間
🃏 Flashcard
間
aida
Tap to reveal usage
while; during; between
N4
Tap to test your recall · +10 XP
📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level
N4
Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences
Reading
aida
Post ID
50682
Patterns today
0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes
while; during; between
📖 How to use it
Aida indicates a time span or interval, meaning 'while', 'during', or 'between'.
Attaches to
Attach to the plain present or past form for verbs, or to a noun + の. For verbs, use the plain form (dictionary or past tense) with no の needed; for nouns, use noun + の.
Aida expresses a period during which something happens or a space between two points. When used with time, it often translates as 'while' or 'during'. It can also mean 'between' when referring to physical space or relationships. When the clause before aida describes an ongoing action, it often takes に after aida (間(に)) to mean 'during that time, something happened'.
夏休みの間、毎日泳ぎに行きました。
Natsuyasumi no aida, mainichi oyogi ni ikimashita.
During summer vacation, I went swimming every day.
テレビを見ている間、勉強しないでください。
Terebi o mite iru aida, benkyou shinaide kudasai.
Please don't study while watching TV.
駅と学校の間に、コンビニがあります。
Eki to gakkou no aida ni, konbini ga arimasu.
There is a convenience store between the station and the school.
Not 間に (aida ni)
間 (aida) describes the whole duration, while 間に (aida ni) focuses on a point or event within that duration. For example, '勉強している間、音楽を聞く' means 'I listen to music while studying' (throughout), but '勉強している間に、電話が来た' means 'The phone came during my studying' (a single event).
Register
Neutral and common in both spoken and written Japanese.
🎯 Quick Quiz
What does this grammar pattern mean or do?
間
📚 How to Master This Pattern
Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat 間 three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.
Flip Before Reading
Always try to recall the usage before flipping the card. Struggle = learning. Every failed recall makes the next one stick harder.
Write Two Sentences
Compose two original sentences using 間. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.
Spaced Review
Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.
🔗 More JLPT N4 Patterns
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern 間 mean?
▼
While; during; between
What JLPT level is 間?
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Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N4 — Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.
How do you use 間 in a sentence?
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Attach 間 (aida) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.
Is 間 formal or casual Japanese?
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間 is used in both casual and polite contexts. It appears frequently in everyday conversation, textbooks, and simple written materials.
How can I remember 間 long-term?
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Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.