Lesson 20: Emphatic expressions: 连……也/都…… and the double negative

Emphasis with 连……也/都…… (implying a comparison) and emphasizing an affirmation with a double negative.

Hanyu textbook · Hanyu 4 · Lesson 20

你怎么连这么简单的问题也不会回答？

Nǐ zěnme lián zhème jiǎndān de wèntí yě bú huì huídá?

How come you can't even answer such a simple question?

Explanation

Chinese often uses the structure “连……也/都……” to express emphasis. The preposition “连” introduces the part to be emphasized (usually an extreme case), followed by “也 / 都” in coordination, implying a comparison: since the emphasized item is already like this, the others need no mention. Examples: 她连长城也没去过 (she certainly hasn't been to other scenic spots); 连这么简单的问题也不会回答 (she certainly can't answer a complicated problem); 连这本书的名字也没听说过 (so there's no way I could have read it); 常常连星期日也不能休息 (on weekdays, all the more so, there is no rest).

A negative sentence can follow “也” or “都” in the “连……也/都……” structure. When followed by an affirmative sentence, “连……都……” is generally used (连校长都参加了我们的联欢晚会).

Emphasizing an affirmation with a double negative: sometimes a Chinese sentence uses two negatives to emphasize an affirmation — 中国的事我没有不知道的 (I know everything); 你不能不去 (你必须去).

Structure

1
连极端的情况也 / 都否定
Emphasizes an extreme case; implies a comparison: if this is already so, the other cases need no mention.
- 来北京快半年了，她连长城也没去过。
  Lái Běijīng kuài bàn nián le, tā lián Chángchéng yě méi qùguo.
  She has been in Beijing for almost half a year and hasn't even been to the Great Wall. (She certainly hasn't been to other famous sights.)
- 你怎么连这么简单的问题也不会回答？
  Nǐ zěnme lián zhème jiǎndān de wèntí yě bú huì huídá?
  How come you can't even answer such a simple question? (She certainly can't answer a complicated one.)
- A：你读过这本书吗？ B：没有，我连这本书的名字也没听说过。
  A: Nǐ dúguo zhè běn shū ma? B: Méiyǒu, wǒ lián zhè běn shū de míngzi yě méi tīngshuōguo.
  A: Have you read this book? B: No, I haven't even heard of the title. (There's no way I could have read it.)
- A：你最近忙吗？ B：很忙，常常连星期日也不能休息。
  A: Nǐ zuìjìn máng ma? B: Hěn máng, chángcháng lián xīngqīrì yě bù néng xiūxi.
  A: Have you been busy lately? B: Very busy; I often don't even get Sundays off. (All the more so on weekdays.)
2
连…都肯定
When followed by an affirmative sentence, “连……都……” is generally used.
- 连校长都参加了我们的联欢晚会。
  Lián xiàozhǎng dōu cānjiā le wǒmen de liánhuān wǎnhuì.
  Even the principal took part in our party.
- 这么简单的问题连孩子都会回答。
  Zhème jiǎndān de wèntí lián háizi dōu huì huídá.
  Even a child can answer such a simple question.
3
没有不V · 不能不Vverb
A double negative emphasizes an affirmation.
- 中国的事我没有不知道的。（都知道。）
  Zhōngguó de shì wǒ méiyǒu bù zhīdào de. (Dōu zhīdào.)
  I know about everything in China. (There is nothing I don't know.)
- 你不能不去。（你必须去。）
  Nǐ bù néng bú qù. (Nǐ bìxū qù.)
  You can't not go. (You have to go.)

Usage notes

With 连……也/都……, a negative sentence usually follows 也/都; if an affirmative sentence follows, use 连……都……

Common mistakes

~~连我看懂说明书，你一定看得懂。~~
连我都看得懂说明书，你更能看得懂了
~~连她不会做这个题，我也不会。~~
连她都不会做这个题，我更不会了
~~我以前连一次也没有来过中国。~~
我以前连一次中国也没有来过。/ 中国我以前连一次也没有来过

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