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Magda Posted 20 years ago
Grammar

While vs when

Hi again Emotion: smile
Could you tell me what is the difference between "while" and "when"? Can I use them interchangeably, e.g "While/While I was in Italy I went to see Alessandro."

Thank you.
  

Top answer

Magda Hi again Could you tell me what is the difference between "while" and "when"? " Thank you. Hi Magda You can choose either one of your whiles.

  • Magda Hi again Could you tell me what is the difference between "while" and "when"?
  • " Thank you.
  • Hi Magda You can choose either one of your whiles.
  • More seriously, while is often used to refer to long-lasting action: The phone rang while/when I was taking a bath.
  • But: I bumped into an old friend when I turned a corner.
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15 Answers
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MagdaHi again Emotion: smile
Could you tell me what is the difference between "while" and "when"? Can I use them int
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*While I went out, it was raining. -- unacceptable

When I went out, it was raining. -- acceptable

While it was raining, I went out. -- acceptable

When it was raining, I went out. – also acceptable

?While it was raining, I was going out. -- questionable

?When it was raining, I was going out.-- questionable

Comments:

While and when are
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Hejsan, Cool Breeze and thank you a lot Emotion: smile
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Teo, many thanks for your post!
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Magda:

Your confusion seems to stem from the fact that you seem to assume that
when=at
when in effect it can also mean:
when=while, during that time
as shown at 1 here:
------------

when

Function: conjunction

1 a : at or during the time that :
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Thank you, Marious. My confusion is cleared up now Emotion: smile.
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Marius HancuMagda:

Your confusion seems to stem from the fact that you seem to assume that
when=at
when in effect it can also mean:
when=while, during that time

Hi Marius

This is really none of my business but in Magda's native language (at least I assume that Swedish
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Cool Breeze
Marius HancuMagda:

Your confusion seems to stem from the fact that you seem to assume that
when=at
when in effect it can also mean:
when=while, during that time

Hi Marius

This is really none of my business but in Magda's native lang
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Well, in short, in English:
at: a point in time
while, during: a duration, interval in time
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0 01blockquote
01cite10Cool Breeze12cite11blockquote
11cite20Marius Hancu22cite20Magda:22br
22br
20Your confusion seems to stem from the fact that you seem to assume that22br
21i20when=at22i22br
20when in effect it can 21b20also22b20

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