Using 连...都/

This pattern works by picking the least likely thing and highlighting it. Imagine a scale of difficulty from one to ten. You pick level one to show how easy level ten is. If a genius can't solve a puzzle, that's normal. If a toddler can solve it, that is surprising. You use 连 to introduce that surprising toddler. The word 都 or 也 then follows to complete the thought. These words act like a bridge to the result. Without 都 or 也, the sentence feels unfinished and awkward. It is like a teeter-totter that needs weight on both sides. Usually, 都 is more common in daily speech. 也 sounds a bit more formal or poetic sometimes.

1. 1Start with your Subject if it's the one acting.
2. 2Place 连 right before the thing you want to emphasize.
3. 3Add the surprising noun, person, or action.
4. 4Follow up with 都 or 也.
5. 5Finish with your verb or adjective.
6. 6The basic structure looks like this: 连 + [Surprising Thing] + 都/也 + [Verb/Adj].
7. 7If you have a subject performing an action, it often goes first: [Subject] + 连 + [Object] + 都 + [Verb].
8. 8For example: 我连水都喝不下 (I can't even drink water).
9. 9Here, the "water" is the extreme thing you can't handle.

Use this when you are truly surprised by a situation. Use it when something exceeds your expectations in a weird way. Imagine you are ordering food at a fancy restaurant. If they don't have salt, you would be shocked. You’d say: "They don't even have salt!" That is a perfect 连...都 moment. Use it when you are complaining about a tough day. "I'm so busy, I don't even have time to sit." It works great for job interviews to show skill. "I am so fast, I finished the work in one hour!" Wait, that's not it. "I worked so hard, I even stayed until midnight!" That's the one. Use it when you want to emphasize how easy something is. "This phone is so simple, even my cat could use it." (Okay, maybe not your cat, but you get the point).

Don't use this for boring, everyday facts that aren't surprising. If you say "I even ate breakfast," people will look at you weirdly. Eating breakfast is normal, not an extreme case of hunger. Do not use it if you are just listing items. It is not for simple conjunctions like "and" or "also." If there is no sense of "wow" or "really?", skip it. If you use it too much, you sound like a drama queen. Save it for the moments that actually need a little extra punch. It’s like hot sauce; don't pour it on everything you eat.

Many people forget the 都 or 也 at the end. You cannot just say 连他去. You must say 连他也去. Without the second part, the grammar bridge collapses. Another mistake is putting 连 in the wrong spot. It must go right before the thing being emphasized. Don't put it after the verb by mistake. Also, don't forget the negative if you mean "even not." If you want to say "He doesn't even know," use 不 or 没. 连他都不知道. Some people try to use 和 with 连, which is wrong. 连 does all the heavy lifting for the connection. Yes, even native speakers mess this up when they speak too fast. Just take a breath and remember the 都.

New learners often confuse 连 with 还 or 也. 也 just means "also" without any extra drama or surprise. If you say "I also like apples," that’s just a plain fact. If you say "I even like the seeds," that uses 连. 还 means "still" or "additionally" in a list. 连 is strictly for the "extreme case" on your list. Think of 也 as a polite nod and 连 as a shocked gasp. 连 is the loud cousin of the simple 也. They share a room, but they have very different personalities.