-으면서

Korean

Alternative forms

-면서 (-myeonseo) — after vowels and ㄹ (l)

Etymology

From Middle Korean -으〮며셔〮/ᄋᆞ〮며셔〮 (Yale: -úmyèsyé/ómyèsyé), from -으〮며〮/ᄋᆞ〮며〮 (Yale: -úmyé/ómyé, “while”) + 이셔〮 (Yale: ìsyé, infinitive of 잇다〮 (Yale: ìstá, “to be at”, whence modern 있다 (itda))). Compare -어서 (-eoseo), from a similar etymology.

Pronunciation

(SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ɯmjʌ̹nsʰʌ̹]
Phonetic hangul: [으면서]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization^?	eumyeonseo
Revised Romanization (translit.)^?	eumyeonseo
McCune–Reischauer^?	ŭmyŏnsŏ
Yale Romanization^?	umyense

Suffix

-으면서 • (-eumyeonseo)

while, at the same time
Synonym: (more formal) -으며 (-eumyeo)

점심 은 오면서 간단하게 먹었어
jeomsim-eun o-myeonseo gandanhage meogeosseo
I had a simple lunch while coming here.

나 는 살면서 너 만 사랑했다.
Na-neun sal-myeonseo neo-man sarang-haetda.
While I lived, I only loved you.
even though
잘 알지 도 못하면서 참견은.
Jal alji-do motha-myeonseo chamgyeon-eun.
Quit being so nosy even though you don't know anything.

빵 은 먹으면서 밥 은 왜 안 먹어?
ppang-eun meog-eumyeonseo bab-eun wae an meogeo?
Why won't you eat rice even when you eat bread?