-면서 - While doing

-면서 expresses doing two actions simultaneously by the same subject. It means "while doing," "as," or "at the same time as" in English.

Structure

Verb stem + -면서

Breakdown:

• -면서: Connective ending for simultaneous actions

Literal meaning: "While [doing], at the same time"

Formation Rules

All Verbs: -면서

Simple attachment to any verb stem:

• 가다 → 가면서 (while going)
• 먹다 → 먹으면서 (while eating)
• 하다 → 하면서 (while doing)
• 보다 → 보면서 (while seeing/watching)
• 듣다 → 들으면서 (while listening)
• 걷다 → 걸으면서 (while walking)
• 일하다 → 일하면서 (while working)
• 공부하다 → 공부하면서 (while studying)

Note: Works with ALL action verbs. Very simple formation.

Core Meaning: Simultaneous Actions

Same Subject, Two Actions

One person does both actions at once:

• 음악을 들으면서 공부해요 (I study while listening to music)
• TV를 보면서 밥을 먹어요 (I eat while watching TV)
• 걸으면서 전화해요 (I talk on the phone while walking)
• 운전하면서 노래를 불러요 (I sing while driving)

Emphasis on Simultaneity

Both actions happen at exactly the same time:

• 웃으면서 말했어요 (Said it while smiling)
• 울면서 이야기했어요 (Talked while crying)
• 뛰면서 소리쳤어요 (Shouted while running)

Common Usage Patterns

Daily Activities

Multitasking in daily life:

• 음악을 들으면서 청소해요 (I clean while listening to music)
• 커피를 마시면서 신문을 읽어요 (I read the newspaper while drinking coffee)
• 샤워하면서 노래를 불러요 (I sing while showering)
• 산책하면서 생각해요 (I think while walking)

Work and Study

Doing multiple things while working/studying:

• 일하면서 공부해요 (I study while working)
• 노트북을 보면서 타이핑해요 (I type while looking at the laptop)
• 자료를 찾으면서 정리해요 (I organize while searching for materials)

Communication

Talking/expressing while doing something:

• 웃으면서 말했어요 (Spoke while smiling)
• 울면서 사과했어요 (Apologized while crying)
• 고개를 끄덕이면서 들었어요 (Listened while nodding)

With Adjectives: Contrasting States

Expressing Contrast

Though less common, -면서 can show contrast with adjectives:

• 비싸면서 맛없어요 (It's expensive yet tasteless)
• 작으면서 무거워요 (It's small yet heavy)
• 쉬우면서 재미있어요 (It's easy and also fun)

Note: This usage emphasizes contrast or unexpected combination.

Tense Usage

Present/Habitual

Regular simultaneous actions:

• 음악을 들으면서 공부해요 (I study while listening to music - habitual)
• 걸으면서 생각해요 (I think while walking - habitual)

Past

Simultaneous actions in the past:

• 음악을 들으면서 공부했어요 (I studied while listening to music - past)
• 웃으면서 말했어요 (Said while smiling - past)

Future

Planned simultaneous actions:

• 음악을 들으면서 공부할 거예요 (I'll study while listening to music)
• 걸으면서 얘기할게요 (I'll talk while walking)

Important Restriction: Same Subject Only

✅ Correct Usage (Same Subject)

One person does both actions:

• 음악을 들으면서 공부해요 (I listen to music while I study)
• 웃으면서 말했어요 (I smiled while I talked)

❌ Incorrect Usage (Different Subjects)

Cannot use -면서 with different subjects:

• ❌ 엄마가 요리하면서 저는 청소했어요 (Mom cooked while I cleaned)
• ✅ 엄마가 요리하는 동안 저는 청소했어요 (While Mom cooked, I cleaned)

Use -는 동안 for different subjects

Negative Forms

While Not Doing

안/못 + verb + -면서:

• 안 먹으면서 일해요 (I work while not eating)
• 안 자면서 공부했어요 (I studied without sleeping)

Note: This pattern is less common; usually restructure with other patterns.

Common Expressions

Multitasking

• 듣으면서 (while listening)
• 보면서 (while watching/seeing)
• 먹으면서 (while eating)
• 마시면서 (while drinking)
• 걸으면서 (while walking)
• 뛰면서 (while running)

Work and Study

• 일하면서 (while working)
• 공부하면서 (while studying)
• 쓰면서 (while writing)
• 읽으면서 (while reading)
• 생각하면서 (while thinking)

Communication

• 말하면서 (while speaking)
• 웃으면서 (while smiling)
• 울면서 (while crying)
• 소리치면서 (while shouting)

Movement

• 가면서 (while going)
• 오면서 (while coming)
• 타면서 (while riding)
• 달리면서 (while running)

Example Sentences

Daily Activities

• TV를 보면서 저녁을 먹었어요 (I ate dinner while watching TV)
• 음악을 들으면서 청소해요 (I clean while listening to music)
• 걸으면서 친구와 전화했어요 (I talked on the phone with my friend while walking)
• 샤워하면서 노래를 불렀어요 (I sang while showering)

Work and Study

• 일하면서 한국어를 배워요 (I learn Korean while working)
• 커피를 마시면서 책을 읽어요 (I read a book while drinking coffee)
• 자료를 보면서 메모했어요 (I took notes while looking at the materials)

Emotional Expression

• 웃으면서 "고마워요"라고 말했어요 (Said "Thank you" while smiling)
• 울면서 사과했어요 (Apologized while crying)
• 기뻐하면서 춤을 췄어요 (Danced while rejoicing)

Example Dialogues

Dialogue 1: Multitasking

A: 지금 뭐 해요?
(What are you doing now?)

B: 음악을 들으면서 숙제하고 있어요.
(I'm doing homework while listening to music.)

Dialogue 2: Habit

A: 보통 어떻게 통근해요?
(How do you usually commute?)

B: 버스를 타면서 뉴스를 읽어요.
(I read the news while riding the bus.)

Dialogue 3: Advice

A: 어떻게 한국어를 배웠어요?
(How did you learn Korean?)

B: 드라마를 보면서 배웠어요.
(I learned while watching dramas.)

Dialogue 4: Warning

A: 운전하면서 전화하면 안 돼요.
(You shouldn't call while driving.)

B: 네, 알겠습니다. 조심할게요.
(Yes, I understand. I'll be careful.)

Common Mistakes

❌ Incorrect: 가면서 저는 공부했어요

Different subjects - can't use -면서

✅ Correct: 가는 동안 저는 공부했어요

Use -는 동안 for different subjects

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❌ Incorrect: 음악 들면서

Missing object particle

✅ Correct: 음악을 들으면서

Need object particle 을/를

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❌ Incorrect: 좋면서

Using with plain adjective inappropriately

✅ Correct: 좋으면서 (for contrast)

Only for showing contrast with adjectives

Usage Notes

Same Subject Requirement

Critical rule: Both actions must be by the same person/subject

• ✅ 저는 먹으면서 봤어요 (I watched while I ate)
• ❌ 저는 먹으면서 친구가 말했어요 (Wrong - different subjects)
• ✅ 제가 먹는 동안 친구가 말했어요 (While I ate, my friend talked)

Natural Combinations

Some actions naturally go together:

• 걸으면서 얘기하다 (talk while walking)
• 듣으면서 공부하다 (study while listening)
• 보면서 먹다 (eat while watching)
• 마시면서 읽다 (read while drinking)

Comparison with Similar Expressions

-면서 vs -는 동안

-면서 (same subject, simultaneous):

• 음악을 들으면서 공부해요 (I study while listening to music - emphasis on doing both)

-는 동안 (can be different subjects, time period):

• 음악을 듣는 동안 공부해요 (I study during listening to music - emphasis on time period)
• 친구가 오는 동안 청소했어요 (I cleaned while my friend was coming - different subjects OK)

-면서 vs -고

-면서 (simultaneous):

• 걸으면서 전화했어요 (Talked on phone while walking - at the same time)

-고 (sequential or listing):

• 걷고 전화했어요 (Walked and (then) talked on phone - could be sequential)

-면서 vs -아/어서

-면서 (simultaneous):

• 웃으면서 말했어요 (Spoke while smiling - at the same time)

-아/어서 (cause/sequence):

• 웃어서 행복해요 (Happy because smiling - causal)

Summary Table

Pattern	Usage	Example
Verb + -면서	While doing (simultaneous)	듣으면서, 먹으면서
-면서 + Verb	Do A while doing B	듣으면서 공부해요
Adj + -면서 (Adj)	A yet B (contrast)	비싸면서 맛없어요

Key Takeaways

• ✅ Simultaneous actions: Both happen at the same time
• ✅ Same subject only: Both actions by the same person - CRITICAL
• ✅ Very common: Essential for natural Korean
• ✅ Simple formation: Just add -면서 to verb stem
• ✅ Emphasizes action: Focus on doing both things together
• ✅ Different from -는 동안: Can't use different subjects

-면서 is crucial for expressing multitasking and simultaneous actions in Korean. Remember the same-subject rule and use it to naturally describe doing two things at once, making your Korean sound more fluent and native-like.