LEARN + KOREAN / Note 53 TOPIK I

While (-면서)

-면서 means “while,” two actions happening at the same moment. You now have three ways to connect two actions, and they’re not interchangeable.

커피를 마시면서 음악을 들어요.

keopireul masimyeonseo eumageul deureoyo.

I drink coffee while listening to music.

In Real Life

-고 just lists two actions, no relationship implied. -아서/어서 means the first action enables the second, done in sequence. -면서 means both are happening at the exact same instant: 마시면서 들어요 is sipping coffee and listening to music simultaneously, not one after the other.

팝콘하고 콜라를 먹으면서 영화를 봐요.

papkonhago kollareul meogeumyeonseo yeonghwareul bwayo.

I watch a movie while eating popcorn and drinking cola.

음악을 들으면서 산책해요.

eumageul deureumyeonseo sanchaekhaeyo.

I take a walk while listening to music.

음식을 만들면서 TV를 봐요.

eumsigeul mandeulmyeonseo tibeureul bwayo.

I watch TV while cooking.

대학교에 다니면서 아르바이트를 해요.

daehakgyoe danimyeonseo areubaiteureul haeyo.

I work part-time while attending university.

In Real Life

-면서 requires the same subject doing both actions. 제가 커피를 마시면서 친구가 이야기해요 (“I drink coffee while my friend talks”) doesn’t work, the two halves need one shared subject doing both things.

친구를 기다리면서 책을 읽어요.

chingureul gidarimyeonseo chaegeul ilgeoyo.

I read a book while waiting for a friend.

여행을 다니면서 외국어를 공부해요.

yeohaengeul danimyeonseo oegugeoreul gongbuhaeyo.

I study foreign languages while I travel.

Vocabulary

Korean	English
팝콘 papkon	popcorn
콜라 kolla	cola
다니다 danida	to attend, to commute to regularly
외국어 oegugeo	foreign language
설거지 seolgeoji	dishwashing
청소 cheongso	cleaning
빨래 ppallae	laundry
동시에 dongsie	at the same time
잠깐 jamkkan	for a moment, briefly
계속 gyesok	continuously, keep on (doing)
틈틈이 teumteumi	whenever there's a spare moment
딴생각하다 ttansaenggakhada	to let your mind wander, to think of something else
한꺼번에 hankkeobeone	all at once
여유 yeoyu	free time, leisure
집중하다 jipjunghada	to concentrate
산만하다 sanmanhada	to be distracted, scattered
틈 teum	a gap, spare moment
순간 sungan	moment, instant
동안 dongan	during, for the duration of
잠시 jamsi	briefly, for a moment