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 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. | 连 O. | 都/ 也 V. |
|---|---|---|
| 他 | 连 觉 | 也 忘 了 睡 |
| tā | lián jiào | yě wàng le shuì |
He has even forgotten to go to sleep. Or
| S. | 连 V-O. | 都/ 也 V. |
|---|---|---|
| 他 | 连 睡 觉 | 也 忘 了 |
| tā | lián shuìjiào | yě wàng le |
| S. | 连 O. | 都/ 也 V. |
|---|---|---|
| 我 | 连 他的 名 字 | 也 忘 了 |
| wǒ | lián tā de míngzi | 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.
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 | SV 得 | Outcome of the SV (连… 也…) |
|---|---|---|
| 我 们 | 忙 得 | 连 饭 也 忘 了 吃 |
| wǒmen | máng de | 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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