Simultaneous tasks with "yibian"

Multitasking is vital to life in the modern world (most likely you are reading this article on a separate tab among many in your browser!), therefore it would make sense to learn a way to express simultaneous tasks in Chinese!

Structure

To express that one thing is done whilst doing something else, the word 一边 (yībiān) is used.

Subject + 一边 + Verb， + 一边 + Verb

Note that you sometimes see 一边 shortened to 边 as well, which has a less formal feel.

Examples

• 我 一边 看 电视，一边 吃 东西。I watch TV while I eat something.
• 他们 一边 唱 歌， 一边 跳 舞。They dance while they sing.
• 你 喜欢 一边 散步 一边 聊天 吗？Do you like talking while walking?
• 我们 一边 吃 一边 聊 吧。Let's eat while we talk.
• 请 你 一边 看 一边 读。Please look while you read.
• 我 一边 工作 一边 听 音乐。I listen to music while working
• 小孩子 喜欢 一边 吃 饭 一边 玩。Children like to eat while they play.
• 一边 走路 一边 看 美女。Looking at pretty girls while walking on the road.
• 那 个 男人 一边 说 一边 笑。That guy laughs while he talks.
• 我 觉得 一边 喝 酒 一边 跳舞 很 难。I think drinking alcohol and dancing at the same time is very hard.

Note that you must be actively doing both actions. That is, they have to be intentional. If you want to say something happened while another thing was happening, it would be better to use "的时候".

See also

• Expressing simultaneous actions with "yimian"
• "Along with…" using "suizhe"

Sources and further reading

Books

• Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (p. 207) →buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3) (p. 17) →buy
• Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (pp. 269) →buy