gan ... gan
Both ... and
Gan ..., gan joins two equal parts and stresses that both are true: gan latviski, gan angliski (both Latvian and English). Each part gets its own gan, and a comma goes before the second one.
How It Works
1. Gan goes right before each part.
- Two subjects: Gan Anna, gan Pēteris strādā bankā. (Both Anna and Pēteris work in a bank.)
- Two verbs: Viņa gan dzied, gan dejo. (She both sings and dances.)
- Three objects: Veikalā var nopirkt gan maizi, gan pienu, gan augļus.
2. The comma. Put a comma before every repeated gan, but not before the first one.
3. Similar pairs.
- Ne tikai ..., bet arī (not only ... but also) makes the second part stronger.
- Vai nu ..., vai (either ... or) offers a choice instead of adding.
- In formal style, kā ..., tā can also mean both ... and: kā pieaugušajiem, tā bērniem (for adults and children alike).
4. A single gan is a different word. On its own, gan is a small word meaning though or indeed (see taču and gan): Es gan nezinu (I don't know, though).
Examples (5)
- Viņš runā gan latviski, gan angliski.
He speaks both Latvian and English.
- Gan Anna, gan Pēteris strādā bankā.
Both Anna and Pēteris work in a bank.
- Viņa gan dzied, gan dejo.
She both sings and dances.
Gan ..., gan can join verbs too.
- Veikalā var nopirkt gan maizi, gan pienu, gan augļus.
In the shop you can buy bread, milk and fruit.
With three parts, every gan after the first has a comma before it.
- Šis kurss der gan iesācējiem, gan tiem, kas jau runā latviski.
This course suits both beginners and people who already speak Latvian.
Both parts are in the dative because der (suits) takes the dative.
Common Mistakes
Leaving out the comma before the second gan.
Viņš runā gan latviski gan angliski.Viņš runā gan latviski, gan angliski.Latvian puts a comma before each repeated gan.
Using gan ..., gan to say that neither is true.
Es nerunāju gan vāciski, gan franciski.Es nerunāju ne vāciski, ne franciski.The intended meaning is I speak neither German nor French. For that, Latvian uses ne ..., ne with the negated verb.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Gan ... gan joins two parts.
Related Patterns
- ne ... neNeither ... nor
The negative partner of gan ..., gan: neither ... nor.
Level 3 - ne tikai ... bet arīNot Only ... but Also
Another paired phrase that adds a second, stronger point.
Level 4 - vai nu ... vaiEither ... or
A paired phrase that offers a choice instead of adding both.
Level 4 - taču / ganTaču and Gan
Gan used alone as a small word meaning though or indeed.
Level 4 - abi / abasBoth: Abi and Abas
Abi and abas (both) refer to two people or things without pairing words.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice gan ... gan in Bubblegum
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