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! This can be done with 一边 (yībiān).

Structure

To express that one thing is done whilst 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 说话，一边 吃 东西。Bù yào yībiān shuōhuà, yībiān chī dōngxi,.Don't talk while I eat something.
• 我 常常 一边 洗澡， 一边 唱歌。Wǒ chángcháng yībiān xǐzǎo, yībiān chànggē.I often sing while I take the shower.
• 小孩子 喜欢 一边 吃 饭 一边 玩。Xiǎo háizi xǐhuan yībiān chīfàn yībiān wán.Children like to eat while they play.
• 你 喜欢 一边 散步 一边 聊天 吗？Nǐ xǐhuan yībiān sànbù yībiān liáotiān ma?Do you like talking while walking?
• 我们 一边 走 一边 聊 吧。Wǒmen yībiān zǒu yībiān liáo ba.Let's talk while we walk.
• 请 你 一边 读 一边 写。Qǐng nǐ yībiān dú yībiān xiě.Please write while you read.
• 他们 在 车 里 一边 说 一边 笑。 Tāmen zài chē lǐ yībiān shuō yībiān xiào.They were laughing while they were talking in the car.
• 不要 一边 开车 一边 打电话。Bù yào yībiān kāichē yībiān dǎ diànhuà.Don't talk on the phone while you drive.
• 老板 不 在 的 时候 我们 可以 一边 吃 东西 一边 工作。 Lǎobǎn bù zài de shíhou wǒmen chī dōngxi yībiān gōngzuò.We can eat while we work when the boss is not here.
• 我 觉得 一边 喝 酒 一边 跳舞 很 好玩。Wǒ juédé yībiān hējiǔ yībiān tiàowǔ hěn hǎowán.I think drinking alcohol and dancing at the same time is fun.

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