alors que

== French == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /a.lɔʁ kə/ === Conjunction === alors que (+ indicative) while, whereas, though; expresses a sense of opposition between simultaneous events Synonyms: tandis que, cependant que (literary or Quebec) when, while Synonyms: lorsque, au moment où ==== Usage notes ==== In France, alors que is used in the temporal sense of "when" in a more formal register to introduce the background (given with a verb in the imperfect) to a specific event (given with a verb in the compound past or simple past). In Canada, alors que is used more generally.