Language/Mandarin-chinese/Grammar/和-(hé)

No matter if there are two or more, 和 (hé) is used in Chinese to express "and".

Structure

The easiest way to express "and" in Chinese is with 和 (hé).

It is important to note that 和 (hé) is mainly used to link nouns and not verbs or complete sentences.

Name 1 + 和 + Name 2

In order to understand what is possible or not to do with 和 (hé), here are two examples of using "and":

• I went to the store and bought chewing gum.

Do not use 和 (hey) to translate "and"! "I went to the store" and "I bought chewing gum" are both verbal sentences and not names.

• I like to eat cucumbers and cheese.

This one is good! "cucumbers" and "cheese" are both names; so you can use 和 (hey) here.  

Examples

• 你 和 我。
• Nǐ hé wǒ.

You and me.

• 他 和 我 都 不 喝 红酒。
• Tā hé wǒ dōu bù hē hóngjiǔ.

None of us (neither me nor him) drinks red wine.

• 我 喜欢 可乐 和 茶。
• Wǒ xǐhuān kělè hé chá.

I like coca and tea.

• 我 和 他 一起 工作。
• Wǒ hé tā yīqǐ gōngzuò.

He and I work together

• 我 的 爸爸 和 妈妈 都 是 70 岁。
• Wǒ de bàba hé māmā dōu shì qīshí suì.

My father and my mother are both 70 years old.

• 我 的 朋友 和 我 都 喜欢 中国 菜。
• Wǒ de péngyǒu hé wǒ dōu xǐhuān Zhōngguó cài.

My friend and I both love Chinese food.

• 他 和 她 都 是 美国 人。
• Tā hé tā dōu shì Měiguó rén.

He and she (they) are Americans.

• 去年 和 今年 我 都 在 纽约。
• Qùnián hé jīnnián wǒ dōu zài Niǔyuē.

I have been to New York both last year and this year.

• 苹果 手机 和 苹果 电脑 都 很 贵。
• Píngguǒ shǒujī hé Píngguǒ diànnǎo dōu hěn guì.

Apple smartphones and computers are very expensive.

• 水果 和 肉 我 都 喜欢 吃 。
• Shuǐguǒ hé ròu wǒ dōu xǐhuān chī.

I like to eat fruits and meat.

• 我 的 英语 和 汉语 都 很 好。
• Wǒ de Yīngyǔ hé Hànyǔ dōu hěn hǎo.

My level of English and Chinese are good.