Meaning
while
- whereas
In a sentence
Io cucino mentre tu apparecchi la tavola.
I cook while you set the table.
Perché parli mentre guardiamo il film?
Why are you talking while we watch the movie?
Lui è uscito, mentre io sono rimasto a casa.
He went out, while I stayed home.
Usage notes
- Use 'mentre' for simultaneous actions; 'durante' requires a noun (e.g., 'durante la cena').
- Avoid 'mentre che'—it’s redundant. Just say 'mentre'.
- In spoken Italian, 'mentre' often contracts to 'mentr’' before vowels (e.g., 'mentr’ero fuori').