Expressing “not Only but Also” With 不但……而且/还/也……

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Expressing “not Only but Also” With 不但……而且/还/也……

不但bùdǎn……而且érqiě/还hái/也yě is a very commonly used pattern that indicates "not only, ... but also....".  This is used EXACTLY like you use it in English, so revel in that.  😋

There are a couple eccentricities with where the subject goes though, so we'll address those below. 

1)Subj. + 不但bùdǎn[......], 而且érqiě/还hái/也yě[......]

When there is only one subject with 不但⋯⋯而且⋯⋯, the subject has to come at the beginning of the sentence, before both 不但 and 而且.

Zhège fàndiàn de shíwù bùdàn hào chī, hěn piányí

这个饭店的食物不但好吃很便宜

The food at this restaurant is not only good, but also very cheap.

bùdàn kěyǐ qù déguó lǚxíng, hái kěyǐ qù fàguó, yīngguó lǚxíng.

不但可以去德国旅行可以去法国,英国旅行

You can travel not only to Germany, but also to France and England.

2)Main Subj.+不但bùdǎn +[……](而且érqiě )+ Subj.2也yě +[……]

When there is one main subject,however we talk about two different aspects,you put 不但 after the subject, and then the second aspect (the part in green) between 而且 and . The pattern can also be used omitting 而且.

Wǒ lǎogōng bùdàn huì shēng zhí, érqiě gōngzī huì tígāo hěnduō

我老公不但会升职而且工资会提高很多

Not only will my husband get a promotion, but his salary will also be much higher.

Suīrán tā shì zhōngguó rén, dànshì tā bùdàn yīngyǔ shuō dé hǎo, érqiě xībānyá yǔ shuō dé hěn bùcuò.

虽然她是中国人,但是她不但英语说得好而且西班牙语说得很不错

Although she is Chinese, she not only speaks good English, but also Spanish.

NOTE: Other than 不但bùdǎn……而且érqiě/还hái/也yě, there are a number of other structures which can be used to express "not only...but also." 不但bùdǎn can be substituted with 不仅bùjǐn and 不只bùzhǐ, all meaning "not only,". They are all pretty similar in usage and meaning.

Yǒu de měiguó rén bùjǐn xǐhuān chī zhōngguó cài, hái huì zuò jǐ gè zhōngguó cài.

有的美国人不仅喜欢吃中国菜,会做几个中国菜。

Some Americans not only like to eat Chinese food, but also cook several Chinese dishes.

Zhège měiguó rén bùzhǐ huì shuō pǔtōnghuà, huì shuō shànghǎi huà, zhēn lìhài!

这个美国人不只会说普通话,会说上海话,真厉害!

This American not only speaks Mandarin, he also speaks Shanghainese, which is awesome!

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