Breakdown of tā hé wǒ měitiān yìbiān gōngzuò, yìbiān dǎ diànhuà.
我wǒ
I
和hé
and
她tā
she
工作gōngzuò
to work
每天měitiān
every day
打电话dǎdiànhuà
to make a phone call
一边yìbiān
at the same time
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Questions & Answers about tā hé wǒ měitiān yìbiān gōngzuò, yìbiān dǎ diànhuà.
What does the structure 一边…一边… (yìbiān… yìbiān…) do?
It shows two actions happening at the same time by the same subject. Pattern: Subject + (time word) + 一边 + VP1, 一边 + VP2. Here, 她和我每天一边工作，一边打电话 means that both of us work and make phone calls simultaneously every day.
Where should the time word 每天 (měitiān) go? Can it go elsewhere?
The most natural place is after the subject: 她和我每天…. You can also front it as a topic: 每天，她和我…. Don’t split the pair; avoid things like 一边每天工作，一边打电话 or 一边工作，一边每天打电话.
Do I need 都 (dōu) here? Where would it go?
It’s optional but common with plural subjects or with 每-phrases.
- Emphasize the habitual nature: 她和我每天都一边工作，一边打电话。
- Emphasize that both people do it: 她和我都每天一边工作，一边打电话。 Without 都 is still correct and natural.
Why say 她和我 instead of 我们?
她和我 explicitly names the two people and avoids ambiguity about who “we” includes. 我们 is fine too: 我们每天一边工作，一边打电话. Use 她和我 if you want to be explicit or contrast with others.
Is it more polite to say 她和我 instead of 我和她?
Yes. As in English, it’s customary to put the other person first: 她和我. 我和她 is grammatical but a bit less polite.
Can I use 跟 (gēn) or 与 (yǔ) instead of 和 (hé)?
Yes. 跟 is very colloquial: 她跟我每天…. 与 is more formal: 她与我每天…. All three can coordinate nouns here with only slight tone/register differences.
Can I drop one 一边?
Use either the full form on both sides: 一边工作，一边打电话, or the shorter colloquial form on both sides: 边工作边打电话. Don’t use 一边 only once; that’s not standard.
Can I reverse the order of the two actions?
Yes. 她和我每天一边打电话，一边工作 is fine and has the same meaning. Choose the order that better reflects what you want to foreground.
Do I need 在 (zài) or 着 (zhe) with 一边…一边…?
No. 一边…一边… already conveys simultaneity. Adding 在 is usually unnecessary, especially with 每天 (habitual). You can sometimes use 着 to emphasize a continuous background state, e.g., 一边看着手机，一边走路, but it’s not required here.
How do I pronounce 一边 and how is it different from 一般?
- 一边 is yìbiān (the tone of 一 changes to fourth before a first tone).
- 一般 is yìbān. They sound similar but have different second syllables: biān vs. bān. Remember the tone-sandhi rule for 一: it becomes yì before 1st/2nd/3rd tones and yí before a 4th tone (e.g., yígè, yígòng).
How does 一边…一边… compare with 同时 (tóngshí), 一面…一面…, and 又…又…?
- 一边…一边…: most common for two simultaneous actions.
- 同时: adverb/conj linking clauses; e.g., 她和我每天工作，同时打电话.
- 一面…一面…: more literary; similar to 一边…一边….
- 又…又…: often for two qualities or co-occurring states; with verbs, it can describe doing two things but doesn’t focus on “while” as strongly (e.g., 又笑又哭).
Does 一边…一边… require the same subject for both actions?
Yes. The same subject does both actions. In 她和我每天一边工作，一边打电话, the joint subject “she and I” means each of us is both working and calling. If you mean “she works while I call,” say 她工作的时候，我打电话.
Is the comma necessary between the two parts?
No. It’s optional and marks a pause in writing. Both 她和我每天一边工作，一边打电话 and 她和我每天一边工作一边打电话 are fine.
How do I say “call someone” or “make one quick call” in this pattern?
- “Call someone”: 给 + 人 + 打电话 or 打电话给 + 人. Example: 她和我每天一边工作，一边给客户打电话。
- “Make one quick call”: 打个电话. Example: 她和我每天一边工作，一边打个电话。
Can I use 天天 (tiāntiān) instead of 每天?
Yes. 天天 is more colloquial and a bit more emphatic: 她和我天天一边工作，一边打电话.
Is there a shorter colloquial version without 一?
Yes: 她和我每天边工作边打电话. This is very common in speech.