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! The way to do this is with 一边 (yībiān).

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 (yībiān) shortened to 边 (biān) as well, which has a less formal feel.

Examples

• 我 一边 看 电视，一边 吃 东西。Wǒ yībiān kàn diànshì,yībiān chī dōngxī.I watch TV while I eat something.
• 他们 一边 唱 歌， 一边 跳 舞。Tāmen yībiān chànggē, yībiān tiàowǔ.They dance while they sing.
• 你 喜欢 一边 散步 一边 聊天 吗？Nǐ xǐhuān yībiān sànbù yībiān liáotiān ma?Do you like talking while walking?
• 我们 一边 吃 一边 聊 吧。Wǒmen yībiān chī yībiān liáo ba.Let's eat while we talk.
• 请 你 一边 看 一边 读。Qǐng nǐ yībiān kàn yībiān dú.Please look while you read.
• 我 一边 工作 一边 听 音乐。Wǒ yībiān gōngzuò yībiān tīng yīnyuè.I listen to music while working
• 小孩子 喜欢 一边 吃 饭 一边 玩。Xiǎo háizi xǐhuān yībiān chīfàn yībiān wán.Children like to eat while they play.
• 一边 走路 一边 看 美女。Yībiān zǒulù yībiān kàn měinǚ.Looking at pretty girls while walking on the road.
• 那 个 男人 一边 说 一边 笑。Nàgè nánrén yībiān shuō yībiān xiào.That guy laughs while he talks.
• 我 觉得 一边 喝 酒 一边 跳舞 很 难。Wǒ juédé yībiān hējiǔ yībiān tiàowǔ hěn nán.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" (de shíhou).

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 (p. 269) →buy