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Last week I learned to use あいだ and あいだに to express things that happen at the same time (are parallel) or things that happen while other are occurring. But I noticed that all the examples on the book (みんなの日本語 - 中級１ - Lesson 8, pp. 82) as well as the exercises and their answers use past tense, like this:

電車に乗っているあいだ、本を読んでいた。

食事に出かけているあいだに、部屋にどろぼうが入った。

As I understand, in this grammatical pattern あいだ is used sort of like a "while". But can this be used to express things that are happening now or will happen in the future, while others occur? For example, is this correct:

あなたが映画を見ているあいだ、私は買い物に行きます。
(While you watch the movie I will go shopping)

みんなが遊んでいるあいだ、私は働いています。
(I'm working while everyone is having fun)

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あなたが映画を見ているあいだ、私は買い物に行きます。
みんなが遊んでいるあいだ、私は働いています。

Both sentences are perfectly standard. The structure あいだ(に), is indeed not bound to being used with the past tense.

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  • What about うちに, can it be used with both non-past and past tense? E.g. 雨が降らなかったうちに、ジョギングやってくりゃ良かった。I wish I went for a run before it started raining.
    – user1602
    Commented Sep 7, 2020 at 6:35

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