Korean Grammar V-(으)면서

V-(으)면서” is a Korean grammar pattern used to express the idea of “while doing something” or “as something happens.” It is formed by attaching the verb stem with the suffix “-(으)면서”.

When two actions occur simultaneously, you can place the two clauses in the same sentence connected by ~(으)면서.

The form of the suffix “-(으)면서” depends on whether the verb stem ends in a vowel or a consonant.

If the verb stem ends in a vowel, you attach “-면서”. If it ends in a consonant, you attach “-으면서”.

Tips:

• The subjects of both clauses are the same.
• The tense endings are not added to the (으)면서. It is always written in the present tense.

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Verbs -(으)면서

verb stem ends in a vowel -면서	verb stem ends in a consonant -으면서
가면서	먹으면서
공부하면서	읽으면서

학교에 가면서 친구들과 이야기해요. (While going to school, I talk with my friends.)

 ~(으)면서 is to indicate that “going to school” and “talk” occurred at the same time. Common translations for ~(으)면서 when used with verbs like this is “as…” or “while…

텔레비전을 보면서 점심을 먹었어요. (I had lunch while watching TV.)
책을 읽으면서 시간을 보내요. (I spend time reading a book.)
음악을 들으면서 공부해요. (I study while listening to music.)
전화를 하면서 TV를 봐요. (I talk on the phone while watching TV.)
음악을 들으면서 운전을 해요. (I listen to music while driving.)
밥을 먹으면서 이야기를 했어요. (We had a conversation while eating.)
춤을 추면서 노래를 불렀어요. (We sang while dancing.)

Irregular Form

울다 (to cry) → 울면서
만들다 (to make) → 만들면서
듣다 (to listen) → 들으면서
걷다 (to walk) → 걸으면서
짓다 (to build) → 지으면서
돕다 (to help) → 도우면서

슬픈 영화를 보면서 울어요.(I cry watching a sad movie.)
나는 케이크를 만들면서 티비를 봬요. (I watch TV while making a cake.)
음악을 들으면서 산책하는 것이 제일 좋아요. (I love walking while listening to music the most.)
저는 걸으면서 음악을 들어요. (I listen to music while walking.)
집을 지으면서 주차장도 만들었어요. (I also built a parking lot while building a house.)
친구의 숙제를 도우면서 제 숙제도 같이 했어요. (I also did my homework while helping my friend’s homework.)

Tense Markers

For sentences describing events that took place in the past or or will take place in the future, tense markers should be added to the end of the sentence and can not precede this structure.

점심을 먹었으면서 텔레비전을 봤어요. (X)

점심을 먹었으면서 텔레비전을 봐요. (X)

점심을 먹으면서 텔레비전을 봤어요. (O) = I ate lunch while watching television.

Adjectives ~(으)면서

It is possible to attach ~(으)면서 to adjectives as well. The meaning of ~(으)면서 in Korean is still the same, but adjectives inherently do not “occur” as a verb does. As such, the translations of “as…” or “while…” are sometimes inappropriate when ~(으)면서 is used with adjectives. Instead, the speaker is indicating that something has the properties of both adjectives described. For example:

이 라면이 짜면서 매워요 = This ramyeon is salty and spicy.
오늘 날씨가 흐리면서 쌀쌀해요 = The weather today is cloudy and chilly.
그 미술관이 아름다우면서 재미있어요 = That art gallery is beautiful and interesting.

You might be wondering about the differences in the sentences above, and the following sentences using ~고:

라면은 짜고 매워요 = This ramyeon is salty and spicy.
오늘 날씨가 흐리고 쌀쌀해요 = The weather today is cloudy and chilly.
그 미술관이 아름답고 재미있어요 = That art gallery is beautiful and interesting.

Their meanings are quite similar. However, the use of ~(으)면서 gives the feeling that the two descriptions are more interrelated and connected, whereas the use of ~고 just simply provides two descriptions.

• 이 라면이 짜면서 매워요 The food, while being salty, is also spicy.
• 라면이 짜고 매워요 The food is salty and spicy.

Nouns ~이면서

It is also possible to attach ~면서 to 이다. It can indicate that something “is” one thing, while also being another thing. For example:

그 사람은 저의 사장님이면서 친구예요. That person is my boss and (while also being) my friend.

그 사람은 의사이면서 교수예요. That person is a doctor and (while also being a) professor.

요즘 핸드폰은 전화기이면서 컴퓨터예요. Cell phones these days are phones and (while also being) computers.

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