～うちに (〜uchi ni)
Explanation
Expresses doing something while a certain condition still holds; 'while', 'before', 'as long as'.
Formation
Verb-casual + うちに, い-Adjective + うちに, な-Adjective + なうちに, Noun + のうちに
Detailed Explanation
The ～うちに grammar point is used to indicate that an action should be done while a certain condition still exists or before a situation changes. It can be translated as 'while', 'before', or 'as long as' in English. The formation differs depending on whether it is used with a verb, い-adjective, な-adjective, or noun.
Examples
元気なうちに、旅行を楽しんでください。
Genki na uchi ni, ryokō o tanoshinde kudasai.
Enjoy traveling while you are healthy.
若いうちに、いろいろなことを学ぶべきだ。
Wakai uchi ni, iroiro na koto o manabu beki da.
One should learn various things while they are young.
子供が寝ているうちに、夕食の準備をしましょう。
Kodomo ga nete iru uchi ni, yūshoku no junbi o shimashō.
Let's prepare dinner while the kids are sleeping.
雨が降らないうちに、家に帰りましょう。
Ame ga furanai uchi ni, ie ni kaerimashō.
Let's go home before it starts raining.
Grammar content sourced from hanabira.org.