Common Conjunctions (38)

Vocabulary

Hé / 和

And

Connecting words/phrases of equal importance.

Yě / 也

Also

Connecting words/phrases of equal importance.

Érqiě / 而且

And / Moreover

Connecting words/phrases of equal importance.

Yǒu(xx)…yǒu(xx) / 有(xx)…有(xx)

There is... (xx) AND there is... (xx)

有 must precede both.

Connecting words/phrases of equal importance.

Huòzhě / 或者

Or (as a option)

This thing…or…this thing.

Háishì / 还是

Or (as a question)

This thing…or…this thing.

Yào bù / 要不

Otherwise / 要不

Yào bùrán / 要不然

Bùrán / 不然

Otherwise (Or else) / 要不然

Otherwise (Or else) / 不然

Bùrán ne / 不然呢

Otherwise / 不然呢

Yǒuma (xx)... Yǒuma (xx) / 有吗(xx) ...有吗(xx)

It is the same for EITHER…(xx) this and this...(xx)

有吗 must precede both.

Dànshì / 但是

Dàn / 但

But / 但是

But / 但

For contrasting point.

Kěshì / 可是

But / 可是

For contrasting point.

Slightly less emphatic than Dànshì.

Bùguò / 不过

But / 不过

Used for a mild contrast.

ALWAYS NEGATIVE

Ér / 而

But / 而

Similar to “and yet”

More formal, but is used in speech.

Yīnwèi / 因为

Because / 因为

Used for cause…result.

Jìrán / 既然

Since / Now that

Suǒyǐ / 所以

So / Therefore

Ránhòu / 然后

Then

Things that happen in succession.

Suīrán... Dànshì / 虽然…但是

Although (xx)…but

Contrast with what is expected.

Jǐnguǎn / 尽管

Jǐnguǎn... Háishì / 尽管…还是

Even though

Even though… still

Contrast with what is expected.

A little more formal than Suīrán... Dànshì, but still usable in speech.

More emphasis on the contrast.

Nǎpà... Yě / 哪怕…也

Even if…still

Contrast with what is expected.

Stronger form of overcoming contrast.

Rúguǒ / 如果

If / 如果

Yàoshi / 要是

If / 要是

Slightly more causal than Rúguǒ.

Jiǎrú / 假如

If / 假如

Okay for speech, but more formal than Rúguǒ & Yàoshi.

Almost more like imagine if…

If I win the lottery…

Chúfēi... Fǒuzǐ / 除非…否子

Unless... otherwise

Usable, but less common / more formal

Wàn yī / 万一

In case

Bùguǎn... Dōu... / 不管…都…

No matter (xx)…still (xx)

Wúlùn / 无论

No matter / 无论

Similar to, but more formal than Bùguǎn.

Bùlùn / 不论

No matter / 不论

More formal / Less common than Bùguǎn & Wúlùn.

Bùdàn... Érqiě / 不但…而且

Not only... but also

Bùdàn bù... Fǎn'ér / 不但不…反而

Not only... but on the contrary...

Yǔqí... Bùrú / 与其…不如

Rather than... it's better to...

Hékuàng / 何况

Much less / Let alone

Yībiān (xx)... Yībiān (yy) / 一边（xx)...一边（yy)

While (xx)... at the same time (yy)

Doing two things at the same time.

Jiēzhe / 接着

Then / Next

Chúle / 除了

Except for

Yǐbiàn / 以便

So that

Not common. Seldom used.

Jiù kěyǐ / 就可以

So that

Very common. Used much more than Yǐbiàn.