Level 6 · Lesson 4

不但…而且…
Not only … but also …

那家饭馆不但菜好吃，而且很便宜。

Adding a second point with 不但…而且…, and where the subject stands.

听 · Listen

新开的饭馆
 安娜 —  学校旁边新开了一家饭馆，你去过吗？ 
A new restaurant has opened next to the school — have you been?  
 李明 —  去过。那家饭馆不但菜好吃，而且很便宜。 
I have. The food there is not only tasty, it's cheap too.  
 安娜 —  真的吗？ 
Really?  
 李明 —  真的。不但我喜欢，而且我的同事也都喜欢。 
Really. Not only do I like it — my colleagues all like it too.  
 安娜 —  他们几点开门？ 
What time do they open?  
 李明 —  早上八点开门，并且晚上十点才关门。 
They open at eight in the morning, and they don't close until ten at night.  
 安娜 —  另外，他们有没有牛肉面？ 
One more thing — do they have beef noodles?  
 李明 —  有。不但有牛肉面，而且还有饺子。 
They do. Not only beef noodles — dumplings as well.  

讲解 · Explanation

他不但会说汉语，而且说得很好。

Like 因为…所以… and 虽然…但是…, this pair keeps both halves. 不但 opens the first point, 而且 opens the second — and the second is the one you really wanted to make, so it is usually the stronger of the two. Very often the 而且 clause also carries 也 or 还: 而且还会写, 而且我的同事也喜欢. Those little adverbs are not extra; they are what makes the addition sound finished.

他不但会说汉语，而且会说英语。不但他喜欢，而且他的同事也喜欢。

Now the one rule that catches everybody. If both clauses talk about the same person, the subject comes first and 不但 follows it: 他不但…，而且…. If the two clauses have different subjects, 不但 comes first and the subject follows it: 不但他…，而且他的同事…. Say the two sentences above one after the other until the difference is in your ear rather than in your head.

那家饭馆八点开门，并且一直开到晚上十点。另外，他们的茶很好。

并且 joins two things one subject does or is. It is a shade more formal than 而且 and it simply adds a second fact rather than raising the level, so it needs no 不但 in front of it. 另外 joins nothing at all: it opens a separate point, stands at the head with a comma after it, and is the natural way to say 'one more thing' — in speech and in a letter alike.

生词 · Vocabulary

词	Meaning	注 · Note
不但	not only	不但…，而且… ; before the subject only when subjects differ
而且	and what is more	its clause often carries 也 or 还
并且	and, moreover	joins two actions of one subject; 书面语-leaning
另外	besides, in addition	opens a new point: 另外，…
好吃	tasty, good to eat	好 + 吃; 好看 hǎokàn is its twin for the eyes

练习 · Practice

他不但会说汉语，______ 说得很好。 Not only can he speak Chinese, he speaks it well.

我和我的同事都喜欢那家饭馆。哪个对？ The two clauses have different subjects. Where does 不但 go?

______ ，他们有没有牛肉面？ One more thing — do they have beef noodles?

那家饭馆不但菜好吃，______ 很便宜。 Fill in the second half of the pair.

排一排。 Arrange the words: 'He can speak not only Chinese but English too.'

用一用 · Use it

我家旁边的饭馆不但菜好吃，而且很便宜。另外，那儿也很安静。

Recommend a real place aloud — a restaurant, a shop, a park near you. Give it two good points with 不但…而且…, keeping the subject in front of 不但 because both points are about the same place. Then add a third point with 另外，… . Finish with one sentence about two people who both like it: 不但我喜欢，而且…也喜欢.