Meaning & Usage
かたわら is an N1-level Japanese grammar structure expressing that a person maintains two ongoing, meaningful activities at the same time — one as a primary role and another as a secondary, equally dedicated pursuit. The most natural English equivalents are while also doing, alongside, in addition to, and on the side of.
The defining feature of かたわら is its emphasis on habitual, sustained dual activity. Both the activity mentioned before かたわら (the primary role) and the activity mentioned after it (the secondary pursuit) must be ongoing and require genuine, dedicated effort over an extended period. This is not a grammar point for describing two physical actions happening at precisely the same instant — it describes a way of life, a professional situation, or a long-term personal commitment.
Consider a novelist who also teaches literature at a university. Both roles are significant and sustained over time. You would say: 教師のかたわら、小説を書いている ("While working as a teacher, she writes novels"). The grammar carries an implicit message: this person is seriously committed to both roles, not merely dabbling. This is precisely why かたわら appears so frequently in professional profiles and biographies — it highlights admirable dual dedication.
In terms of register, かたわら is a formal, written expression. You will encounter it most often in newspapers, academic papers, book author biographies, company profiles, and formal self-introductions. In casual everyday speech, Japanese speakers typically use ながら or simply restructure the sentence. However, in formal presentations or business contexts — such as introducing oneself at an academic conference or industry event — かたわら sounds polished and accomplished.
A helpful mental model: picture two railway tracks running side by side. The main track represents the primary activity (before かたわら), and the parallel track represents the secondary pursuit (after かたわら). Both trains are moving continuously over a long journey — neither is momentary or trivial. The grammar signals that the subject is genuinely committed to both tracks simultaneously, across an extended stretch of time.
Structure & Formation
かたわら has two core formation patterns depending on whether the preceding word is a verb or a noun. Adjectives in either い or な form cannot directly precede かたわら — you must rephrase using a noun construction.
| Word Type | Formation | Example (Japanese) | Example (English) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verb | Dictionary (plain non-past) form + かたわら | 働くかたわら | while working |
| Noun | Noun + の + かたわら | 仕事のかたわら | alongside one's job |
Critical rules for using かたわら correctly:
The subject must be identical in both clauses — both activities must belong to the same person.
Both activities must be habitual and ongoing, not isolated or one-time events.
The activity placed before かたわら should be the primary role or main occupation.
The activity placed after かたわら is the secondary, parallel pursuit.
For verbs, use the plain non-past (dictionary) form only — never the て-form or ます-form.
For nouns, the particle の is mandatory — it can never be omitted.
Example Sentences
Work and Professional Side Pursuits
彼は会社員のかたわら、地域のボランティア活動に参加している。
Kare wa kaishain no katawara, chiiki no borantia katsudou ni sanka shite iru.
While working as a company employee, he participates in local volunteer activities.
彼女は大学で教えるかたわら、研究論文を執筆している。
Kanojo wa daigaku de oshieru katawara, kenkyuu ronbun wo shippitsu shite iru.
While teaching at university, she is writing research papers.
作家のかたわら、料理教室を開いている。
Sakka no katawara, ryouri kyoushitsu wo hiraite iru.
Alongside her writing career, she runs a cooking class.
医師として働くかたわら、医学書の翻訳も手がけている。
Ishi to shite hataraku katawara, igakusho no hon'yaku mo tegakete iru.
While working as a doctor, he also handles the translation of medical books.
Family Roles and Personal Development
育児のかたわら、オンラインで仕事をこなしている。
Ikuji no katawara, onrain de shigoto wo konashite iru.
While raising children, she handles work online.
介護のかたわら、ヨガを習い始めた。
Kaigo no katawara, yoga wo narai hajimeta.
Alongside her caregiving responsibilities, she began learning yoga.
本業のかたわら、英語の勉強を続けている。
Hongyou no katawara, eigo no benkyou wo tsuzukete iru.
While doing his main job, he continues to study English.
Professional and Academic Achievement
大学院で学ぶかたわら、スタートアップ企業を立ち上げた。
Daigakuin de manabu katawara, sutaatoappu kigyou wo tachiageta.
While studying in graduate school, he launched a startup company.
彼は俳優のかたわら、脚本の執筆も行っている。
Kare wa haiyuu no katawara, kyakuhon no shippitsu mo okonatte iru.
Alongside his acting career, he also writes screenplays.
小説を書くかたわら、書評家としても活躍している。
Shousetsu wo kaku katawara, shohyouka to shite mo katsuyaku shite iru.
While writing novels, she also works actively as a book critic.
Community Engagement and Creative Pursuits
農業のかたわら、民宿を経営している。
Nougyou no katawara, minshuku wo keiei shite iru.
Alongside farming, he manages a traditional Japanese guesthouse.
教師のかたわら、地域の子供たちに無料で勉強を教えている。
Kyoushi no katawara, chiiki no kodomotachi ni muryou de benkyou wo oshiete iru.
While working as a teacher, she teaches children in the community for free.
会社経営のかたわら、NPOの代表も務めている。
Kaisha keiei no katawara, NPO no daihyou mo tsutomete iru.
Alongside running a company, he also serves as the head of an NPO.
弁護士として活動するかたわら、ロースクールで非常勤講師を務めている。
Bengoshi to shite katsudou suru katawara, roosukuuru de hijoukin koushi wo tsutomete iru.
While working as a lawyer, she serves as a part-time lecturer at law school.
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Using て-form Instead of Dictionary Form with Verbs
❌ 仕事をしてかたわら、ブログを書いている。
✅ 仕事をするかたわら、ブログを書いている。
When a verb directly precedes かたわら, it must appear in the plain non-past (dictionary) form — never in the て-form. This is one of the most frequent errors made by learners at all levels. If you find the verb-form rule difficult to apply, simply convert the phrase into a noun construction: 仕事のかたわら is equally correct and sidesteps the verb-form issue entirely.
Mistake 2: Omitting の After a Noun
❌ 仕事かたわら、絵を描いている。
✅ 仕事のかたわら、絵を描いている。
When a noun precedes かたわら, the particle の is absolutely required. Omitting it renders the sentence ungrammatical. Unlike certain other patterns where の can occasionally be dropped in casual speech, with かたわら it is non-negotiable. The formula Noun + の + かたわら is the only acceptable noun construction — memorize it as a fixed unit.
Mistake 3: Using かたわら for Momentary Simultaneous Physical Actions
❌ 音楽を聴くかたわら、歩いた。
✅ 音楽を聴きながら歩いた。
かたわら is not designed for describing two physical actions that coincide at a single moment. Listening to music while walking is a momentary, co-occurring physical action — exactly the scenario that ながら handles. Reserve かたわら for two sustained, lifestyle-level activities maintained deliberately over an extended period. Ask yourself: are both activities ongoing roles or long-term commitments? If so, かたわら is appropriate. If both actions are simply happening at the same instant, choose ながら.
Mistake 4: Applying かたわら to a One-Time Event
❌ 試験を受けるかたわら、旅行した。
✅ 試験の勉強のかたわら、旅行を楽しんでいる。
Taking a single exam is a one-time event, not an ongoing activity. かたわら requires both activities to be continuous and sustained over time. In the corrected sentence, the framing shifts from the exam event itself to the ongoing study period leading up to it, making the primary activity habitual. When constructing sentences, always check that both activities are genuinely recurring — not isolated occurrences.
Mistake 5: Placing the Secondary Activity Before かたわら
❌ ブログを書くかたわら、会社員として働いている。（その人の主な仕事が会社員の場合）
✅ 会社員のかたわら、ブログを書いている。
The activity placed before かたわら must always be the primary role or main occupation. Reversing the order creates a misleading implication. In the incorrect example, it sounds as if the person's main career is blogging and the company job is merely a side activity — the opposite of the intended meaning. The activity after かたわら is understood to be secondary and supplementary. Preserving this order is critical for communicating the intended meaning accurately.
Cultural Notes
In Japanese professional and social culture, the capacity to maintain multiple significant roles simultaneously is viewed with quiet admiration. The grammar point かたわら reflects this cultural value deeply — it does not merely describe two activities; it frames the subject as a capable, disciplined individual who manages dual commitments with sustained effort. You will frequently encounter it in the bios of published authors: 「本業の傍ら、執筆活動を続けてきた」 ("While maintaining their primary career, they have continued their writing activities"). This phrasing conveys quiet, earned accomplishment.
The kanji form of かたわら is 傍ら, which in its original sense means "beside" or "at the side of" — a spatial metaphor. This etymology illuminates the grammar's meaning beautifully: the secondary activity stands at the side of the primary activity, running alongside it in parallel. In highly formal or literary writing, you may encounter the kanji form, but modern general usage strongly favors the hiragana form かたわら.
In contemporary Japan, かたわら has become a natural fit for discussions of 副業 (side jobs or supplementary work). As more Japanese workers pursue freelance projects, creative endeavors, or social contributions alongside their primary employment, this grammar appears with increasing frequency in media articles, personal essays, and online professional profiles. It captures the spirit of Japan's evolving work culture — one where a single, fixed career identity is no longer the universal standard, and where sustained dual commitment is something to be recognized and respected.
JLPT Tips
On the JLPT N1 examination, かたわら appears most frequently in reading comprehension passages — particularly in biographical texts, newspaper profiles of accomplished individuals, and academic articles about researchers or public figures — and in grammar form selection questions where you must identify the most appropriate grammar structure among several similar-looking options.
When you encounter かたわら in a reading passage, look for these key signals: the subject has a clearly established primary role or occupation, and the sentence introduces a second, equally meaningful, sustained activity. The overall tone is typically one of admiration or neutral professional description. Recognizing these characteristics allows you to quickly grasp the sentence's meaning even when surrounding vocabulary is unfamiliar.
In grammar selection questions, the most common distractors paired against かたわら are ながら (for simultaneous physical actions) and に加えて (for simply adding information). The decisive question to ask yourself is: Are both activities habitual, ongoing, and significant roles sustained over time by the same person? If the answer is yes, かたわら is almost certainly correct. If the sentence involves a physical action at a single moment or a one-time event, choose a different pattern.
Pay careful attention to questions that test the correct grammatical form preceding かたわら. A common trap is a sentence with a verb in て-form in one of the answer choices, when the dictionary form is required. Similarly, a noun construction without の is a red-flag distractor. In any fill-in-the-blank question, first identify whether the preceding word is a verb (requires dictionary form) or a noun (requires の), then confirm your answer against the remaining choices.
Finally, in passages that ask about the author's purpose or the overall characterization of a person, recognizing かたわら helps you immediately understand that the subject is being portrayed as someone with genuine dual commitments — a framing that often anchors the larger theme of the passage around dedication, versatility, or the balancing of professional and personal pursuits. This contextual awareness can guide your answers to comprehension questions even when individual vocabulary items are challenging.