HSK 7–9 grammar · conjunction
别说⋯⋯，连⋯⋯也/都⋯⋯
别说⋯⋯，连⋯⋯也/都⋯⋯ — let alone
Pattern
+ + + +
+ + + +
( ) can be left out · other words may come before, between and after
How it works
别说 names the bigger claim and dismisses it, while the 连…也/都 clause gives the smaller case that already fails: 别说跑，连走都走不动 "forget running — he can't even walk". Either half may come first; the 连 half always carries 也 or 都.
Examples
别说跑步了，连走路都困难。
Biéshuō pǎobù le, lián zǒulù dōu kùnnan.
Forget running — even walking is hard.
连他的名字我都不知道，别说他家在哪儿了。
Lián tā de míngzi wǒ dōu bù zhīdào, biéshuō tā jiā zài nǎr le.
I don't even know his name, let alone where he lives.
Related
连…都…，…更… · 连…都…，…更… — even …, so all the more …更别说／更不用说 · 更别说 / 更不用说 — let alone / not to mention⋯⋯，何况⋯⋯ · ⋯⋯，何况⋯⋯ — much less, all the more so
See it in a story
In the app, 别说⋯⋯，连⋯⋯也/都⋯⋯ is underlined wherever it appears in the stories you read, and practised with sentences from them. Free.