Chinese grammar › HSK 4
Even ... with 连…都 / 也 — Chinese grammar (HSK 4)
连 + Extreme example + 都 / 也 + Verb
连 (lián) picks out the most extreme or surprising case, and 都 or 也 follows before the verb: 他连我的名字都忘了 (he even forgot my name). English puts "even" right before the word, but Chinese moves that word in front of the verb, sandwiched between 连 and 都. It is very common in negative sentences to stress "not even".
Examples
| 他忙得连喝水的时间都没有。 Tā máng de lián hē shuǐ de shíjiān dōu méiyǒu. | He is so busy he does not even have time to drink water. | |
| 这个问题连孩子都知道。 Zhè ge wèntí lián háizi dōu zhīdào. | Even a child knows the answer to this. | |
| 我连一块钱也没有了。 Wǒ lián yī kuài qián yě méiyǒu le. | I do not have even a single yuan left. |