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

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* 我 <em>一边</em> 看 电视,<em>一边</em> 吃 东西。<span class="trans">I watch TV while I eat something.</span>
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* 我 <em>一边</em> 看 电视,<em>一边</em> 吃 东西。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>yībiān </em> kàn diànshì,<em>yībiān </em> chī dōngxī.</span><span class="trans">I watch TV while I eat something.</span>
* 他们 <em>一边</em> 唱 歌, <em>一边</em> 跳 舞。<span class="trans">They dance while they sing.</span>
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* 他们 <em>一边</em> 唱 歌, <em>一边</em> 跳 舞。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>yībiān </em> chànggē, <em>yībiān </em> tiàowǔ.</span><span class="trans">They dance while they sing.</span>
* 你 喜欢 <em>一边</em> 散步 <em>一边</em> 聊天 吗?<span class="trans">Do you like talking while walking? </span>
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* 你 喜欢 <em>一边</em> 散步 <em>一边</em> 聊天 吗?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ xǐhuān <em>yībiān </em> sànbù <em>yībiān </em> liáotiān ma?</span><span class="trans">Do you like talking while walking? </span>
* 我们 一<em>边</em> 吃 一<em>边</em> 聊 吧。<span class="trans">Let's eat while we talk.</span>
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* 我们 一<em>边</em> 吃 一<em>边</em> 聊 吧。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen yī <em>biān </em> chī yī <em>biān </em> liáo ba.</span><span class="trans">Let's eat while we talk.</span>
* 请 你 <em>一边</em> 看 <em>一边</em> 读。<span class="trans">Please look while you read.</span>
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* 请 你 <em>一边</em> 看 <em>一边</em> 读。<span class="pinyin">Qǐng nǐ <em>yībiān </em> kàn <em>yībiān </em> dú.</span><span class="trans">Please look while you read.</span>
* 我 <em>一边</em> 工作 <em>一边</em> 听 音乐。<span class="trans">I listen to music while working</span>
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* 我 <em>一边</em> 工作 <em>一边</em> 听 音乐。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>yībiān </em> gōngzuò <em>yībiān </em> tīng yīnyuè.</span><span class="trans">I listen to music while working</span>
* 小孩子 喜欢 <em>一边</em> 吃 饭 <em>一边</em> 玩。<span class="trans">Children like to eat while they play.</span>
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* 小孩子 喜欢 <em>一边</em> 吃 饭 <em>一边</em> 玩。<span class="pinyin">Xiǎo háizi xǐhuān <em>yībiān </em> chīfàn <em>yībiān </em> wán.</span><span class="trans">Children like to eat while they play.</span>
* <em>一边</em> 走路 <em>一边</em> 看 美女。<span class="trans">Looking at pretty girls while walking on the road.</span>
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* <em>一边</em> 走路 <em>一边</em> 看 美女。<span class="pinyin"><Em>Yībiān </em> zǒulù <em>yībiān </em> kàn měinǚ.</span><span class="trans">Looking at pretty girls while walking on the road.</span>
* 那 个 男人 <em>一边</em> 说 <em>一边</em> 笑。<span class="trans">That guy laughs while he talks.</span>
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* 那 个 男人 <em>一边</em> 说 <em>一边</em> 笑。<span class="pinyin">Nàgè nánrén <em>yībiān </em> shuō <em>yībiān </em> xiào.</span><span class="trans">That guy laughs while he talks.</span>
* 我 觉得 <em>一边</em> 喝 酒 <em>一边</em> 跳舞 很 难。<span class="trans">I think drinking alcohol and dancing at the same time is very hard.</span>
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* 我 觉得 <em>一边</em> 喝 酒 <em>一边</em> 跳舞 很 难。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ juédé <em>yībiān </em> hējiǔ <em>yībiān </em> tiàowǔ hěn nán.</span><span class="trans">I think drinking alcohol and dancing at the same time is very hard.</span>
  
 
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Revision as of 22:13, 20 October 2014

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

  • 一边 看 电视,一边 吃 东西。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 吃 一 聊 吧。Wǒmen yī biān chī yī biān liáo ba.Let's eat while we talk.
  • 请 你 一边一边 读。Qǐng nǐ yībiān kàn yībiān dú.Please look while you read.
  • 一边 工作 一边 听 音乐。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

Sources and further reading

Books