View source for Expressing "while you're at it" with "shunbian"

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Although sometimes translated as "in passing" or even "conveniently," the most common way that the idea of [[adverb]] 顺便 (shùnbiàn) is expressed in English is "while you're at it" (or "while I'm at it," etc.). It's the idea of doing something at a convenient and logical time to save effort. Now you just have to get used to expressing this concept as an adverb.

== General use of 顺便 ==

=== Structure ===

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Subj. ＋Verb Phrase 1，顺便 + Verb Phrase 2

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=== Example ===

<div class="liju">

*你 去 买 早饭 的 时候 <em>顺便</em> 帮 我 带 杯 咖啡 吧。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ chūqù de shíhou <em>shùnbiàn</em> bāng wǒ dài bēi kāfēi ba.</span><span class="trans">Bring me a cup of coffee when you go to buy breakfast.</span>
*你 去 超市 能 不 能 <em>顺便</em> 帮 我 买 一 瓶 牛奶？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ qù chāoshì néng bu néng <em>shùnbiàn</em> bāng wǒ mǎi yī píng niúnǎi?</span><span class="trans">Could you please buy me a bottle of milk when you go to the supermarket?</span>
*老板 去 见 客户，<em>顺便</em> 吃 了 午饭。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn qù jiàn kèhù, <em>shùnbiàn</em> chī le wǔfàn.</span><span class="trans">The boss went to see the client and also eat lunch with him.</span>
*我 下周 去 北京 出差，<em>顺便</em> 去 看 一 个 朋友。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ xià zhōu qù Běijīng chūchāi, <em>shùnbiàn</em> qù kàn yīgè péngyou.</span><span class="trans">I'm going to Beijing on a business trip next week. I'll go to visit a friend while I'm there.</span>
*我 出门 的 时候 都 会 <em>顺便</em> 扔 垃圾。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ chūmén de shíhou dōu huì <em>shùnbiàn</em> rēng lājī.</span><span class="trans">I take out the trash every time I leave the house.</span>
*你 见 他 的 时候 <em>顺便</em> 问 一下 他 周末 来 不 来。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ jiàn tā de shíhou <em>shùnbiàn</em> wèn yīxià tā zhōumò lái bu lái.</span><span class="trans">Ask him if he's coming this weekend when you meet him.</span>

== Colloquial usage of 顺便 ==

Here 顺便 means by the way.

=== Common phrases === 

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顺便说一下

顺便问一下
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=== Example ===

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*<em>顺便</em> 说 一下，我 最近 搬 家 了。<span class="pinyin"><em>Shùnbiàn</em> shuō yīxià, wǒ zuìjìn bān jiā le.</span><span class="trans">By the way, I moved lately.</span>
*<em>顺便</em> 问 一下，你 下周 什么 时候 回来？<span class="pinyin"><em>Shùnbiàn</em> wèn yīxià, nǐ xià zhōu shénme shíhou huílái?</span><span class="trans">By the way, when are you coming back next weekend?</span>
*<em>顺便</em> 说 一下，电脑 已经 修 好 了。<span class="pinyin"><em>Shùnbiàn</em> shuō yīxià, diànnǎo yǐjīng xiū hǎo le.</span><span class="trans">By the way, the computer's been fixed.</span>

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== See aslo ==

== Sources and further reading ==

=== Books ===
=== Dictionaries ===

[[Category:B2 grammar points]]
[[Category: Adverbs]]

{{Basic Grammar|顺便|B2|Subj. ＋Verb Phrase 1，顺便 + Verb Phrase 2|你 出去 的 时候<em>顺便</em> 帮 我 买 杯 咖啡。|grammar point|ASG5334C}}
{{Used for|Describing actions}}
{{POS|Adverbs}}