Learn Hardcore Chinese: wǎngxiàn hé chātóu dōu zài zhèlǐ. - The network cable and plug are both here.

Breakdown of wǎngxiàn hé chātóu dōu zài zhèlǐ.

Why is 都 (dōu) used here if there are only two things?

都 means all or both, depending on context.

In this sentence, the two items are:

So 都 tells you that both of them are in the same place.

Structure:

So:

Even though English often does not require both, Mandarin very often uses 都 after a list like this.

Can I leave out 都 and just say 网线和插头在这里?

Yes, you can. 网线和插头在这里 is grammatical.

But there is a small difference in feel:

So 都 adds a clearer sense that each item in the list shares the same situation.

In everyday Mandarin, when you have a list like A 和 B, using 都 is very common if the statement applies to all listed items.

Why do we use 在 here instead of 是?