JLPT N1 ～がてら – While… / On the occasion of…

📘 ～がてら is a JLPT N1 grammar point used to indicate doing one action as an opportunity to also do another. It often translates as “while doing…” or “on the occasion of…”. This structure highlights that a secondary action is conveniently done while the main one is being performed.

🔍 1. Meaning & Nuance

• ➡️ ～がてら = While doing… / On the occasion of… / At the same time as…
• 🧭 Shows that the first action is the main purpose, and the second action is done “along the way” or “incidentally”.
• 🗒️ Often used for physical actions like going out, visiting, walking, etc.

🧱 2. Formation

💡 3. Example Sentences

• 👣 散歩がてら、郵便局に行ってきた。
  I went to the post office while taking a walk.
• 📸 旅行がてら、美味しい店を探した。
  While traveling, I looked for delicious restaurants.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 親戚を訪ねがてら、京都を観光した。
  While visiting relatives, I did some sightseeing in Kyoto.
• 💐 散歩がてら、花を買ってきた。
  I bought some flowers while out for a walk.

📝 4. Notes & Tips

• ✔️ The first action is the **main purpose**, the second is done “on the side”.
• 📗 Often used with verbs related to **movement or outing**: walk, visit, go, travel, etc.
• ⚠️ Cannot be used for abstract or non-physical actions like thinking, deciding, etc.

✍️ 5. Practice Exercises

📌 A. Fill in the blanks

1. 犬の散歩＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿、ゴミを出してきた。
2. 買い物＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿、母に会いに行った。
3. 公園でジョギング＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿、桜を撮影した。

📌 B. Translate into Japanese

1. I took photos while walking in the park.
2. She went to visit her friend while grocery shopping.
3. We traveled to Kyoto while attending a conference.

📌 C. Make your own sentences

✏️ Write 2 original sentences using ～がてら to show multitasking during a physical activity.

📊 6. Summary Table