Difference between revisions of "Simultaneous tasks with "yibian""

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*老板 喜欢 <em>一边</em> 抽烟,<em>一边</em> 工作。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn xǐhuan <em>yībiān</em> chōuyān, <em>yībiān</em> gōngzuò.</span><span class="trans">The boss likes to smoke while working.</span>
 
*老板 喜欢 <em>一边</em> 抽烟,<em>一边</em> 工作。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn xǐhuan <em>yībiān</em> chōuyān, <em>yībiān</em> gōngzuò.</span><span class="trans">The boss likes to smoke while working.</span>
 
*很多 人 都 <em>一边</em> 上班, <em>一边</em> 玩 手机。<span class="pinyin">Hěn duō rén dōu <em>yībiān</em> shàngbān, <em>yībiān</em> wán shǒujī.</span><span class="trans">Many people play with their cell phone while working.</span>
 
*很多 人 都 <em>一边</em> 上班, <em>一边</em> 玩 手机。<span class="pinyin">Hěn duō rén dōu <em>yībiān</em> shàngbān, <em>yībiān</em> wán shǒujī.</span><span class="trans">Many people play with their cell phone while working.</span>
*她 常常 <em>一边</em> 做饭,<em>一边</em> 带 小孩。<span class="pinyin">Tā chángcháng <em>yībiān</em> zuò fàn, <em>yībiān</em> dài xiǎohái.</span><span class="trans">She often looks after the baby while cooking food.</span>
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*她 常常 <em>一边</em> 做饭,<em>一边</em> 带 小孩。<span class="pinyin">Tā chángcháng <em>yībiān</em> zuò fàn, <em>yībiān</em> dài háizi.</span><span class="trans">She often looks after the baby while cooking food.</span>
  
 
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Revision as of 07:46, 6 January 2017

Multitasking is vital to life in the modern world (what else are you doing while you read this?), so it's also important to learn a way to express simultaneous tasks in Chinese! This can be done with 一边 (yībiān).

Structure

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

Subj. + 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

  • 不要 一边 吃 东西,一边 说话。Bùyào yībiān chī dōngxi, yībiān shuōhuà. Don't eat while speaking.
  • 我 常常 一边 洗澡, 一边 唱歌。Wǒ chángcháng yībiān xǐzǎo, yībiān chàng gē.I often sing songs while I take a shower.
  • 孩子 喜欢 一边 吃饭, 一边 玩。Xiǎoháizi xǐhuan yībiān chī fàn, yībiān wán. Children like to eat while playing.
  • 你 喜欢 一边 听 音乐, 一边 做 作业 吗?Nǐ xǐhuan yībiān tīng yīnyuè, yībiān zuò zuòyè ma? Do you like to listen to music while doing homework?
  • 我们 一边一边 聊 吧。Wǒmen yībiān zǒu yībiān liáo ba. Let's walk while we talk.
  • 请 你 一边一边 写。Qǐng nǐ yībiānyībiān xiě. Please write as you read.
  • 不要 一边 开车, 一边 打电话。Bùyào yībiān kāichē, yībiān dǎ diànhuà. Don't talk on the phone while you drive.
  • 老板 喜欢 一边 抽烟,一边 工作。Lǎobǎn xǐhuan yībiān chōuyān, yībiān gōngzuò.The boss likes to smoke while working.
  • 很多 人 都 一边 上班, 一边 玩 手机。Hěn duō rén dōu yībiān shàngbān, yībiān wán shǒujī.Many people play with their cell phone while working.
  • 她 常常 一边 做饭,一边 带 小孩。Tā chángcháng yībiān zuò fàn, yībiān dài háizi.She often looks after the baby while cooking food.

You'll notice that the order of the two actions is sometimes different in the original Chinese and the English translations above. This is because the "main" action usually comes second in English (after the "while"), but first in Chinese. For example, "take a shower while singing" sounds strange in English, but "sing while taking a shower" doesn't.

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

Sources and further reading

Books