仕事のかたわら、小説を書いている (alongside work, [ongoing over years] writing novels — this is their long-term life state, writing a continuing side pursuit). The focus is “for years, in parallel as a way of life.” 「〜ながら」 = two actions at once right now (momentary parallel): it means “at the same moment as doing A, also doing B” — two actions truly simultaneous “at this moment, right now”: 働きながら、音楽を聞く (listen to music while working — at this moment) (see 〈ながら〉). If you say 「働きながら小説を書く,」 the more natural reading is “while (holding down) a job, (also) writing novels” — here 「ながら」 can also express “maintaining a state while doing another,” close to かたわら, but 「ながら」's basic sense leans “parallel at the same moment.” Difference: 「かたわら」 clearly means “long-term, life-as-a-way parallel” (a side job over years); 「ながら」 basically means “two actions in parallel at the same moment” (simultaneous now), and although 「働きながら」 can express “working while (long-term) doing another,” to stress “parallel over years, as a second identity” 「かたわら」 is more precise and more written. Test: to stress “over years, as a second career／hobby, in parallel” → かたわら; a plain “two actions at once right now” → ながら.

Q: Can 「かたわら」 attach to a noun, or only a verb?

Both — attach a verb dictionary form or a noun ＋ の, just with different attachment. ① verb dictionary form: use the verb's dictionary form ＋ かたわら, for “alongside doing (this action／main work), for years also ～”: 会社に勤めるかたわら、小説を書く (alongside working at a company, writing novels — verb 「勤める」 dictionary form), 大学で教えるかたわら、研究する (alongside teaching at university, doing research). ② noun ＋ の: use “noun ＋ の ＋ かたわら,” for “alongside (some main work／activity), for years also ～”: 仕事のかたわら (alongside work), 研究のかたわら (alongside research), 子育てのかたわら (alongside child-rearing), 主婦業のかたわら (alongside homemaking). The two attachments mean the same, just expressing the first half via a “verb (action)” or a “noun (activity／identity)”: 「勤めるかたわら」 ≒ 「仕事のかたわら」 (both “alongside work”). Test: to express the first half with an action verb → verb dictionary form ＋ かたわら (勤めるかたわら); the first half is a noun of an activity／identity → noun の ＋ かたわら (仕事のかたわら). Mnemonic: verb dictionary form ＋ かたわら／noun の ＋ かたわら, either works, depending on whether your first half is a verb or noun. (Note: it doesn't take the verb た-form or て-form; the first half uses the dictionary form for “the main work being continuously done.”)

🖊️ Practice Questions (5)

Q1. 「彼は教師___、作家としても活動している。」（besides being a teacher, also works as a writer）

(A) のかたわら　(B) がてら　(C) どころか　(D) ばかりに

Q2. 「かたわら」と「ながら」の違いは?

(A) かたわら = alongside one's main occupation (long-term); ながら = two actions at the same moment

(B) The two are exactly the same

(C) かたわら = at the same moment

(D) ながら = a long-term side job

Q3. 「会社員のかたわら小説を書く」の意味は?

(A) Is an office worker and, at the same time (long-term), also writes novels

(B) Quit the job to write novels

(C) Doesn't write novels

(D) Writes on the spot while working

Q4. 名詞に接続するとき?

(A) 名詞＋の＋かたわら

(B) 名詞＋かたわら

(C) 名詞＋だかたわら

(D) 名詞＋をかたわら

Q5. 接法が正しいのは?

(A) 研究するかたわら教鞭をとる。　(B) 研究したかたわら。

(C) 研究してかたわら。　(D) 研究かたわら (for a noun, use の)。

Answer Explanations

1. (A) のかたわら ── Besides being a teacher, also a writer.

2. (A) ── かたわら: alongside one's long-term main occupation; ながら: at the same moment.

3. (A) ── An office worker who also writes novels long-term.

4. (A) ── 名詞＋の＋かたわら.

5. (A) ── Verb dictionary form ＋ かたわら (研究する ＋) is correct.