The present invention describes a process for the preparation of ethyldimethylamine and triethylamine with the following steps: (i) reaction of a mixture of diethylamine and dimethylamine with ethylene in the presence of a catalyst from the group of alkali metal dimethylamides, alkali metal diethylamides and alkali metal hydrides (ii) removal of the catalyst (iii) distillation separation of the resulting mixture in triethylamine and ethyldimethylamine and optionally diethylamine and dimethylamine (iv) optional return of the catalyst and of the starting amines to the reaction. The process according to the invention permits the coproduction of ethyldimethylamine and diethylamine in a simple process.