3 · Linking clauses, first steps
While, at the same time: -(으)면서
the connective of simultaneous actions
-(으)면서 joins two things that one person does, or one thing is, at the same time.
After a vowel or l the ending is -면서 (보면서, 놀면서), after any other consonant -으면서 (먹으면서, 웃으면서). Irregular stems: 들으면서, 걸으면서, 가벼우면서. With a noun: 학생이면서. The verb before -(으)면서 never takes the past; the tense goes on the last verb.
Its basic meaning is two actions at once by the same person: 음악을 들으면서 공부해요, “I study while listening to music”. The main action comes last; the one with -(으)면서 runs alongside it.
The subject has to be the same. For “while I was cooking, my brother cleaned”, with two people, Korean uses -는 동안: 제가 요리하는 동안 동생이 청소했어요. With adjectives and 이다, -(으)면서 means “both … and”: 이 식당은 싸면서 맛있어요.
It can also point out a contradiction between what someone says or knows and what they do: 다 알면서 모르는 척했어요, “he knew everything and pretended not to”. With 도 added, -(으)면서도, the contrast becomes explicit. In written Korean the short form -(으)며 is common.
The form
| after a vowel | 보다 → 보면서 |
| after a consonant | 먹다 → 먹으면서 |
| stem ending in l | 놀다 → 놀면서 |
| with an adjective: both … and | 싸면서 맛있어요 |
| the past only at the end | 먹으면서 이야기했어요 |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is about
-면서 after a vowel or l, -으면서 after any other consonant.
저는 음악을 들으면서 공부해요.I study while listening to music.
Both actions belong to the same person.
아이가 울면서 엄마를 찾았어요.The child was crying and calling for its mother.
The tense stands on the last verb only.
어제 친구와 커피를 마시면서 오랫동안 이야기했어요.Yesterday I talked with a friend for a long time over coffee.
With adjectives, -(으)면서 means both … and.
이 식당은 음식이 싸면서 맛있어요.The food in this restaurant is both cheap and good.
It can also set what someone knows or says against what they do.
동생은 다 알면서 모르는 척했어요.My younger sibling knew everything but pretended not to.
A closer look
Two kinds of "while"
English “while” does two jobs. When it means “at the same time”, Korean uses -(으)면서 for one person and -는 동안 for two. When it means “whereas”, comparing two different things, Korean uses -지만 or, more formally, -는 반면에.
Adding 도 makes a contradiction unmistakable: 비싸면서도 맛이 없어요, “it is expensive and still not good”; 알면서도 말하지 않았어요, “I knew and still did not say”.
Exceptions and special cases (1)
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the stem ends in l, as in 놀다, 울다 or 만들다
the ending is -면서 without 으, and the l stays: 놀면서, 울면서.
아이들이 놀면서 노래를 불러요.The children are singing as they play.
A stem in l never takes the linking vowel 으.
How to spot it
- -(으)면서
- -(으)면서도
- -(으)며
Example sentences
운전하면서 전화하면 위험해요.It is dangerous to use the phone while driving.
아버지는 신문을 읽으면서 아침을 드세요.My father has breakfast while reading the paper.
우리는 웃으면서 사진을 찍었어요.We took photos, laughing.
저는 대학교에 다니면서 카페에서 일해요.I work in a café while going to university.
공원을 걸으면서 많은 이야기를 나눴어요.We talked about many things as we walked in the park.
그 가수는 노래를 부르면서 춤을 춰요.That singer dances while singing.
8 more example sentences
텔레비전을 보면서 밥을 먹지 마세요.Do not eat while watching television.
민수 씨는 손을 흔들면서 인사했어요.Minsu waved as he said hello.
저는 일하면서 대학원에 다녀요.I go to graduate school while working.
노래를 들으면서 청소를 하면 시간이 빨리 가요.If you clean while listening to music, time goes quickly.
할머니는 사진을 보시면서 웃으셨어요.My grandmother smiled as she looked at the photos.
이 휴대폰은 가벼우면서 화면이 커요.This phone is light and has a big screen.
동생은 배부르다고 하면서 케이크를 또 먹었어요.My younger sibling said they were full and still had more cake.
버스를 기다리면서 책을 읽었어요.I read a book while waiting for the bus.
Worth knowing (1)
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Both … and, with nouns
With 이다, -(이)면서 gives one person two roles at once: 그분은 선생님이면서 작가예요, “she is both a teacher and a writer”.
제 친구는 의사이면서 화가예요.My friend is both a doctor and a painter.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
-(으)면서 needs one subject doing two things. When two people do two things at the same time, Korean says -는 동안, “during the time that”.
Myeonseo: one person, two actions at once — and the main one comes last.
Your turn
10 exercises on this topic. Your answers are checked in the browser; none of them leaves your device.