Meaning
ついでに expresses the idea of taking advantage of an opportunity to do one thing in order to also accomplish something else at the same time. It indicates that the second action is done conveniently while doing the first action. The pattern can follow dictionary form verbs, past tense verbs (た-form), or nouns with の.
Formation
| Part of speech | Formation |
|---|---|
| 動詞辞書形 | ついでに |
| 動詞(た形) | ついでに |
| 名詞 の | ついでに |
Examples
-
A:コンビニに弁当を買いに行ってきます。 B:ついでに、私の分も買ってきてくれる?
A: I'm going to the convenience store to buy a bento box. B: While you're at it, could you buy one for me too? -
駅に行ったついでに、駅前のポストに手紙を出した。
While I was going to the station, I took the opportunity to mail a letter at the post box in front of the station. -
大阪出張のついでに、大阪城を見物した。
While on a business trip to Osaka, I took the opportunity to sightsee at Osaka Castle.
Summary
- ついでに combines two actions where the second is done conveniently during the first opportunity
- Can follow verb dictionary form, た-form, or noun + の to show what action provides the opportunity
- Can function as both a conjunction and particle, making it useful for both written and spoken Japanese