～ついでに

• Reading: ついでに
• Romaji: tsuide ni
• Formation: Verb dictionary form / Noun + の + ついでに + Secondary action

Meaning

A phrase meaning 'while you're at it' or 'taking the opportunity to,' expressing that someone performs a secondary action alongside a primary one because the circumstances make it convenient. The secondary action is not the main purpose but is done opportunistically.

ついでに indicates that since one is already doing action A (the primary purpose), one also does action B (a secondary, convenient addition). The secondary action is typically less important and would not have been done independently. It can follow verbs (買い物に行くついでに), nouns (散歩のついでに), or appear sentence-initially (ついでに言うと). Unlike ながら, which describes simultaneous actions, ついでに implies sequential actions sharing a common trip or effort. It is natural across all registers and very common in daily conversation.

Examples

1. スーパーに行くついでに、クリーニング屋に寄ってきた。 While going to the supermarket, I stopped by the dry cleaner's.
2. 散歩のついでに、近所の本屋で雑誌を買った。 While out for a walk, I bought a magazine at the neighbourhood bookshop.
3. 大阪へ出張するついでに、旧友と食事をする約束をした。 Since I'm going to Osaka on a business trip, I made plans to have dinner with an old friend.

Usage Guide

Context: spoken, written, everyday

Tone: casual

Do Say

• 銀行に寄るついでに、隣の郵便局で荷物を出してきた。
• 京都に行くついでに、奈良にも足を延ばしてみた。
• ついでに聞くけど、来週の会議の場所は決まった？
• 買い物のついでに、公園を散歩してきた。

Don't Say

• 寝るついでにテレビを見る。(Watching TV is not a secondary action done 'on the way' to sleeping — ついでに requires a logical opportunity connection) → 寝る前にテレビを見る。
• 仕事のついでに仕事をした。(The primary and secondary actions cannot be the same thing) → 仕事の合間に別の仕事もした。

Origin & History

ついで derives from the verb 次ぐ (to follow, to continue), and originally referred to something that follows in sequence. The sense of 'taking advantage of the flow' evolved into the modern meaning of doing something extra while already engaged in a primary task.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal