N1 Purpose and Means

~かたがた: meaning, usage and examples

~かたがた means: while... / at the same time... (formal greeting/visit).

Updated 9 November 2026 · By the My Senpai team · Spotted a mistake? Tell us

Examples

1. お礼れいかたがた、ご挨拶あいさつに伺うかがいました。

   I came to give my greetings, and at the same time to thank you.

2. 結婚けっこんの報告ほうこくかたがた、祖父そふの家いえを訪たずねた。

   I visited my grandfather's house, partly to report my marriage.

3. 近ちかくまで参まいりましたので、ご挨拶あいさつかたがた立たち寄よらせていただきました。

   I was in the neighborhood, so I stopped by to say hello.

4. 無事ぶじ退院たいいんいたしましたので、ご報告ほうこくかたがたお礼れい申もうし上あげます。

   I have been safely discharged from the hospital, and I am writing to let you know and to thank you.

When to use it

Means doing one action that also serves a second purpose, almost always a visit, greeting or letter. Typical nouns are お礼れい, ご挨拶あいさつ, ご報告ほうこく, お見舞みまい, 散歩さんぽ. Example: お礼れいかたがたご挨拶あいさつに伺うかがいました (I came to greet you and also to thank you). The main verb is usually 伺うかがう, 訪たずねる or 申もうし上あげる.

Nuance

Formal and polite; at home in business letters, greetings and speeches. The noun before かたがた is often a set expression of thanks or reporting. It sounds stiff in casual talk, where people say ついでに. The main clause describes a visit or message, not a long activity.

Compare

かたがた adds a polite second purpose to a visit or letter: ご報告ほうこくかたがたお礼れい申もうし上あげます. がてら is casual and attaches to an activity like a walk: 散歩さんぽがてらパンを買かった. かたわら is about an ongoing side job next to a main job: 働はたらくかたわら小説しょうせつを書かく.

Tip: If the sentence is a formal greeting, thank-you or report to someone of higher status, かたがた is the natural choice.