How to use 连…都
连 + verb + 都 + 不 / 没 + repeated verb; 连 + 一 + measure word + noun + 都 / 也 + negative predicate
连 can focus on something so basic or minimal that its absence is striking. Placing a verb after 连 and repeating it after a negative emphasizes that the action was not performed at all, even at the most elementary level. The speaker may criticize someone for skipping an expected step or stress how little contact or experience there has been.
A related pattern focuses on a minimal quantity, such as a single item or sentence. 都 or 也 links the focused phrase to the negative predicate. Choose 不 or 没 according to whether the sentence concerns a general attitude, a refusal, an ability, or an event that did not occur.
Examples with pinyin and English
朋友？这个人我连见都没见过。
Friends? I've never even met this person.
你怎么连问都不问就拿别人的东西？
Why are you taking other people's stuff without even asking?
他连说都不说就走了。
He just left without even saying anything.
你们连尝都没尝就说不好吃？
You guys didn't even taste it at all and you say it's not good?
What to remember
- Repeat the focused verb in the negative predicate.
- Use a minimal quantity for not even one.
- Choose event or general negation according to context.
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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.