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)
Answer
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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