Difference between revisions of "Advanced uses of "lian""

 
(12 intermediate revisions by 3 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
 
{{Grammar Box}}  
 
{{Grammar Box}}  
{{Stub}}
+
[[Expressing "even" with "lian" and "dou"|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⋯⋯都⋯⋯ (lián... dōu...) is a pattern that can be used to emphasize certain unexpected or surprising events or information. It is used the same way ''even'' is in English.
+
== 连 as "Not at All" ==
  
== 连 as "Not at All" ==
+
Using this type of sentence structure emphasizes "not even... at all...."
  
 
=== Structure ===
 
=== Structure ===
Line 12: Line 12:
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
Using this type of sentence structure emphasizes "not even at all..."
+
Note that the two verbs in this pattern are the ''same verb''. It repeats.
  
 
=== Examples ===
 
=== Examples ===
Line 18: Line 18:
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
*朋友 ?这个 人 我 <em>连</em> 见 <strong>都</strong> 没 见 过 。<span class="pinyin">Péngyou? Zhège rén wǒ <em>lián</em> jiàn <strong>dōu</strong> méi jiàn guo.</span><span class="trans">Friends? I've never seen this person.</span>
+
*朋友 ?这个 人 我 <em>连</em> 见 <strong>都</strong> 没 见 过 。<span class="pinyin">Péngyou? Zhège rén wǒ <em>lián</em> jiàn <strong>dōu</strong> méi jiàn guo.</span><span class="trans">Friends? I've never even met this person.</span>
 
*你 怎么 <em>连</em> 问 <strong>都</strong> 不 问  <strong>就</strong> 拿 别人 的 东西 ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ zěnme <em>lián</em> wèn <strong>dōu</strong> bù wèn <strong>jiù</strong> ná biérén de dōngxi?</span><span class="trans">Why are you taking other people's stuff without even asking?</span>
 
*你 怎么 <em>连</em> 问 <strong>都</strong> 不 问  <strong>就</strong> 拿 别人 的 东西 ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ zěnme <em>lián</em> wèn <strong>dōu</strong> bù wèn <strong>jiù</strong> ná biérén de dōngxi?</span><span class="trans">Why are you taking other people's stuff without even asking?</span>
*他 <em>连</em> 说 <strong>都</strong> 不 说 <strong>就</strong> 走 了 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>lián</em> shuō <strong>dōu</strong> bù shuō <strong>jiù</strong> zǒu le.</span><span class="trans">He just left without even telling.</span>
+
*他 <em>连</em> 说 <strong>都</strong> 不 说 <strong>就</strong> 走 了 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>lián</em> shuō <strong>dōu</strong> bù shuō <strong>jiù</strong> zǒu le.</span><span class="trans">He just left without even saying anything.</span>
*你们 <em>连</em> 尝 <strong>都</strong> 没 尝 <strong>就</strong> 说 不 好吃 ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen <em>lián</em> cháng <strong>dōu</strong> méi cháng <strong>jiù</strong> shuō bù hǎochī?</span><span class="trans">You guys didn't even taste it at all and you say it's not tasty?</span>
+
*你们 <em>连</em> 尝 <strong>都</strong> 没 尝 <strong>就</strong> 说 不 好吃 ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen <em>lián</em> cháng <strong>dōu</strong> méi cháng <strong>jiù</strong> shuō bù hǎochī?</span><span class="trans">You guys didn't even taste it at all and you say it's not good?</span>
 
+
*这 本 书,你 <em>连</em> 看 <strong>都</strong> 不 看 <strong>就</strong> 送人 了 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè běn shū, nǐ <em>lián</em> kàn <strong>dōu</strong> bù kàn <strong>jiù</strong> sòng rén le.</span><span class="trans">You gave this book away without even reading it first.</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== 连 as "Not even One" ==
+
== 连 as "Not Even One" ==
  
""在这个句型中,是语气副词,加强语气。去掉不影响句子的完整性。详见[[Expressing "not even one"]]
+
Here serves as an adverb to add emphasis. It [[Expressing "not even one"|can also be omitted]].
  
 
=== Structure ===
 
=== Structure ===
Line 40: Line 40:
  
 
*两 年 前,他 <em>连</em> 一 句 中文 <strong>都</strong> 不 会 说 。<span class="pinyin">Liǎng nián qián, tā <em>lián</em> yī jù Zhōngwén <strong>dōu</strong> bù huì shuō.</span><span class="trans">He couldn't even say a sentence in Chinese two years ago.</span>
 
*两 年 前,他 <em>连</em> 一 句 中文 <strong>都</strong> 不 会 说 。<span class="pinyin">Liǎng nián qián, tā <em>lián</em> yī jù Zhōngwén <strong>dōu</strong> bù huì shuō.</span><span class="trans">He couldn't even say a sentence in Chinese two years ago.</span>
*他 <em>连</em> 一 套 西服 <strong>都</strong> 没有 ?<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>lián</em> yī  tào xīfú <strong>dōu</strong> méiyǒu?</span><span class="trans">He doesn't even have one suit?</span>
+
*他 <em>连</em> 一 套 西服 <strong>都</strong> 没有 ?<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>lián</em> yī  tào xīfú <strong>dōu</strong> méiyǒu?</span><span class="trans">He doesn't even have a single suit?</span>
*我们 <em>连</em> 一 次 <strong>都</strong> 没 见 过 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>lián</em> yī cì <strong>dōu</strong> méi jiàn guo.</span><span class="trans">We haven't even met once.</span>
+
*我们 <em>连</em> 一 次 <strong>都</strong> 没 见 过 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>lián</em> yī cì <strong>dōu</strong> méi jiàn guo.</span><span class="trans">We haven't met even once.</span>
*我 <em>连</em> 一 口 蛋糕 <strong>都</strong> 没 吃 到 。
+
*我 <em>连</em> 一 口 蛋糕 <strong>都</strong> 没 吃 到 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>lián</em> yī kǒu dàngāo <strong>dōu</strong> méi chī dào.</span><span class="trans">I haven't gotten even a single bite of cake.</span>
*小明 <em>连</em> 一 次 火车 <strong>都</strong> 没 坐 过 。
+
*小明 <em>连</em> 一 次 火车 <strong>都</strong> 没 坐 过 。 <span class="pinyin">Xiǎo Míng <em>lián</em> yī cì huǒchē <strong>dōu</strong> méi zuò guo.</span><span class="trans">Xiao Ming has never taken a train even once.</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
 
== See also ==
 
  
 
== Sources and further reading ==
 
== Sources and further reading ==

Latest revision as of 03:54, 18 January 2021

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...."

Structure

连 + Verb + 都 + 不 / 没 + Verb (,就 ⋯⋯)

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

Examples

  • 朋友 ?这个 人 我 没 见 过 。Péngyou? Zhège rén wǒ lián jiàn dōu méi jiàn guo.Friends? I've never even met this person.
  • 你 怎么 不 问 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?
  • 不 说 走 了 。lián shuō dōu bù shuō jiù zǒu le.He just left without even saying anything.
  • 你们 没 尝 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 不 看 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.

连 as "Not Even One"

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

Structure

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

Examples

  • 两 年 前,他 一 句 中文 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.
  • 一 套 西服 没有 ?lián yī tào xīfú dōu méiyǒu?He doesn't even have a single suit?
  • 我们 一 次 没 见 过 。Wǒmen lián yī cì dōu méi jiàn guo.We haven't met even once.
  • 一 口 蛋糕 没 吃 到 。lián yī kǒu dàngāo dōu méi chī dào.I haven't gotten even a single bite of cake.
  • 小明 一 次 火车 没 坐 过 。 Xiǎo Míng lián yī cì huǒchē dōu méi zuò guo.Xiao Ming has never taken a train even once.

Sources and further reading

Books