「〜がてら」- Doing Something While Doing Something Else
Explanation
「〜がてら」 is a Japanese grammatical structure used to indicate doing something else while performing a main activity. It is typically attached to the ます form of a verb or a noun, and it describes the relationship between the primary and secondary activities.
Grammar Pattern
| Grammar Point | Connection | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 〜がてら | Verb ます form or noun | Indicates doing something else while performing the main activity. |
Basic Usage
Connection Rules
- Verb ます form + がてら
- Noun + がてら
Meaning
It expresses doing something else while performing the main activity. For example:
散歩 がてら、ちょっと花屋 に行 ってきます。- While taking a walk, I’ll stop by the flower shop.
Detailed Explanation
「〜がてら」 is used to describe performing a secondary activity while doing the main activity. It is relatively formal and more commonly used in written Japanese compared to 「ついでに」. Below are specific usage examples:
Basic Examples
散歩 がてら、ちょっと花屋 に行 ってきます。- While taking a walk, I’ll stop by the flower shop.
買い物 がてら、友人 の家 に立ち寄 る。- While shopping, I’ll drop by my friend’s house.
運動 がてら、電車 を使 わずに自転車 で通勤 する。- Instead of taking the train, I’ll commute by bike to get some exercise.
Deep Dive
「〜がてら」 is often used to describe performing a related activity while doing the main activity. It is more formal and suitable for written contexts. Compared to 「ついでに」, 「がてら」 emphasizes the connection between the activities.
Examples
散歩 がてら、本屋 に行 く。- While taking a walk, I’ll go to the bookstore.
買い物 がてら、郵便局 に寄 る。- While shopping, I’ll stop by the post office.
旅行 がてら、親戚 の家 に立ち寄 る。- While traveling, I’ll drop by my relative’s house.
Notes
- 「〜がてら」 is often paired with verbs indicating movement, such as
行 く (to go),寄 る (to stop by), and向か う (to head towards). - This expression is more commonly used in formal contexts and written language.
Summary
「〜がてら」 is a Japanese grammatical structure used to indicate doing something else while performing the main activity. It is attached to the ます form of a verb or a noun and is typically used in more formal contexts. By understanding and using 「〜がてら」, you can make your Japanese expressions richer and more formal.