2

You can use 最中（に）as follows:

NOUN ＋ の ＋ 最中（に）

V ている ＋ 最中（に）

Why can we not use 最中(に) preceded by an adjective? Can anyone provide me with a grammatical reason for this?

Improve this question

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
3

For example, you can say 信号が赤い間 ("while the traffic light is red"), but you cannot say ❌信号が赤い最中.

I think this is because 最中 ("(in) the midst of ～") is used only with events or actions that has a start/end and evolves/progresses over time. The basic role of an adjective is to describe a static quality that does not change for some time, so it does not go well with 最中. I think "in the midst of red(ness)" does not make much sense in English, either. But you can say something like 葉がだんだん赤くなる最中, because だんだん赤くなる ("to turn red gradually") is an action that progresses over time.

Improve this answer
2
  • is this way to define where adjective can be used and where cannot ?? like to think, adjective does nt change over a period of time. But Nouns are also not changing.for eg, Man,hat , ball then how we can we use it over there ?
    – Sam
    Jul 1, 2019 at 12:40
  • @Sam noun + の最中 makes sense only when the nouns is an event that progresses, such as 会議の最中, 試合の最中 or 食事の最中. 帽子の最中 makes no sense.
    – naruto
    Jul 2, 2019 at 2:45

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .