目錄
Japanese 「〜間」 indicates that an action or state continues throughout a certain period of time, while 「〜間に」 indicates that something happens once or an action is completed within that period. The difference is not simply that both can be translated into Chinese as “during…,” but whether the following action is “continuous” or “inserted” into that period. If you imagine time as a line, 「〜間」 means the action continues along the entire line, while 「〜間に」 places a single point within that line. Thinking of them this way makes the two much easier to distinguish.
Why Are 「〜間」 and 「〜間に」 So Easy to Mix Up?
In Chinese, expressions such as “during a trip,” “while at work,” and “while waiting for a train” can cover many different situations, but Japanese requires the type of action to be distinguished more clearly. If the following action is something that can continue, such as 「寝る」「読む」「待つ」, it is generally closer to 「〜間」. If it is a one-time event or completed action such as 「電話する」「着く」「買う」, it is generally closer to 「〜間に」.
Basic Usage and Conjugation Rules for 「〜間」 and 「〜間に」
Conjugation Rules
| Form | 〜間 | 〜間に |
| Plain verb form | 勉強している間 | 勉強している間に |
| Noun＋の | 夏休みの間 | 夏休みの間に |
| い-adjective | 若い間 | 若い間に |
| な-adjective＋な | 静かな間 | 静かな間に |
The two patterns attach in similar ways, so the main point to examine is the following clause. 「〜間」 is often followed by a continuing action or state, while 「〜間に」 is often followed by a change, completion, or one-time event. Japanese grammar tests also frequently use this distinction.
Usage ① of 「〜間」｜An Action or State Continues Throughout the Entire Period
「〜間」 focuses on the duration itself. The action or state in the following clause usually continues for a period of time rather than occurring only once. It is well suited to describing where someone stayed during a trip, what someone kept doing while waiting, or what state continued while someone was away.
- Example: 母が料理している間、子どもはテレビを見ていた。
Kana: ははがりょうりしているあいだ、こどもはテレビをみていた。
Translation: While the mother was cooking, the child kept watching television.
Watching television is a continuous action, so 「間」 is used. - Example: 日本にいる間、毎朝近くの公園を散歩した。
Kana: にほんにいるあいだ、まいあさちかくのこうえんをさんぽした。
Translation: While I was in Japan, I went for a walk in a nearby park every morning.
This was a repeated habit throughout the entire stay, so 「間」 is natural. - Example: 電車を待っている間、本を読んでいた。
Kana: でんしゃをまっているあいだ、ほんをよんでいた。
Translation: I kept reading a book while waiting for the train.
Both waiting and reading extend over a period of time, so 「〜間」 is appropriate.
Usage ② of 「〜間に」｜Something Happens Once or Is Completed Within the Period
「〜間に」 focuses on an event that occurs within a certain time frame. The following clause usually describes a single action, change, achievement, or result. It does not emphasize doing something throughout the entire period, but rather “completing something during that time.”
- Example: 母が料理している間に、宿題を終わらせた。
Kana: ははがりょうりしているあいだに、しゅくだいをおわらせた。
Translation: I finished my homework while my mother was cooking.
「終わらせた」 expresses a completed result, so 「間に」 is used. - Example: 日本にいる間に、富士山を見に行きたい。
Kana: にほんにいるあいだに、ふじさんをみにいきたい。
Translation: I want to go see Mount Fuji while I am in Japan.
Going to see Mount Fuji is one thing to complete during the stay, not something done continuously throughout it. - Example: 友だちを待っている間に、コーヒーを買った。
Kana: ともだちをまっているあいだに、コーヒーをかった。
Translation: I bought coffee while waiting for my friend.
Buying coffee is a single event inserted into the waiting period.
Usage ③ of 「〜間」｜A State Remains Unchanged
「〜間」 can also be used with clauses describing states, indicating that a state remains unchanged throughout a certain period. In this case, the following clause does not necessarily describe an action. It may instead describe a state, such as 「静かだった」 or 「閉まっていた」.
- Example: 店が開いている間、ずっと客が多かった。
Kana: みせがあいているあいだ、ずっときゃくがおおかった。
Translation: While the shop was open, there were a lot of customers the entire time.
Having many customers is a continuing state, so 「間」 is appropriate. - Example: 先生がいない間、教室は静かだった。
Kana: せんせいがいないあいだ、きょうしつはしずかだった。
Translation: While the teacher was away, the classroom was quiet.
This sentence describes a state that lasted throughout the entire period. - Example: 雨が降っている間、外に出なかった。
Kana: あめがふっているあいだ、そとにでなかった。
Translation: I did not go outside while it was raining.
“Not going outside” continued throughout the entire period of rain, so 「間」 is used.
「〜間」 vs 「〜間に」: The Difference Between Continuation and an Event Entering the Time Frame
| Comparison | 〜間 | 〜間に |
| Sense of time | Continues throughout the entire period | A point within a time range |
| Following action | Continuation, repetition, state | Completion, change, one-time event |
| Common Chinese translation | 在……期間一直 | 趁……期間、在……之中 |
| Common verbs | 待つ、読む、住む | 買う、着く、終わる |
| Common mistake | Using 「間」 with a completed action | Using 「間に」 with a continuing action |
▌Use 「〜間に」 for Completed Actions
❌ Unnatural: 日本にいる間、富士山を見に行った。
(If you only went once, the sentence lacks the sense of “completing it during that period.”)
✅ Correct: 日本にいる間に、富士山を見に行った。
「見に行った」 is an outing completed within the period, so 「間に」 is more natural.
▌Use 「〜間」 for Continuing Actions
❌ Unnatural: 電車を待っている間に、本を読んでいた。
✅ Correct: 電車を待っている間、本を読んでいた。
「読んでいた」 is an action that continued while waiting, so 「間」 is used.
Practical Japanese for Travel: 「〜間／〜間に」 When Planning an Itinerary
These two patterns come up frequently in travel Japanese. If you are talking about where you went every day while staying in Tokyo, use 「〜間」. If you want to say that you went to Kamakura once while you were in Tokyo, use 「〜間に」. If you imagine the itinerary as a timeline, it becomes easier to tell whether the following action is a habit continuing throughout the period or a single event inserted into it.
▌Situation ①｜Talking About a Habit During Your Stay
A：東京にいる間、毎朝このカフェで朝ごはんを食べました。
とうきょうにいるあいだ、まいあさこのカフェであさごはんをたべました。
While I was in Tokyo, I ate breakfast at this café every morning.
B：それはいい習慣ですね。旅行中でも落ち着きそうです。
それはいいしゅうかんですね。りょこうちゅうでもおちつきそうです。
That is a nice habit. It sounds like it would help you feel settled even while traveling.
📌 Grammar Point: Because this is something repeated every morning, it is a habit continuing throughout the period, so 「〜間」 is used.
▌Situation ②｜Completing an Activity During the Trip
A：京都にいる間に、宇治にも行きたいです。
きょうとにいるあいだに、うじにもいきたいです。
I also want to go to Uji while I am in Kyoto.
B：いいですね。半日あれば十分でしょう。
いいですね。はんにちあればじゅうぶんでしょう。
That sounds good. Half a day should probably be enough.
📌 Grammar Point: Going to Uji is one activity to complete within the period, so 「〜間に」 is natural.
Cultural Notes:
- In Japan, 「滞在中」 is often used when talking about the period of a stay, and its nuance is close to 「〜間」. When saying that something is completed during the stay, 「滞在中に」 is also commonly used.
- 「〜間に」 carries a slight sense of “taking the opportunity,” but it does not necessarily imply urgency. It simply places an action within a certain time range.
- One-time actions such as making reservations, traveling somewhere, shopping, and taking photos are generally better suited to 「〜間に」.
How Do Japanese 「〜間／〜間に」 Compare with Korean 「-는 동안／-는 동안에」?
◆ Similar Grammar: Korean 「-는 동안」 and 「-는 동안에」
Korean 「-는 동안」 expresses a period of time, and the following clause can describe a continuing action. 「-는 동안에」 often places an event within that period, making it similar to Japanese 「〜間に」.
- Example: 기다리는 동안 책을 읽었어요.
Romanization: gi-da-ri-neun dong-an chae-geul il-geo-sseo-yo
Translation: I read a book while waiting.
This is a continuing action and is similar to the Japanese 「待っている間、本を読んだ」. - Example: 기다리는 동안에 커피를 샀어요.
Romanization: gi-da-ri-neun dong-an-e keo-pi-reul sa-sseo-yo
Translation: I bought coffee while waiting.
Buying coffee is an inserted event, making it similar to the Japanese 「待っている間に、コーヒーを買った」.
◆ Core Difference from Japanese 「〜間／〜間に」:
Japanese clearly marks the insertion of an event with 「に」, while Korean often relies on context and the verb in the following clause. In both languages, it is necessary to look at whether the following action is continuous.
The difference between Japanese 「〜間」 and 「〜間（に）」 ultimately comes down to whether time is viewed as a line or as a point within that line. Before speaking or writing a sentence, consider whether the following action continues throughout the entire period or occurs once within that time range. Doing so will usually prevent confusion. Once you understand this basic logic, other similar time expressions will also become easier to learn.
FAQs
「〜間」 indicates that an action or state continues during a certain period. It is usually followed by content describing something done continuously, repeatedly, or maintained as a state.
「〜間に」 indicates that something happens or is completed within a certain time range. It is often followed by a one-time action, change, or completed result.
The biggest difference is the type of action in the following clause. 「〜間」 focuses on continuation throughout the period, while 「〜間に」 focuses on an event entering that period.
「夏休みの間」 tends to describe something done continuously or repeatedly throughout summer vacation. 「夏休みの間に」 tends to describe something completed during summer vacation.
They follow a similar logic. 「間」 and 「まで」 lean toward continuation over time, while 「間に」 and 「までに」 lean toward completing an event within a time range. Both pairs require you to look at whether the following content describes continuation or completion.