Level 4 · Upper Intermediate
Even: 连…都/也
连 + X + 都/也 + Verb · Traditional: 連 + X + 都/也 + Verb
连 (lián) pulls something forward and says "even THIS": 他连水都没喝 "he didn't even drink water". The surprising item goes right after 连, and 都 or 也 must follow before the verb.
连 can't stand alone — dropping the 都/也 breaks the sentence. The pattern shines with extremes: 连老师都不认识这个字 "even the teacher doesn't know this character" (so of course I don't!).
Examples
他连水都没喝。
他連水都沒喝。
tā lián shuǐ dōu méi hē
He didn't even drink water.
这个字太难了，连老师都不认识。
這個字太難了，連老師都不認識。
zhè ge zì tài nán le lián lǎo shī dōu bù rèn shi
This character is so hard even the teacher doesn't know it.
我连他的名字也不知道。
我連他的名字也不知道。
wǒ lián tā de míng zi yě bù zhī dào
I don't even know his name.
她太忙了，连周末都在工作。
她太忙了，連週末都在工作。
tā tài máng le lián zhōu mò dōu zài gōng zuò
She's so busy she works even on weekends.
Common mistakes
✗ 连他不知道这个问题。
✓ 连他都不知道这个问题。
连 always needs its partner 都 or 也 before the verb.
Related grammar points
See it in a story
Read this pattern in context: The Princess and the Pea — free graded stories with tap-to-reveal pinyin and translations.
