Today, we’re going to learn Korean Grammar 으면서. The lesson includes 으면서 vs – 은 채, 으면 Grammar, 다가 grammar, 다면서 grammar, 으면서도 Grammar, 면서까지 grammar. 으면서 means while doing something. For example – 문을 닫으면서 is while closing the door
우리 팝콘을 먹으면서 영화를 볼까요? Shall we see a movie while eating popcorn?”
Today’s grammar is ‘먹으면서’. Let’s find out ‘Verb-(으)면서’ which expresses that two actions occur simultaneously.
‘(으)면서’ attaches after the verb stem. It is a connective ending that connects two sentences. It is used to express that two actions occur simultaneously.
In English, we can translate -(으)면서 as “while”.
I am doing A while doing B.
-(으)면서 grammar is simple to use, but learning it opens up a whole range of things you can say.
Let’s take two activities that you might do at the same time. For example, studying and drinking coffee.
What we need to do is insert -(으)면서 between the two activities in a sentence.
Insert 면서 between the two activities by removing the 다 from 공부하다 and adding 면서,
공부하면서 커피를 마셔요.
In this example, the first verb, 공부하다 has a stem which ends in a vowel, so we don’t need to use 으.
Now let’s look at how it works with verb stems ending in consonants.
먹 has the final consonant ㄱ. so remove the 다 and add 으면서,
저녁을 먹으면서 유튜브를 봐요.
Korean grammar 으면서 example
Let’s see some examples.
‘우리는 팝콘을 먹어요.’ We eat popcorn.
‘우리는 영화를 봐요.’ We see a movie.
We are doing two actions at the same time. And I want to connect two sentences into one sentence. In this case, ‘(으)면서’ is used.
When you connect these two sentences. It becomes ‘우리는 팝콘을 먹으면서 영화를 봐요’ (While eating popcorn, we see a movie.)
‘먹으면서’ is an expression made by adding ‘으면서’ to the verb ‘먹다 (to eat).
‘우리는 팝콘을 먹으면서 영화를 봐요.’ While eating popcorn, we see a movie.
Let’s look at another one.
‘저는 공부를 해요.’ I study.
‘저는 라디오를 들어요.’ I listen to the radio.
I’m doing two actions at the same time. And I want to connect these two sentences.
In this case ‘(으)면서’ is used. When you connect these two sentences, it becomes
‘저는 공부를 하면서 라디오를 들어요.’ While I study, I listen to the radio.
‘하면서’ is an expression made by adding ‘면서’ to the verb ‘하다 (to do)
‘저는 공부를 하면서 라디오를 들어요.’ While I study, I listen to the radio.
Korean grammar 으면서 usage
When do we use ‘으면서 / 면서’? Let’s find out together.
When the verb stem has the final consonant, ‘-으면서 is used.
For example, remove ‘다’ from the verb ‘먹다’ (to eat). There is the final consonant in the verb stem. Then, ‘으면서’ is used. So, it becomes ‘먹으면서.’
On the other hand, when the verb stem (has vowel ending) does not have the final consonant, ‘면서’ is used.
When you look at ‘하다 (to do),’ remove ‘다,’
there is no final consonant in the verb stem.
Then, ‘면서’ is used. So, it becomes ‘하면서.’
Korean grammar 으면서 Exceptional case
Also, when the verb stem ends in ‘ㄹ’, ‘면서’ is used.
When you look at ‘만들다 (to make),’ remove ‘다,’. The final consonant is ‘ㄹ.’
Then, ‘면서’ is used. So, it becomes ‘만들면서.’
Korean grammar practice
Lets make a complete sentence using these words.
1. ‘나는 책을, 읽다, 음악을 들어요.’ ‘I book, to read, listen to music’
How would you say it?
나는 책을 읽으면서 음악을 들어요.
‘읽으면서’ is an expression made by adding ‘-으면서’ to ‘읽다 (to read).’
‘나는 책을 읽으면서 음악을 들어요.’ (While I read a book, I listen to music.)
2. ‘친구와 커피를, 마시다, 이야기했어요.’ ‘With my friend, to drink coffee, to talk with’
How would you say it?
친구와 커피를 마시면서 이야기 했어요.
‘마시면서’ is an expression made by adding ‘-면서’ to ‘마시다 (to drink).’
‘친구와 커피를 마시면서 이야기했어요.’ (While drinking coffee, I talked with my friend.)
3. ‘동생이, 울다, 엄마한테 가고 있어요.’ My younger brother/sister, to cry, is going to my mom.
How would you say it?
동생이 울면서 엄마한테 가고 있어요.
‘울면서’ is an expression made by adding ‘-면서’ to ‘울다 (to cry).’
‘동생이 울면서 엄마한테 가고 있어요.’ While my younger brother/sister cries, he/she is going to my mom.
“한국 드라마를 보면서 한국어 공부해요.” While I watch Korean dramas, I study Korean.
Both actions happened at the same time?
Watching Korean dramas and studying Korean. She is doing two actions at the same time. ‘보면서’ is an expression made by adding ‘-면서’ to ‘보다 (to cry).’
“점심시간에도 밥을 먹으면서 일했어요.” While eating lunch, I worked.
She ate lunch. And at the same time, she works. She did two actions at the same time. 먹으면서 is an expression made by adding ‘-으면서’ to ‘먹다 (to eat).’
으면서 vs 은 채
은 채 is usually used when you are talking about something that has been done/ that has been put in a certain way and it’s static or it’s not moving or it’s not an action that is actively happening. 은 채 and 은 채로 both have a similar meaning.
으면서 is something that you are doing right now (the person is doing right now) or an action that is happening / that is in progress.
앉은 채 means while seated (A person is comfortably seated). You can replace it with 앉아서 also and 앉아서 is more casual.
앉으면서 means while sitting down (A person is sitting down At that time)
문을 닫으면서 means While closing the door and 문을 닫은채로 with the door closed.
면 grammar
(으)면 means When/If… in English. If there is no 받침 or if the adj/verb stem ends with a ㄹ 받침 A/V + 면 is used. For example, 가다 has no final consonant so it becomes 가면
알다 has ㄹ consonant so it becomes 알면.
If there is a 받침 at the end of the adj/verb stem A/V + 으면 is used. for example, 먹다 has ㄱ which is a final consonant. So it becomes 먹으면 and 없다 also has final consonant so it becomes 없으면. Read more about 으면.
비가 오면 좋겠다. If it rains, I’ll be happy.
돈 있으면 좀 줘라. If you have money, give me some.
다가 grammar
다가 is a verb connector which means it connects two verbs. This structure is used when we describe a situation with two or more actions or states. It has a similar meaning with 으면서 but it is a little different. 으면서 is used when doing two actions together but 다가 is used when someone does the second action while the first action hasn’t finished yet(The first action hasn’t finished yet or the second action started at some point of the first action).
TV를 보면서 숙제를 했어요. Did homework while watching TV.
TV를 보다가 숙제를 했어요.In the middle of watching TV did a homework.
일하다가 다쳤어요. In the middle of working, I hurt myself. (the action of working hasn’t finished yet)
게 grammar
게 is used to make adverbs. 게 is attached after the verb and adjectives and it attaches two sentences. You have to simply remove 다 and attach 개 with verb stems. Let’s see some examples-
바쁘다 (Busy) + 게 = 바쁘게 Busily
빠르다 + 게 = 빠르게 했어요. Did it quickly.
크다 + 게 = 크게 말 해주세요. Speak loudly.
재미 있다 + 게 = 재미 있게 = 재미 있게 놀아요. Play interestingly.
행복하다 (happy) + 게 = 행복하게 Happily = 행복하게 살아요. Live happily
예쁘다 + 게 = 집에 꽃이 예쁘게 피었어요. The flowers bloomed beautifully at home.
게 has other meanings and usages also. To earn more click here
는데 Grammar
Now let’s learn the connectors 은데/는데. 은데/는데 are very commonly used grammar connectors in Korean language and in most of the situations they mean but, but sometimes they don’t mean anything they’re just used to make that sentence some kind of background information.
Let’s understand where we use 은데/는데 with adjectives you will always use (으)ㄴ데. If there is a 받침 you will add 은데 otherwise, simply ㄴ데. So for example – 좋은데, 바쁜데, 비싼데, 싼데, 예쁜데.
when it’s a verb we will always add 는데. Irrespective of whether it has a 받침 or not we will always add 는데. For example- 가는데, 먹는데, 마시는데, 오는데
Now let’s see some example sentences.
나은에게 전화했는데 안 받았어요.
I called naeun but she didn’t receive the call.
가방이 예쁜데 너무 비싸요.
The bag is pretty but it’s very expensive
저도 축구하고 싶은데 규칙 좀 알려주시겠어요?
I also want to play soccer. Can you please let me know the rule?
(규칙 좀 알려주시겠어요?) That is the main clause here but this one (저도 축구하고 싶은데) is giving background information to that question and why the person is asking that help (축구하고 싶다). So basically these are two different sentences
축구하고 싶다.
규칙 좀 알려주시겠어요?
We are combining these two sentences by adding 은데. Read more
Korean grammar 으면서 Summary
When the verb stem has the final consonant, 으면서 is used. So, ‘먹다’ becomes ‘먹으면서.’
When the verb stem does not have the final consonant or when the final consonant is ‘ㄹ,’ 면서 is used. So, 하다 becomes 하면서 and 만들다 becomes 만들면서.
There are two more things you have to remember when you use ‘(으)면서.’ Let’s see them.
First: when you connect two sentences using ‘으면서’, the subjects of both sentences should be the same. For example, ‘저는 공부를 하면서 동생은 라디오를 들어요.’ (While I study, my brother/sister listen to the radio.)
The subject of the first clause is 저 (=I) and the subject of the second clause is 동생 (brother/sister). Subjects are different. So when the subjects are different, it is the wrong sentence.
Now let’s look at the correct one.
‘저는 공부를 하면서 (저는) 라디오를 들어요.’ (While I study, I listen to the radio.)
The subject of the first clause is ‘I (저).’ and the subject of the second clause is ‘I (저).’ The subjects are the same. And when the subjects are the same, you have to remove the subject of the second clause.
‘저는 공부를 하면서 라디오를 들어요.’ (While studying I listen to the radio.) It is the correct sentence.
Second : when you connect two sentences, the tense makers should be used in the second clause. For example-
‘우리는 팝콘을 먹었어요. (We ate popcorn.)
‘우리는 영화를 봤어요.’ (We saw a movie.)
었 and 았 past tense endings are used. Now let’s connect two sentences.
‘우리는 팝콘을 먹었으면서 영화를 봤어요.’ (While we ate popcorn, we saw a movie.)
If you use the tense ending ‘었’ in the first clause, it is wrong. If you use the tense ending ‘었’ in the first clause, it is wrong. So, let’s remove ‘었,’ and say.
‘우리는 팝콘을 먹으면서 영화를 봤어요.’ While eating popcorn, we saw a movie.You can only use the tense markers in the second clause.
Summary
To sum up, when the verb stem ends in a vowel (like 공부하다), we add 면서, when it
has a final consonant (Like 먹다), we add 으면서.
There is one exception. When a verb stem ends in a final consonant ㄹ. We use 면서, not 으면서.
졸다 has the final consonant ㄹ so we need to add 면서 instead of 으면서.
공원에서 졸면서 친구를 기다려요.
