while

while
while [waɪl]
1. conjunction
   a. ( = during the time that) pendant que
• can you wait while I telephone? pouvez-vous attendre pendant que je téléphone ?
• she fell asleep while reading elle s'est endormie en lisant
• "heels repaired while you wait" « talons minute »
   b. ( = as long as) tant que
• it won't happen while I'm here cela n'arrivera pas tant que je serai là
   c. ( = although) quoique + subj, bien que + subj
• while there are a few people who like that sort of thing ... bien qu'il y ait un petit nombre de gens qui aiment ce genre de chose ...
   d. ( = whereas) alors que
• she sings quite well, while her sister can't sing a note elle ne chante pas mal alors que sa sœur ne sait pas chanter du tout
2. noun
• a while quelque temps
• for a little while pendant un petit moment
• a long while (assez) longtemps
• once in a while (une fois) de temps en temps
► while away separable transitive verb (faire) passer
• to while away the time pour (faire) passer le temps
* * *
[waɪl], US [hwaɪl] 1.
conjunction
1) (although) bien que, quoique
2) (as long as) tant que
3) (during the time that) pendant que

he made a sandwich while I phoned — il s'est fait un sandwich pendant que je téléphonais

he collapsed while mowing the lawn — il a eu un malaise alors qu'il tondait le gazon

4) (at the same time as) en (+ gerund)

I fell asleep while watching TV — je me suis endormi en regardant la télé

close the door while you're about ou at it — ferme la porte pendant que tu y es

‘MOT while you wait’ — ‘contrôle technique express’

5) (whereas) tandis que
2.
noun

a while ago ou back — il y a quelque temps

a while later — quelque temps plus tard

for a good while — pendant longtemps

a short ou little while ago — il y a peu de temps

it will be ou take a while — cela va prendre un certain temps

to stop for a while — s'arrêter un peu

after a while he fell asleep — au bout d'un moment il s'est endormi

he worked, humming all the while — il travaillait tout en chantonnant

and all the while ou the whole while, he was cheating on her — et depuis le début, il la trompait

once in a while — de temps en temps

in between whiles — entre-temps

Phrasal Verbs:

English-French dictionary. 2013.

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