What it means
かたわら expresses that someone carries out one substantial activity while also maintaining another activity, role, or responsibility. It presents the two activities as parallel and relatively sustained, often highlighting a secondary pursuit alongside a main occupation. It has a formal, written, and somewhat elevated tone and is especially common in descriptions of careers, research, public service, or long-term commitments.
Usage note
かたわら is not normally used for a brief, incidental action. For simple simultaneous actions, ながら is usually more natural. The standard attachment is a noun followed by の or a verb in the dictionary form; the construction is formal but can appear with either plain or polite sentence endings.
How to use it
彼女は会社員のかたわら、週末は地域の子どもに数学を教えています。
Alongside her work as a company employee, she teaches mathematics to local children on weekends.
彼は研究を続けるかたわら、若手研究者の指導にも力を注いでいます。
Alongside continuing his research, he also devotes effort to guiding junior researchers.
彼女は会社員のかたわら、週末は地域の子どもに数学を教えている。
Alongside her work as a company employee, she teaches mathematics to local children on weekends.
彼は研究を続けるかたわら、若手研究者の指導にも力を注いでいる。
Alongside continuing his research, he also devotes effort to guiding junior researchers.
Example sentences
彼女は大学で教えるかたわら、地域の子どもたちに無料で音楽を教えている。
While teaching at a university, she also teaches music to children in the community for free.
彼は会社を経営するかたわら、砂漠の緑化に関する研究を長年続けている。
While running a company, he has also continued research on greening deserts for many years.