The 连 lian... 也 ye construction

This is one of the constructions used to emphasize a noun, a noun clause or a v-o pattern. The

emphasized element can be the subject or the object of a sentence and is placed after 连 lián

104Elementary Chinese Grammar 基础汉语语法

2011

even.

The adverb 都 dōu or 也 yě is placed before the main verb of the sentence. The difference

between 都 dōu and 也 yě is that 都 dōu can be used in both the affirmative and negative,

while 也 yě is normally used before negatives or before verbs which have a negative sense.

The 连 lián clause refers to the object of the sentence in the following examples.

S.

他

tā

连 O.

连

觉

lián jiào

都/ 也 V.

也 忘 了 睡

yě wàng le shuì

He has even forgotten to go to sleep. Or

S.

他

tā 连 V-O.

连

睡 觉

lián shuìjiào 都/ 也 V.

也 忘 了

yě wàng le

S.

我

wǒ 连

O.

连

他的 名 字

lián tā de míngzi 都/ 也 V.

也 忘 了

yě wàng le

I’ve even forgotten his name.

The 连 lián clause refers to the subject of the sentence in the following example.

连 S.

都/也

V.

O.

连 好学生 也 不去 上

课.

lián hăo xuéshēng yě búqù shàngkè

Even the good students don't go to class.

Although the sentences above are in the affirmative form, the adverb 也 yě is used to imply

that forgetting to sleep, forgetting someone‟s name, and not going to class, are all undesirable

actions. Of course, the adverb 都 dōu can also be used in the above sentences.

105Elementary Chinese Grammar 基础汉语语法

2011

When placed after the particle 得 de, the 连 lián construction can be used to describe the

outcome of an action, in a complement of degree construction, as follows.

S

我 们

wǒmen

SV 得

忙

得

máng de

Outcome of the SV (连...

也...)

连 饭 也 忘 了 吃

lián fàn yě wangle chī

We are so busy that we’ve even forgotten to eat.

The phrase 连饭也忘了吃 lián fàn yě wangle chī even forget to eat, here placed after the

particle 得 de, describes the results of the state described before 得 de.

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