Meaning
Indicates that an action should be completed before the current state changes.
Formation
- うちに follows Vている, ない, Aい, Aな or Nの: 温かいうちに, 忘れないうちに
- The point is to act while the condition still holds
When to use it
- Core use
- While it lasts, before it changes
Example
温かいうちに食べてください
Please eat it while it is warm.
Important notes
- Pay attention to the word form before the construction and to the particles around it.
Common mistakes
- Do not translate the pattern word for word; first identify its function in the whole situation.