hem ... hem

Both ... and

Level 3

The correlative conjunction hem ... hem is used to emphasize that two things are true simultaneously. It is the Turkish equivalent of 'both ... and'.

How It Works

The hem ... hem pattern is a versatile tool for linking grammatically parallel elements. Here is how to use it effectively:

  • Placement: Place the first 'hem' before the first item and the second 'hem' before the second item.
  • Parallelism: The elements linked must be in the same grammatical form. If you are linking nouns that require a case ending, both nouns must have that same ending. For example: Hem evde hem işte (Both at home and at work).
  • Adding Emphasis: Using hem ... hem de is extremely common in daily speech. Note that while the general conjunction is de/da, in this specific construction it is always de because 'hem' ends in a front vowel. For example: Hem ucuz hem de kaliteli.
  • Verbs: When linking actions, ensure both verbs are conjugated appropriately.
  • Multiple Items: Although usually used for two items, you can list three or more by repeating 'hem' before each one.
  • Discourse Marker: 'Hem' can also be used alone at the beginning of a sentence to mean 'besides' or 'moreover'. For example: Hem, sen oraya hiç gitmedin ki! (Besides, you never even went there!)

An idiomatic use to remember is the phrase 'Hem de nasıl!', which means 'And how!' or 'You bet!' to show strong agreement.

Examples (5)

  1. Hem çalışıyor hem okuyor.

    He both works and studies.

    Word by Word: Both he-works both he-reads.

    Here, 'hem ... hem' links two verbs to show simultaneous actions.

  2. Bu kaban hem şık hem kaliteli.

    This coat is both stylish and high-quality.

    Word by Word: This coat both stylish both quality.

    In this sentence, 'hem ... hem' links two adjectives describing the same noun.

  3. Hem İstanbul'u hem de Ankara'yı ziyaret ettik.

    We visited both Istanbul and Ankara.

    Word by Word: Both Istanbul-[acc] both also Ankara-[acc] visit we-did.

    Notice the use of 'de' for emphasis and the parallel use of the accusative case on both cities.

  4. Hem annesine hem babasına hediye aldı.

    He bought a gift for both his mother and his father.

    Word by Word: Both mother-his-[dat] both father-his-[dat] gift he-bought.

    Both nouns take the dative case suffix because the verb 'almak' (to buy for someone) requires it here.

  5. Kahvaltıda hem peynir hem zeytin hem de yumurta yedim.

    I ate cheese, olives, and eggs for breakfast.

    Word by Word: Breakfast-at both cheese both olive both also egg I-ate.

    This shows how the pattern can be extended to more than two items.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'hem ... hem' when you mean 'neither ... nor'.

    Hem gelmedi hem aramadı.
    Ne geldi ne aradı.

    'Hem gelmedi hem aramadı' is correct, but it means 'he did not come and he did not call either'. To say 'neither ... nor' directly, use the ne ... ne pattern with a positive verb: 'Ne geldi ne aradı'.

  • Misplacing the 'de' particle.

    Hem elma hem armut da aldım.
    Hem elma hem de armut aldım.

    The emphatic particle de/da should follow the second 'hem' word itself, not the item that follows it.

  • Lack of grammatical parallelism.

    Hem piyano hem şarkı söylüyor.
    Hem piyano çalıyor hem şarkı söylüyor.

    You cannot link a noun ('piyano') directly to a verb phrase ('şarkı söylüyor') if they require different actions. You must repeat the appropriate verb for each part.

How It Connects

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hem ... hemLevel 3Both ... and

Learn This First

The 'hem ... hem' pattern is a correlative conjunction used to emphasize that two things are true or happening simultaneously. To use it, you should already be comfortable with basic sentence structure, simple conjunctions like 'and', and basic verb conjugation to link actions.

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Words in This Pattern

hem