Level 1 · Beginner
Connecting nouns with 和
Noun A + 和 + Noun B
和 (hé) joins two nouns: 爸爸和妈妈 "dad and mom", 猫和狗 "cats and dogs". Simple — but it only works between NOUNS.
English "and" also strings actions together ("I ate and slept"), and 和 can't do that. For actions, Chinese just says them one after another, or links them with a time word: 我吃了饭，然后睡觉 "I ate, then slept". Never 我吃饭和睡觉.
Examples
爸爸和妈妈都在家。
爸爸和媽媽都在家。
bà ba hé mā ma dōu zài jiā
Dad and Mom are both at home.
我喜欢猫和狗。
我喜歡貓和狗。
wǒ xǐ huan māo hé gǒu
I like cats and dogs.
我和他是好朋友。
wǒ hé tā shì hǎo péng you
He and I are good friends.
我要一杯茶和一个苹果。
我要一杯茶和一個蘋果。
wǒ yào yī bēi chá hé yī ge píng guǒ
I'd like a cup of tea and an apple.
Common mistakes
✗ 我吃了饭和睡觉了。
✓ 我吃了饭，然后睡觉了。
和 joins nouns only — actions in a row don't take an "and" word.
Related grammar points
See it in a story
Read this pattern in context: Going to buy groceries — free graded stories with tap-to-reveal pinyin and translations.
