בזמן שאני מחכה לאוטובוס, אני קורא עיתון.

It means while I am or at the time that I am.

So:

• בזמן שאני מחכה לאוטובוס = while I’m waiting for the bus
• Literally, בזמן is at the time / during the time

In everyday Hebrew, this is a normal way to introduce an action happening at the same time as another action.

The ש is the Hebrew word that, used here as a connector.

So בזמן שאני מחכה is literally something like:

• at the time that I am waiting

This is very common in Hebrew. You will often see:

• בזמן ש... = while...
• כש... = when / while...

So the ש is not random; it links בזמן to the full clause that follows.

Hebrew usually does not have a separate verb form for the English present progressive (am waiting, am reading).

Instead, Hebrew normally uses the simple present form:

• אני מחכה = I wait / I am waiting
• אני קורא = I read / I am reading

Context tells you which meaning is intended. In this sentence, because two actions are happening at the same time, the natural English translation is progressive:

• While I’m waiting for the bus, I’m reading a newspaper.

So yes: Hebrew uses the present tense where English often uses am ...-ing.

Because there are two clauses, and each one has its own subject:

• בזמן שאני מחכה לאוטובוס
• אני קורא עיתון

In Hebrew present tense, the verb form often does not clearly show the person by itself, so pronouns like אני are commonly stated.

Compare:

• אני מחכה = I am waiting
• אני קורא = I am reading

Using אני in both parts sounds clear and natural.

Because the verb לחכות means to wait for, and in Hebrew it normally takes the preposition ל־.

So:

• לחכות למישהו = to wait for someone
• לחכות לאוטובוס = to wait for a bus / the bus

This is just how the verb works in Hebrew.
A native English speaker may expect a direct object after wait, but Hebrew requires ל־ here.

It can mean either one, depending on context.

That is because in normal unpointed Hebrew spelling:

• ל + אוטובוס = to/for a bus
• ל + האוטובוס = to/for the bus

Both are written לאוטובוס without vowel marks.

So only context tells you whether it is definite or indefinite.
In many learning examples, English may translate it as the bus, but the Hebrew spelling itself does not always make that distinction visible.

Because את is used only before a definite direct object.

Here we have:

• עיתון = a newspaper / newspaper
  so it is indefinite

That is why the sentence says:

• אני קורא עיתון

But if you wanted to say I am reading the newspaper, you would say:

• אני קורא את העיתון

So:

• עיתון → no את
• העיתון → use את

קורא is the masculine singular present form.

So if the speaker is male:

• אני קורא עיתון

If the speaker is female:

• אני קוראת עיתון

A useful extra point: מחכה is written the same way for masculine and feminine singular in normal spelling, even though the pronunciation can differ with vowel marks. So in unpointed Hebrew, you often see:

• male: אני מחכה
• female: אני מחכה

But with קורא / קוראת, the difference is visible in regular spelling.

Yes. That is very common and natural.

For example:

• כשאני מחכה לאוטובוס, אני קורא עיתון.

This also means When/While I’m waiting for the bus, I read/am reading a newspaper.

A rough difference:

• בזמן שאני... = a bit more explicit: while I am...
• כשאני... = very common, often simpler and more conversational

Both are good.

Yes.

You can also say:

• אני קורא עיתון בזמן שאני מחכה לאוטובוס.

This means the same thing.

Hebrew allows both orders:

• time clause first: בזמן שאני מחכה... , אני קורא...
• main clause first: אני קורא... בזמן שאני מחכה...

When the time clause comes first, using a comma is normal and helpful.

It can mean either one in principle, because Hebrew present tense often covers both:

• simple present
• present progressive

So by itself, אני קורא עיתון could mean:

• I am reading a newspaper
• I read a newspaper

But in this sentence, because it appears with בזמן שאני מחכה..., the most natural understanding is an action happening right then:

• While I’m waiting for the bus, I’m reading a newspaper.

So the larger sentence makes the meaning clear.