也 When expressing a series does 也 need to be before each object or just the last object

Question

When expressing a series of object does 也 occur prior to each object or only prior to the last object to express the list

Example:

• 我没有房子没有工作没有车也没有朋友。

• 我没有房子也没有工作也没有车也没有朋友。

Answer 1

I) "也" means "too"：

"也" means "too" in English, this is an adverb put at the back of the last statement to enhance that the same situation……ect.

你没有车，我*也*没有。(You don't have a car, I don't have a car either).

你喜欢巧克力，我*也*是 (You like chocolates, I do, too).

II) "也" means "the end of a list things shown to others"：

When explaining a list of things, you can use commas or 顿号（slight-pause mark used to set off items in a series; punctuation mark (、) used between parallel words or short phrases; the caesura sign “、”placed between several proper names），but add "也" at the end. Here "也" doesn't mean "too" but just an end to tell others that the list of things I've listed comes to an end only.

我没有车、没有房、没有工作、也**没有老婆。(I have no cars,no houses,no jobs **and no wives).

Answer 2

我没有房子, 没有工作, 没有车, 也没有朋友。

In the first example, 也 functions as "and" to finish off a list.

我没有房子, 也没有工作, 也没有车, 也没有朋友。

In the second example, 也 functions as an emphasis on each item listed. It comes across as being very critical (or if using 也有, it sounds like a bragging competition of who has what).

If you're expressing a series of objects, please stay away from using 也 for each item because it will sound like scolding someone for having nothing or bragging about who has more possessions.

Answer 3

Adverbs like 也, 都, 还, etc. are sometimes obligatorily used, otherwise the consecutive sentences would sound incoherent.

In your examples, I would only use 也 for the last clause. Using 也 for each one is possible, just a little verbose.

我没有房子，没有工作，没有车，也没有朋友。 Better

我没有房子，也没有工作，也没有车，也没有朋友。 Ok, probably used when you are listing while thinking.

You can also vary the adverbs.

我没有房子，也 没有工作，甚至 没有车 和 朋友。

What realy strikes me as odd is that, the 也 is not necessary for the second clause, however it does not imply the omission of 甚至 as one may expect. It seems that we can infer the implied relation (也 in this context) without actually seeing the word.

我没有房子，没有工作，甚至 没有车 和 朋友。 -- 也 is implied

But wihout the last clause, it would sound awkward.

* 我没有房子，没有工作。

So remember, use the adverb at least once at last.

Answer 4

On the last object.

我没有房子，没有工作，没有车也没有朋友。