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〜がてら

while (doing), on the way (two things at once)

Noun (often a する-noun) / Verb ます-stem + がてら

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がてら means doing one thing while taking the chance to do another: 散歩がてら、パンを買ってきた, "I bought some bread while I was out for a walk".

The first part is usually a movement or an outing (散歩, 買い物, 花見, 送る), and the second half is the extra thing achieved along the way. It's like "killing two birds with one stone".

It follows a noun directly or a ます-stem: 駅まで送りがてら, "while seeing them to the station".

It's close to ついでに (N3). がてら is a little more literary, and focuses on the first activity having a second purpose. Compare ながら, which is two actions at literally the same time.

Examples

  • 散歩さんぽがてら、パンを買かってきた。

    I bought some bread while I was out for a walk.

  • 買かい物ものがてら、駅前えきまえを歩あるいた。

    I strolled around the station area while doing some shopping.

  • 花見はなみがてら、公園こうえんでお弁当べんとうを食たべた。

    We had a packed lunch in the park while enjoying the cherry blossoms.

  • 駅えきまで送おくりがてら、少すこし話はなしをした。

    While seeing them to the station, we chatted a little.

  • 運動うんどうがてら、自転車じてんしゃで通勤つうきんしている。

    I cycle to work, partly for the exercise.

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