At a glance
～つつ means "while (doing)" for two actions done at the same time, or "although" for a contrast. It is formal and used mostly in writing, news and speeches.
Verb ます-stem + つつ(も)、main clause
悪いと知りつつ、嘘をついてしまった。 Even though I knew it was wrong, I told a lie.
How to form it
Take the ます-stem of the verb (remove ます) and add つつ. For the "although" meaning, つつも is also common.
| Verb group | Dictionary form | ～つつ |
|---|---|---|
| う-verb | 読む / 思う | 読みつつ / 思いつつ |
| る-verb | 食べる / 続ける | 食べつつ / 続けつつ |
| する | 勉強する | 勉強しつつ |
| 来る | 来る | 来つつ (rare) |
| ある / である | ある / 学生である | ありつつ / 学生でありつつ |
つつ itself does not take negative or past endings. Tense and politeness go on the verb at the end of the sentence.