Difference between revisions of "Expressing "and" with "he""

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* <strong>去年</strong> <em>和</em> <strong>今年</strong> 你们 都 在 纽约 吗?<span class="pinyin"><strong>Qùnián</strong> <em>hé</em> <strong>jīnnián</strong> nǐmen dōu zài Niǔyuē ma?</span><span class="trans">Were you in New York both last year and this year?</span>
 
* <strong>去年</strong> <em>和</em> <strong>今年</strong> 你们 都 在 纽约 吗?<span class="pinyin"><strong>Qùnián</strong> <em>hé</em> <strong>jīnnián</strong> nǐmen dōu zài Niǔyuē ma?</span><span class="trans">Were you in New York both last year and this year?</span>
 
* <strong>苹果 手机</strong> <em>和</em> <strong>苹果 电脑</strong> 都 很 贵。<span class="pinyin"><strong>Píngguǒ shǒujī</strong> <em>hé</em> <strong>Píngguǒ diànnǎo</strong> dōu hěn guì.</span><span class="trans">The Apple smartphone and the Apple computer are both expensive.</span>
 
* <strong>苹果 手机</strong> <em>和</em> <strong>苹果 电脑</strong> 都 很 贵。<span class="pinyin"><strong>Píngguǒ shǒujī</strong> <em>hé</em> <strong>Píngguǒ diànnǎo</strong> dōu hěn guì.</span><span class="trans">The Apple smartphone and the Apple computer are both expensive.</span>
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* <strong>德语</strong> <em>和</em> <strong>法语</strong> 都 很 难 吗 ?<span class="pinyin"> <strong>Déyǔ</strong> <em>hé</em> <strong>Fǎyǔ</strong> dōu hěn nán ma?</span><span class="trans">Are both German and French difficult?</span>
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* <strong>今天</strong> <em>和</em> <strong>明天</strong> 都 可以 吗?<span class="pinyin"> <strong>Jīntiān</strong> <em>hé</em> <strong> míngtiān</strong>dōu kěyǐ ma?</span><span class="trans">Are today and tomorrow both OK?</span>
 
* <strong>蔬菜</strong> <em>和</em> <strong>肉</strong> 我 都 喜欢 吃 。<span class="pinyin"><strong>Shūcài</strong> <em>hé</em> <strong>ròu</strong> wǒ dōu xǐhuan chī.</span><span class="trans">I like to eat both vegetables and meat.</span>
 
* <strong>蔬菜</strong> <em>和</em> <strong>肉</strong> 我 都 喜欢 吃 。<span class="pinyin"><strong>Shūcài</strong> <em>hé</em> <strong>ròu</strong> wǒ dōu xǐhuan chī.</span><span class="trans">I like to eat both vegetables and meat.</span>
* <strong>英语</strong> <em>和</em> <strong>法语</strong>你 都 会 说 吗?<span class="pinyin"> <strong>Yīngyǔ</strong> <em>hé</em> <strong>Fǎyǔ</strong> nǐ dōu huì shuō ma?</span><span class="trans">Can you speak both English and French?</span>
 
* <strong>今天</strong> <em>和</em> <strong>明天</strong>他们 都 在 这里 吗?<span class="pinyin"> <strong>Jīntiān</strong> <em>hé</em> <strong> míngtiān</strong> tāmen dōu zài zhèlǐ ma?</span><span class="trans">Are they here both today and tomorrow?</span>
 
 
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Revision as of 09:22, 12 January 2016

When listing out multiple nouns, 和 (hé) is there to help you out. Just remember that 和 (hé) isn't a word you can use to translate just any usage of the English word "and."

Structure

The most common way to express "and" in Chinese is with 和 (hé). It's important to note that 和 (hé) is mainly used to link nouns. This is how you should use it exclusively as you get used to it. Don't try to link verbs (or whole sentences) with 和 (hé).

Noun 1 + 和 + Noun 2

Just to be absolutely clear what we mean by this, here are two English examples of what you should and shouldn't try to express with 和 (hé):

  • I went to the store and bought some gum.(Don't use 和 (hé) for this "and"! "Went to the store" and "bought some gum" are both verb phrases, not nouns.)
  • I like to eat cucumbers and cheese.(This one is good! "Cucumbers" and "cheese" are both nouns, so you can use 和 (hé) here.)

Examples

  • 都 不 去。 dōu bù qù.(Literally, "he and I both will not go.")Neither he nor I will go.
  • 老板 喜欢 咖啡 Lǎobǎn xǐhuan kāfēi chá.The boss likes coffee and tea.
  • 我 的 爷爷 奶奶 都 70 岁。Wǒ de yéye nǎinai dōu qīshí suì.My grandpa and grandma are both 70 years old.
  • 他 女朋友 都 喜欢 中国 菜。 tā nǚ péngyou dōu xǐhuan Zhōngguó cài.His girlfriend and he both like Chinese food.
  • 你 爸爸 你 妈妈 都 是 美国 人 吗?Nǐ bàba nǐ māma dōu shì Měiguó rén ma?Are your father and your mother both Americans?
  • 去年 今年 你们 都 在 纽约 吗?Qùnián jīnnián nǐmen dōu zài Niǔyuē ma?Were you in New York both last year and this year?
  • 苹果 手机 苹果 电脑 都 很 贵。Píngguǒ shǒujī Píngguǒ diànnǎo dōu hěn guì.The Apple smartphone and the Apple computer are both expensive.
  • 德语 法语 都 很 难 吗 ? Déyǔ Fǎyǔ dōu hěn nán ma?Are both German and French difficult?
  • 今天 明天 都 可以 吗? Jīntiān míngtiāndōu kěyǐ ma?Are today and tomorrow both OK?
  • 蔬菜 我 都 喜欢 吃 。Shūcài ròu wǒ dōu xǐhuan chī.I like to eat both vegetables and meat.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books