Simplified Chinese course

Lesson 203 of 240

New here? This is lesson 203 of a free 240-lesson Simplified Chinese course.

Start hereHow this works

While and even in Simplified Chinese

A-Li sits on two stools and looks at his order card while he eats. Maya walks in from Banyan Lane, still listening to a lesson on her phone.

Learn how to say you do two things at once, and how to stress that even this did not happen. Then notice how more and more people pick up a habit.

Keep the fortune in the till unsolved. A-Li's soy milk stays unfinished, as always.

By the end of this lesson

Say you do two things at once, mark that even this did not happen, and note that more and more people like something.

  • 我一边走一边听I listen while walking.
  • 他连早餐都没吃He didn't even eat breakfast.
  • 她一边工作一边学中文She works and studies Chinese at the same time.
  • 连我都不知道Even I don't know.
  • 一边吃一边聊Chat while eating.
  • 越来越多人喜欢More and more people like it.

Scene — order card and breakfast

Morning at Banyan Breakfast. Maya arrives from the lane with her earbuds in.

Auntie Lin is at the counter. A-Li has an egg pancake, an order card, and soy milk he has not finished.

He looks at the card while he eats, but he has not read the writing. Nobody is solving the slip in the till today.

Maya steps in from the lane with earbuds in, Auntie Lin stands at the counter away from the till, and A-Li the yak sits on two stools eating an egg pancake while holding an order card beside unfinished soy milk.

Learn — while, even, more and more

These six lines help you talk about two actions at once, an unexpected even, and a growing trend.

Listen for 一边 paired with 一边, and 连 with 都. Say each line out loud after you hear it.

  1. Maya walks toward the open breakfast shop in morning light, earbuds in, mid-stride, fingertips touching one earbud.

    我一边走一边听

    I listen while walking.

    When to use it: Use this when two actions happen at the same time.

    一边 before each verb marks two actions happening together.

    Say it: The 一 in 一边 becomes a fourth tone before 边.

  2. Auntie Lin turns from the counter toward the street with a lifted palm while A-Jie hurries to a scooter carrying no food.

    他连早餐都没吃

    He didn't even eat breakfast.

    When to use it: Use this when even a basic thing did not happen.

    连 and 都 flag a surprising case, here skipping breakfast.

  3. Auntie Lin leans both forearms on the counter toward Maya, who sits with a laptop under one hand and a blank notebook under the other.

    她一边工作一边学中文

    She works and studies Chinese at the same time.

    When to use it: Use this when she works and studies Chinese together.

  4. A-Li the yak sits on two stools and holds an order card close while gripping an egg pancake, with soy milk still full beside him.

    连我都不知道

    Even I don't know.

    When to use it: Use this when even you, of all people, have no idea.

    连 plus a person plus 都 makes that person the surprising case.

  5. Maya sits at the table with a half-eaten egg pancake and leans in toward A-Li the yak with an open hand while he eats across from her.

    一边吃一边聊

    Chat while eating.

    When to use it: Use this to invite talk during a meal.

  6. Auntie Lin holds up a tray of egg pancakes toward a small morning cluster of customers waiting at the counter.

    越来越多人喜欢

    More and more people like it.

    When to use it: Use this when a thing keeps gaining fans.

    越来越 plus an amount shows a steady increase.

Story — looks at the card without reading

Listen as Maya comes in from a walk. A-Li looks at his order card and eats without reading it.

Auntie Lin has news about A-Jie, and the talk stays on breakfast, not on the fortune.

  1. Auntie Lin美女，早安！Morning, beautiful!
  2. Maya我一边走一边听。I listen while walking.
  3. Auntie Lin听什么啊？Listen to what?
  4. Maya中文课的录音。A recording from Chinese class.
  5. Auntie Lin你吃饭了吗？Have you eaten?
  6. Maya吃了。阿杰呢？I have. Where's A-Jie?
  7. Auntie Lin他连早餐都没吃。He didn't even eat breakfast.
  8. Maya真的吗？Really?
  9. Auntie Lin对啊，他骑摩托车走了。Yeah, he left on his scooter.
  10. Maya怡君也忙。她一边工作一边学中文。Yi-Jun is busy too. She works and studies Chinese at the same time.
  11. Auntie Lin这样喔，很不容易。Oh, I see. That's not easy.
  12. A-Li looks at his order card, then takes a bite without reading it.
  13. A-Li来，一边吃一边聊。Come on, chat while we eat.
  14. Maya好喔。这张写什么？Okay. What does this card say?
  15. A-Li连我都不知道。Even I don't know.
  16. Auntie Lin那是蛋饼的号码啦。That's the number for the egg pancake.
  17. Maya难怪越来越多人喜欢。No wonder more and more people like it.
  18. A-Li豆浆还热着。The soy milk is still warm.

Practice — use while and even

Try nine short tasks with these new patterns. Match the line to each situation, and watch for a second answer that almost fits.

After you check, say the right line once more.

0 of 9 done

  1. What does it mean?

    我一边走一边听

  2. Fill the gap

    He didn't even eat breakfast.

    他____早餐都没吃

  3. Fill the gap

    She works and studies Chinese at the same time.

    她一边____一边学中文

  4. What do you say?

    A-Li asks what the card says. You have no idea, not even you.

  5. What did you hear?

  6. Swap the word

    The egg pancake keeps getting new fans. Change the line so more and more people like it.

    越来越____人喜欢

  7. Pick the reply

    Auntie Lin says:

    他连早餐都没吃

    He didn't even eat breakfast.

    And you reply with:

  8. What do you say?

    You sit down with Auntie Lin and want to know if she has already eaten.

  9. What does it mean?

    早安

Say it — your turn at the counter

You play Maya at the breakfast counter. Hear each cue, then say the line that fits.

Tap the microphone. You can replay the other person's line before you speak.

  1. Maya arrives at Banyan Breakfast after walking with a lesson in her ears.
  2. Maya (you)Tell Auntie Lin you listen while walking.

    我一边走一边听

    I listen while walking.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

Simplified ChineseEnglish
我一边走一边听I listen while walking.
他连早餐都没吃He didn't even eat breakfast.
她一边工作一边学中文She works and studies Chinese at the same time.
连我都不知道Even I don't know.
一边吃一边聊Chat while eating.
越来越多人喜欢More and more people like it.
Next: lesson 204A leaking tap

Save your progress — it’s free

Keep your place in the course and see which lines you’ve learned.

Want the next lesson in your inbox?

Get the next lesson by email, one a day.

Where should we start?
Join the newsletter

Daily lesson emails are coming soon. Newsletter subscribers get them first.

Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Today's while and even lines are in Yak Cards with more useful lines for doing two things at once.

Review a few of these cards each day so 一边 and 连 come easily.

Open Yak Cards