Sometimes /mentre/ can even be a translation for /as/, when it is related to coincidence in
time. A well known example (for Italians who like songsby Fabrizio De Andre`)
Original English (for instance, as is sung by Joan Baez, traditional ballad)
As I walked out over London bridge, one misty morning early ...
Italian well known version:
Mentre attraversavo London Bridge un giorno senza sole ...