<p>We say "verb 着 verb 着" to express that "In the middle of (our) doing sth."</p>

<p>So 躺着躺着就停电了 means "When we <strong>were</strong> lying, the electricity went out." (Or "In the middle of our lying...")</p>

<p>Usually this means "In the middle something" so don't use it if you mean "when we have just started sth."</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-22T12:59:48.413Z
Thanks but then doesn't 走着走着 also make sense? "When we were walking (in the room) the electricity runs out"...?
Blaszard
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2017-08-22T13:00:36.813Z
@Blaszard Yes! Exactly! *In the middle of walking, something happened.*
iBug
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-23T13:04:36.057Z
Grammatically correct, but why are you walking in the room?
jf328
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-22T12:54:50.547Z
2017-08-22T12:54:50.547Z
iBug
<p>You are not wrong and I would actually prefer your answer to 躺着躺着, but of course as others suggested, 聊着聊着 is the best. </p>

<p>Don't worry about it, at your age, you should have seen loads of nonsense answers like this in art/literature subjects. The question setter is either foolish or careless.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-23T13:07:30.967Z
2017-08-23T13:07:30.967Z
jf328
<p>According to this context, 说着说着 is correct to me. 昨天晚上我们在一起聊天，说着说着忽然停电了。 The hint is 聊天, so either 聊着聊着 or 说着说着 makes sense in the context. </p>

<p>...着...着 means 'while (doing) ...'.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-22T14:01:02.930Z
2017-08-22T14:01:02.930Z
dan
<p>In the following sentence:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>昨天晚上我们在一起聊天，___忽然停电了。</p>
</blockquote>

<p>To fill in the blank, I picked up 说着说着, but the correct answer was 躺着躺着. </p>

<p>The other two candidates were 跳着跳着 and 走着走着, and I even think these are correct as well... because the electrocity can suddenly stop even if you jump, walk, speak, or laid down.</p>

<p>Why is 躺着躺着 correct here? And what is the reason the verb + 着 is repeated here?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-22T13:03:58.537Z
Based on grammar, all of the candidates are correct. Based on the author of this quetion, the author's choice is correct.'
sfy
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-23T01:31:13.680Z
躺着躺着 sounds weird.
fefe
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-23T02:25:03.413Z
@fefe This was a grammar test on EasyMandarin website. Then which sounds more natural?
Blaszard
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-23T02:40:58.077Z
I agree with @dan . "聊着聊着" is better. “说着说着” is good.
fefe
<grammar><verbs>
What is the meaning of 躺着躺着?
# What is the meaning of 躺着躺着?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-08-22)

In the following sentence:

> 昨天晚上我们在一起聊天，\_\_\_忽然停电了。

To fill in the blank, I picked up 说着说着, but the correct answer was 躺着躺着.

The other two candidates were 跳着跳着 and 走着走着, and I even think these are correct as well... because the electrocity can suddenly stop even if you jump, walk, speak, or laid down.

Why is 躺着躺着 correct here? And what is the reason the verb + 着 is repeated here?

**Tags:** grammar, verbs
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Based on grammar, all of the candidates are correct. Based on the author of this quetion, the author's choice is correct.'  
> **username_2**: 躺着躺着 sounds weird.  
> **username_0**: @fefe This was a grammar test on EasyMandarin website. Then which sounds more natural?  
> **username_2**: I agree with @dan . "聊着聊着" is better. “说着说着” is good.  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2017-08-22. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

We say "verb 着 verb 着" to express that "In the middle of (our) doing sth."

So 躺着躺着就停电了 means "When we **were** lying, the electricity went out." (Or "In the middle of our lying...")

Usually this means "In the middle something" so don't use it if you mean "when we have just started sth."

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks but then doesn't 走着走着 also make sense? "When we were walking (in the room) the electricity runs out"...?  
> **username_3**: @Blaszard Yes! Exactly! *In the middle of walking, something happened.*  
> **username_4**: Grammatically correct, but why are you walking in the room?  

---

### Answer by username_4 on 2017-08-23. Score: 2

You are not wrong and I would actually prefer your answer to 躺着躺着, but of course as others suggested, 聊着聊着 is the best.

Don't worry about it, at your age, you should have seen loads of nonsense answers like this in art/literature subjects. The question setter is either foolish or careless.


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### Answer by username_5 on 2017-08-22. Score: 2

According to this context, 说着说着 is correct to me. 昨天晚上我们在一起聊天，说着说着忽然停电了。 The hint is 聊天, so either 聊着聊着 or 说着说着 makes sense in the context.

...着...着 means 'while (doing) ...'.


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