V+(으)며

Table of content

Occurring simultaneously Listing actions, states or facts Listing things (으)면서 vs (으)며

Occurring simultaneously

at the same time

Indicates that two or more actions are happening at the same time.

Example

노래를 하며 공부를 한다.

I study while singing.
빨갛고 매운 음식을 먹으며 스트레스를 푸는 장면을 본 적이 있나요?

Have you ever seen a scene where you de-stress by eating red and spicy food?

Listing actions, states or facts

Used to list two or more actions, states, or facts. Mainly used in written language or formal situations.

Example

그곳은 마치 고향처럼 아늑하고 포근하며 정겨운 느낌을 주는 곳이다.

That place is cozy, warm, and give a feeling like home.
한국 사람들은 매운 음식을 좋아하며 일을 빨리 처리한다고 들었다.

I heard that Koreans like spicy food and get things done quickly.

Listing things

When used with 이다, it used to list two or more things or statement. Also implies that they are large in number and there are more than just the listed items.

Example

돈이며 명예며 관심없다.

I don't care about money or fame.
무며 오이며 부추며 갖가지 채소로 김치를 담근다.

Kimchi is made from various vegetables such as white radishes, cucumbers, and leeks.

V+(으)면서 vs V+(으)며

V+(으)며 (Occurring simultaneously) can be replaced by V+(으)면서 (Simultaneous actions) with no change in meaning. It can be seen as a shorthand form but it is not.

All the grammatical content on this page, excluding the computer-generated audio, is licensed under the permissive

CC BY 4.0

license. Contributions, corrections, and feedback are all highly welcomed.