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You can use the pattern "AあいだにB" when the event B takes place in
the middle of another event A.
Most often, the containing event A is described
with the continuous ている.
The verb A is in the present tense, even when the clause
A describes a situation in the past. |
お風呂に入っている間に
電話がありました。 |
There was a phone call while I was taking a bath. |
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ofuro-ni haitte iru aida-ni,
denwa-ga arimashita. |
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ゆうべ、寝ている間に
地震がありました。 |
There was an earthquake while I was asleep last night. |
yuube, nete iru aida-ni,
jishin-ga arimashita. |
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両親が日本にいる間に
京都に連れていきたいです。 |
I want to take my parents to Kyoto while they are in Japan. |
ryooshin-ga nihon-ni iru aida ni,
kyooto-ni tsurete ikitai desu. |
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| A (ている) 間に B |
B takes place, while A. |
| A te iru aida-ni, B |
The "A" above can be a noun as well: |
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| 留守の間に友達が来ました。 |
A friend came while I was out. |
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rusu-no aida-ni, tomodachi-ga kimashita. |
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The event B must be of short duration and
properly contained within the bounds of activity A.
If B extends throughout the time when A occurs, we use
aida instead of aida ni. |
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ルームメートがコンピューターを使っている間、
私は本を読んで待ちました。 |
I waited, reading a book, while my roommate
used my computer. |
ruumu meeto-ga konpyuutaa-o tsukatte iru aida,
watashi-wa hon-o yonde machimashita. |
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