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HSK 1 Conjunctive Adverbs: How to Use 也 (yě) and 还 (hái)
In the HSK 1 grammar outline, both 也 (yě) and 还 (hái, sense 1) function as conjunctive adverbs that link clauses by adding information. While both can often translate to 'also' or 'in addition', they are not always interchangeable. This lesson explains their pre-verbal placement, how they link shared or additional facts, and why switching subjects requires careful choice.
我是老师，她也是老师。
Correct: Two different subjects share the same identity, so 也 stands directly before the verb 是.
× 我是学生，他还是学生。
Incorrect in this context: Using 还 when switching subjects to state the same identity fails to mean 'he is also a student' (it shifts meaning to 'he is still a student'). Use “我是学生，他也是学生。” instead.
Corrected example: 我是学生，他也是学生。
Read the full explanation and examples
What Are Conjunctive Adverbs in HSK 1?
In the Level 1 grammar syllabus of the revised HSK outline (2025-11 edition), 还1 (hái) and 也 (yě) are grouped under word classes as conjunctive adverbs (关联副词). Note that level labels reflect this specific syllabus outline rather than a guarantee of which exam version a local test center currently administers.
As adverbs, both words must appear after the subject and directly before the verb, adjective, or negation word. Because they are conjunctive adverbs, their job goes beyond modifying a single action: they connect a new statement back to an earlier piece of information in the conversation.
Using 也 (yě) for Shared States and Parallels
The core function of 也 is to express sameness or parallel addition. You use it most frequently when a second subject shares the exact same state, identity, or action as a first subject. It corresponds closely to English 'also', 'too', or 'either' (in negative sentences).
我是老师，她也是老师。
Correct: Two different subjects share the same identity, so 也 stands directly before the verb 是.
When combining 也 with a negative word like 不 (bù) or 没 (méi), 也 always comes before the negation marker. This expresses that the second person or thing also does not do the action.
我不喝茶，他也不喝茶。
Correct: 也 is placed before the negation word 不 to mean 'neither / not either'.
Using 还 (hái) for Expanding and Adding More
In its additive sense (还1), 还 means 'in addition', 'furthermore', or 'also'. Unlike 也, which focuses on two things being alike, 还 focuses on adding extra items, actions, or qualities to an existing list, almost always for the same subject.
我买了苹果，还买了香蕉。
Correct: The same subject adds a second item to what was bought using 还 before the repeated verb.
You can also use 还 before a modal verb or a new verb phrase to show that the subject possesses an additional skill or performs a second distinct action. Notice that the subject is often omitted in the second clause because it remains the same.
她会说汉语，还会写汉字。
Correct: 还 stands before the modal verb 会 to add a second skill for the same subject.
Key Contrasts and Where They Overlap
Learners often wonder when both words are acceptable and when only one works. The deciding factor is whether the subject changes.
- Same subject, additional object or action: Both 还 and 也 can work. 还 sounds slightly more like piling on extra details ('on top of that'), while 也 simply states a parallel fact ('also').
- Different subjects, same action or state: You must use 也. You cannot use 还1 simply to say that Person B does the exact same thing as Person A.
Here is an example where the same subject likes two different things, making 也 completely natural alongside the earlier 还 pattern:
我喜欢猫，也喜欢狗。
Correct: When the subject stays the same, 也 can also link two parallel predicates.
Common Learner Mistakes
There are two high-frequency errors at this level. First, because English allows 'too' or 'also' at the very end of a sentence, beginners often place 也 at the end of a Chinese clause. In Mandarin, 也 and 还 can never go at the end of a sentence; they must precede the verb.
× 我是学生，他是学生也。
Incorrect: The adverb 也 cannot be placed at the end of a clause like English 'too'. Use “我是学生，他也是学生。” instead.
Corrected example: 我是学生，他也是学生。
Second, when switching to a new subject that shares the same predicate, learners sometimes pick 还 because they translate both words as 'also'. However, when you write 他还是学生 (tā hái shì xuésheng), native speakers will interpret 还 in its other sense ('still'—he is still a student), not as 'he is also a student'. To express that the second person shares the same identity, replace 还 with 也.
× 我是学生，他还是学生。
Incorrect in this context: Using 还 when switching subjects to state the same identity fails to mean 'he is also a student' (it shifts meaning to 'he is still a student'). Use “我是学生，他也是学生。” instead.
Corrected example: 我是学生，他也是学生。
我是学生，他也是学生。
Correct replacement: 也 properly links a new subject to a shared predicate and sits before the verb 是.
Frequently asked questions
Can 也 (yě) or 还 (hái) go before the subject?
No. In standard Mandarin, both 也 and 还 are adverbs that must follow the subject (or topic) and stand before the verb, adjective, or negation word.
Why does the syllabus write 还1 instead of just 还?
Chinese outlines use numbered entries when a character has multiple grammar functions across levels. Here, 还1 specifies the additive conjunctive adverb ('also / in addition'), distinguishing it from other uses such as 'still' or 'even more'.
Can I use 也 and 还 in the same clause?
They can occur in the same clause when they serve different functions; this is not an absolute prohibition. In the basic additive patterns taught here, choosing one is usually clearer: use 也 for a shared fact and 还 to add another detail. Other combinations can involve 还 meaning still, which is a separate use.
