HSK 5 grammar · pattern
X也X不得，Y也Y不得
X也X不得，Y也Y不得 — can neither X nor Y
Pattern
+ + + + + +
( ) can be left out · other words may come before, between and after
How it works
This pattern uses the potential complement 不得 ("must not / cannot") twice to say two natural responses are both impossible: "can neither X nor Y." It stresses a helpless situation where every option is blocked.
Examples
这孩子被宠坏了，说也说不得，骂也骂不得。
Zhè háizi bèi chǒnghuài le, shuō yě shuō bu dé, mà yě mà bu dé.
This child is spoiled rotten — you can't reason with him or scold him.
这件事拖也拖不得，急也急不得，真难办。
Zhè jiàn shì tuō yě tuō bu dé, jí yě jí bu dé, zhēn nán bàn.
This matter can neither be put off nor rushed — it's really hard to handle.
Related
See it in a story
In the app, X也X不得，Y也Y不得 is underlined wherever it appears in the stories you read, and practised with sentences from them. Free.