Advanced uses of "lian"

连⋯⋯都⋯⋯ (lián... dōu...) is a pattern that can be used to emphasize certain unexpected or surprising events or information, like "even" in English.

连 as "Not at All"

Using this type of sentence structure emphasizes "not even... at all...."

连 + Verb + 都 + 不 / 没 + Verb (，就 ⋯⋯)

Note that the two verbs in this pattern are the same verb. It repeats.

朋友？这个人我连见都没见过。Péngyou? Zhège rén wǒ lián jiàn dōu méi jiàn guo.Friends? I've never even met this person.
你怎么连问都不问就拿别人的东西？Nǐ zěnme lián wèn dōu bù wèn jiù ná biérén de dōngxi?Why are you taking other people's stuff without even asking?
他连说都不说就走了。Tā lián shuō dōu bù shuō jiù zǒu le.He just left without even saying anything.
你们连尝都没尝就说不好吃？Nǐmen lián cháng dōu méi cháng jiù shuō bù hǎochī?You guys didn't even taste it at all and you say it's not good?
这本书，你连看都不看就送人了。Zhè běn shū, nǐ lián kàn dōu bù kàn jiù sòng rén le.You gave this book away without even reading it first.

Here 连 serves as an adverb to add emphasis. It can also be omitted.

连 + 一 + Measure Word (+ Noun) + 都 + 不 / 没 + Verb

两年前，他连一句中文都不会说。Liǎng nián qián, tā lián yī jù Zhōngwén dōu bù huì shuō.He couldn't even say a sentence in Chinese two years ago.
他连一套西服都没有？Tā lián yī tào xīfú dōu méiyǒu?He doesn't even have a single suit?
我们连一次都没见过。Wǒmen lián yī cì dōu méi jiàn guo.We haven't met even once.
我连一口蛋糕都没吃到。Wǒ lián yī kǒu dàngāo dōu méi chī dào.I haven't gotten even a single bite of cake.
小明连一次火车都没坐过。 Xiǎo Míng lián yī cì huǒchē dōu méi zuò guo.Xiao Ming has never taken a train even once.