-면서 (myeonseo) - While/As

The connective ending -면서 (myeonseo) expresses simultaneous actions or states, meaning "while" or "as" in English. It shows that two actions happen at the same time or one action occurs during another.

Basic Function

-면서 connects two clauses to show:

1. Simultaneous actions - two things happening at once
2. Contradictory behavior - doing one thing while claiming another
3. Manner - how an action is performed

Translation: while, as, at the same time as

Formation

Pattern: Stem면서

After vowel or ㄹ → -면서:

• 가다 → 가면서 (while going)
• 먹다 → 먹으면서 (while eating)
• 크다 → 크면서 (while being big)

Actually, let me correct this:

After any stem → -면서:

The -으- is optional and dialectal. Standard form:

• 가다 → 가면서 (while going)
• 먹다 → 먹으면서 or 먹면서 (while eating)
• 공부하다 → 공부하면서 (while studying)

In practice, stems add -(으)면서:

• After vowel: -면서
• After consonant: -으면서 or just -면서

Standard usage: After consonant → -으면서:

• 먹다 → 먹으면서
• 읽다 → 읽으면서

After vowel/ㄹ → -면서:

• 가다 → 가면서
• 보다 → 보면서
• 만들다 → 만들면서

Function 1: Simultaneous Actions

Pattern: [Action 1]면서 [Action 2]

Two actions at the same time:

• 음악을 들으면서 공부해요. (I study while listening to music.)

• 걸으면서 전화해요. (I talk on the phone while walking.)

• 텔레비전을 보면서 밥을 먹어요. (I eat while watching TV.)

• 노래를 부르면서 춤춰요. (I dance while singing.)

Same Subject Required

Both actions must be done by the same subject:

✓ 저는 커피를 마시면서 책을 읽어요. (I read a book while drinking coffee.) - same person

✗ 저는 공부하면서 친구는 놀아요. (awkward) Better: 저는 공부하고, 친구는 놀아요. (I study, and my friend plays.) - different subjects

Function 2: Contradictory Actions

Pattern: [Claim]면서 [Opposite Action]

Saying one thing while doing another:

• 다이어트한다면서 많이 먹어요. (They say they're dieting, but eat a lot.)

• 바쁘다면서 놀아요. (They say they're busy, but play around.)

• 모른다면서 다 알아요. (They say they don't know, but know everything.)

• 안 한다면서 했어요. (They said they wouldn't do it, but did.)

Expressing Criticism

This usage often implies criticism or pointing out inconsistency:

• 돈이 없다면서 비싼 것을 사요. (They say they have no money, yet buy expensive things.)

• 시간이 없다면서 게임해요. (They say they have no time, yet play games.)

With Action Verbs

Daily Activities

• 샤워하면서 노래해요. (I sing while showering.)

• 운전하면서 전화하지 마세요. (Don't talk on the phone while driving.)

• 일하면서 음악을 들어요. (I listen to music while working.)

Multiple Tasks

• 청소하면서 빨래해요. (I do laundry while cleaning.)

• 요리하면서 설거지해요. (I do dishes while cooking.)

With Descriptive Verbs (Adjectives)

Less Common

-면서 is less commonly used with pure adjectives, but appears with some:

• 작으면서 예뻐요. (It's small yet pretty.) - showing contrast

• 싸면서 좋아요. (It's cheap yet good.)

Usually Better with Verbs

More natural with action verbs than states:

Less common: 크면서 가벼워요. More natural: 크지만 가벼워요. (is big but light)

Tense Restrictions

No Past Tense Marker

Cannot add -았/었 to -면서:

❌ 먹었으면서 ✓ 먹으면서

The tense is shown in the final clause:

• 음악을 들으면서 공부했어요. (I studied while listening to music.) - past in final verb

• 음악을 들으면서 공부해요. (I study while listening to music.) - present in final verb

Irregular Verbs

ㅂ Irregular

ㅂ stays before -으면서:

• 춥다 → 춥으면서 (while being cold)
• 덥다 → 덥으면서 (while being hot)

Or ㅂ→우: 추우면서, 더우면서

ㅎ Irregular

ㅎ stays before -면서:

• 그렇다 → 그렇으면서 or 그러면서 (while being so)
• 빨갛다 → 빨갛으면서 or 빨가면서 (while being red)

으 Irregular

으 stays before -면서:

• 크다 → 크면서 (while being big)
• 예쁘다 → 예쁘면서 (while being pretty)
• 바쁘다 → 바쁘면서 (while being busy)

ㄹ Irregular

ㄹ drops before ㅁ:

• 알다 → 아면서 (while knowing)
• 살다 → 사면서 (while living)
• 만들다 → 만드면서 (while making)

ㄷ Irregular

ㄷ → ㄹ, then ㄹ drops:

• 듣다 → 들- → 드면서 (while listening)
• 걷다 → 걸- → 거면서 (while walking)

Common Simultaneous Actions

Studying

• 음악을 들으면서 공부해요. (Study while listening to music.)

• 커피를 마시면서 공부해요. (Study while drinking coffee.)

Commuting

• 버스를 타면서 책을 읽어요. (Read while riding the bus.)

• 걸으면서 전화해요. (Talk on phone while walking.)

Eating

• 텔레비전을 보면서 먹어요. (Eat while watching TV.)

• 이야기하면서 식사해요. (Eat while talking.)

Working

• 일하면서 공부해요. (Study while working.)

• 일하면서 돈을 벌어요. (Earn money while working.)

Expressing Manner

How Something Is Done

-면서 can show the manner or way of doing something:

• 웃으면서 말해요. (Speak while smiling / speak with a smile.)

• 울면서 말했어요. (Spoke while crying / spoke in tears.)

• 뛰면서 왔어요. (Came while running / came running.)

Contradictions and Criticism

Pointing Out Inconsistency

• 공부한다면서 게임만 해요. (Says they're studying, but only plays games.)

• 다이어트한다면서 야식을 먹어요. (Says they're dieting, but eats late-night snacks.)

• 안 된다면서 해요. (Says it can't be done, but does it.)

Expressing Irony

• 친구라면서 그렇게 해요? (You say you're a friend, yet you do that?)

• 사랑한다면서 그래요? (You say you love them, yet you do that?)

With Progressive -고 있다

Cannot Combine

Don't use -면서 with -고 있다:

❌ 먹고 있으면서 공부해요. ✓ 먹으면서 공부해요. ✓ 먹고 있고 공부하고 있어요. (both progressive)

Comparing to Other Connectives

-면서 (simultaneous)

• 음악을 들으면서 공부해요. (Study while listening to music.) - at same time

-고 (sequential or listing)

• 음악을 듣고 공부해요. (Listen to music and study.) - could be sequential

-아/어서 (causal)

• 음악을 들어서 공부 못 해요. (Because I listen to music, I can't study.) - cause

-(으)면 (conditional)

• 음악을 들으면 공부해요. (When/If I listen to music, I study.) - condition

Politeness Levels

Works with All Levels

-면서 itself is neutral; final verb shows formality:

Informal polite:

• 먹으면서 봐요.

Formal polite:

• 먹으면서 봅니다.

Informal:

• 먹으면서 봐.

Common Mistakes

❌ Different Subjects

Wrong: 제가 먹으면서 친구가 봐요. Right: 저는 먹고, 친구는 봐요.

-면서 requires same subject for both actions.

❌ Using Past Tense

Wrong: 먹었으면서 공부해요. Right: 먹으면서 공부했어요.

Past tense only on final verb.

❌ With -고 있다

Wrong: 먹고 있으면서 공부해요. Right: 먹으면서 공부해요.

Duration and Extended Actions

Ongoing Simultaneous Activities

-면서 works well for extended simultaneous actions:

• 일하면서 학교에 다녀요. (I go to school while working.) - ongoing dual activities

• 살면서 배워요. (I learn while living / I learn through life.)

Contrast with -는데

-면서 (simultaneous)

• 걸으면서 전화해요. (Talk on phone while walking.) - at same time

-는데 (background/context)

• 걷는데 전화가 왔어요. (While walking, the phone rang.) - provides context

Common Patterns

Multitasking

• 일하면서 공부해요. (Work while studying.)
• 듣으면서 쓰세요. (Write while listening.)

Contradictions

• 바쁘다면서 놀아요. (Says busy but plays.)
• 모른다면서 알아요. (Says don't know but knows.)

Manner

• 웃으면서 말해요. (Speak while smiling.)
• 울면서 왔어요. (Came while crying.)