How to use 连动
(Verb Phrase 1) + (Verb Phrase 2)
Mandarin can place related verb phrases in sequence under a shared subject without inserting a word equivalent to English “and.” The phrases may describe successive steps or an action performed for another purpose. Their ordering usually helps the listener follow the relationship between the activities being described.
Do not automatically connect actions with 和 simply because an English translation uses “and.” 和 commonly connects noun phrases, while action sequences have other patterns. A clear sequence can also use explicit words for first, then, or afterward when those distinctions matter. Keep each verb's objects with the appropriate action, and check that the intended relationship is understandable rather than assuming any two verbs can be combined freely.
Examples with pinyin and English
我要回家吃饭。
I want to go home and eat.
你要去超市买东西吗？
Are you going to the supermarket to buy things?
他不想去图书馆看书。
He doesn't want to go to the library and read.
你打电话告诉他了吗？
Did you call and tell him?
What to remember
- Related actions can share one subject.
- Do not mechanically join action verbs with 和.
- Use sequence words when order needs emphasis.
Practise the pattern
Use one example as a model. Change the people, objects or situation, keeping the grammar pattern in the same order. Read the explanation again to check how your sentence uses the construction.
Look up the grammar words
Source and editorial notes
Explanation rewritten for Laowai. Examples are adapted from the Laowai English grammar curriculum, with editorial corrections where needed. The original curriculum credits AllSet Learning’s Chinese Grammar Wiki as used with permission. Read the retained source credits.
Difficulty labels describe the level of the explanation; they are not official HSK placement. Send a correction with this page’s URL.