连动句

lián dòng jù

Actions in a row

Two verb phrases can sit back to back with nothing between them — the first typically gives the means or the purpose of the second.

Subj. + Verb Phrase 1 + Verb Phrase 2

How it works

我们去咖啡店喝咖啡吧 — let's go to the café and have a coffee. No 和, no "and": Chinese simply chains the verbs.

Order equals sequence. 我去商店买东西 is go to the shop, then buy; reversing the verbs would change the meaning.

This is why 和 cannot join actions — this structure already does the job.

Examples

  • wǒ men qù kā fēi diàn hē kā fēi ba

    我们去咖啡店喝咖啡吧。

    Let's go to a café for coffee.

  • wǒ zuò dì tiě qù shàng bān

    我坐地铁去上班。

    I take the metro to work.

  • tā yòng shǒu jī kàn diàn yǐng

    他用手机看电影。

    He watches films on his phone.