一⋯⋯也 / 都不

yī …… yě / dōu bù

Expressing "not even one"

一 plus a measure word plus 也/都 plus a negative is the emphatic "not a single one".

一 + Measure Word (+ Noun) + 也 / 都 + 不 / 没 + Verb

How it works

一句中文都不会说 — can't speak a single word of Chinese.

The 也 or 都 is compulsory; without it the sentence falls apart.

Use 不 for habitual or general statements and 没 for things that didn't happen: 我一个人也没看见.

Examples

  • tā yí jù zhōng wén dōu bú huì shuō

    他一句中文都不会说。

    He can't speak a word of Chinese.

  • wǒ yí gè rén yě méi kàn jiàn

    我一个人也没看见。

    I didn't see a single person.

  • wǒ yì fēn qián dōu méi yǒu

    我一分钱都没有。

    I haven't got a penny.