Grammar › N3 · 02 Time and sequence

〜ているうちに: while doing; as time goes on

N3 · 02 Time and sequence

Says that a change happens naturally as you keep doing something.

Verb te-form + いるうちに. The change was not planned; it came about during the action, often "before I knew it". Compare 〜ないうちに, which is about doing something before a condition ends.

Examples

友達ともだちと話はなしているうちに、気持きもちが楽らくになった。

While talking with my friend, I began to feel better.

テレビを見みているうちに、いつの間いつのまにか寝ねてしまった。

While watching TV, I fell asleep before I knew it.

Study 〜ているうちに in the course →