うちに
うちに
expression
while; during; before (a state changes)
1.
while; during (a state continues)
Attached to a verb, adjective, or noun + の, marks the period while a condition holds. The action in the main clause should be completed before that condition changes.
若いうちに勉強しよう。
Let's study while we're young.
休みのうちに本を読んだ。
I read a book during the vacation.
話しているうちに、答えが見つかった。
While we were talking, I found the answer.
2.
before (it becomes too late); while still
With a negative verb (〜ないうちに), means 'before (something happens).' Implies the speaker should act before the state changes.
雨が降らないうちに帰ろう。
Let's go home before it starts raining.
忘れないうちにメモしておく。
I'll jot it down before I forget.
暗くならないうちに家に着きたい。
I want to get home before it gets dark.
Combination of 内 (inside, interval) + に. Treated as a fixed grammatical pattern.
ATTACHMENT:
- Verb (plain present or ている): 話しているうちに
- Negative verb: 降らないうちに
- I-adjective: 若いうちに
- Na-adjective + な: 元気なうちに
- Noun + の: 休みのうちに
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 間に: while — neutral about whether the state changes; うちに implies acting before it does
- 〜前に: before — focuses on order of events; ないうちに focuses on the state still being in effect