Basic/Simple Sentence PatternsHSK 4
Expressing "even" with 连 and 都
Use 连...都... to emphasize that something extreme or unexpected includes or applies, meaning 'even'. You can place 连 before the subject or the object, and 都 always comes before the verb; add 不 or 没 before the verb for negative statements.
Structure
连 + Subj. + 都 (+ 不/没) + Verb
The focal 'even' element is the subject; 都 can be replaced by 也, but 都 is more common.
Subj. + 连 + Obj. + 都 (+ 不/没) + Verb
The focal 'even' element is the object; the subject comes first.
Examples
- 这个问题太简单了，连三岁小孩都知道。Zhè ge wèn tí tài jiǎn dān le, lián sān suì xiǎo hái dōu zhī dào.This question is so easy that even a three-year-old kid knows the answer.
- 这个汉字太难了，连我的中文老师都不认识。Zhè ge hàn zì tài nán le, lián wǒ de zhōng wén lǎo shī dōu bú rèn shi.This Chinese character is so difficult that even my Chinese teacher doesn't know it.
- 他很可怜，连他妈妈都不管他。Tā hěn kě lián, lián tā mā ma dōu bù guǎn tā.The poor child. Even his mother doesn't care about him.
- 她什么都放辣，连汤都是辣的。Tā shén me dōu fàng là, lián tāng dōu shì là de.She put spice in everything. Even the soup is spicy.
- 你们算什么好朋友？他连结婚都没请你。Nǐ men suàn shén me hǎo péng you? tā lián jié hūn dōu méi qǐng nǐ.What kind of "good friend" are you to him? He didn't even invite you to his wedding.