JLPT N1 grammar
〜ながら(に)して — Meaning & Examples
"Remaining in the state of X" — often innate or unusually maintained. 生まれながらにして (from birth); 涙ながらに (while in tears). Different from the simultaneous-action ながら.
〜ながら(に)して — "Remaining in the State of X"
This ながら is a different animal from the "while doing" ながら you already know — here it means "remaining in the state of X (the whole time)," often for something innate or unusually maintained.
Pattern: [noun／verb ます-stem] + ながら(に)して
彼は生まれながらにして音楽の才能を持っていた。
= He had a talent for music from birth (innately).
涙ながらに、当時の体験を語った。
= In tears, she spoke about her experiences from that time.
狭いながらも、居心地のいい部屋だ。
= Small as it is, it's a comfortable room. (ながらも = "even while being X" — a concessive cousin)
Fixed phrases to know: 生まれながらにして（innately, from birth）・涙ながらに（while in tears, telling something）・昔ながらの（traditional, unchanged since long ago — 昔ながらの町並み = a townscape unchanged since the old days）.
Quick recap of the whole lesson:
・きらいがある = tendency to... (mild critique) 🙄
・めく = seem X-ish (atmosphere shifting) 🌸
・がてら = while doing X, also Y (efficient combo) 🚶
・ながら(に)して = remaining in the state of X (innate/unchanged) 👶
🎊 You can now describe tendencies, shifting atmospheres, efficient combos, and innate states — genuinely textured, native-level observation!
Practise 〜ながら(に)して in the free app
This point is part of the “Tendency, Seeming & In Passing — きらいがある・めく・がてら・ながら(に)して” lesson in A Star Japanese. Study it with examples, a quiz, flashcards and timed JLPT N1 mock exams. Free on iPhone and Android.
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Related N1 grammar points
From the same lesson: Tendency, Seeming & In Passing — きらいがある・めく・がてら・ながら(に)して
Frequently asked questions
What does 〜ながら(に)して mean?
"Remaining in the state of X" — often innate or unusually maintained. 生まれながらにして (from birth); 涙ながらに (while in tears). Different from the simultaneous-action ながら.
Is 〜ながら(に)して on the JLPT N1 test?
〜ながら(に)して is taught in the JLPT N1 grammar course in A Star Japanese (lesson “Tendency, Seeming & In Passing — きらいがある・めく・がてら・ながら(に)して”), so it is a pattern learners at this level are expected to recognise. The JLPT does not publish an official grammar list, so treat this as a study guide rather than an official requirement.
How can I practise 〜ながら(に)して?
Open the “Tendency, Seeming & In Passing — きらいがある・めく・がてら・ながら(に)して” lesson in the free A Star Japanese app for iPhone and Android. It has examples, a quiz after every lesson, flashcards with spaced repetition and timed JLPT N1 mock exams, with no ads.