Python tuple addition (concatenate tuples)

We can add Python tuples with an addition operator in the same way as numbers or strings addition.

t1 = ('A', 'B', 'C')
t2 = ('D', 'E')

t = t1 + t2

print(t)  # ('A', 'B', 'C', 'D', 'E')

You can add multiple tuples at once.

a = (1, 2, 3)
b = (4, 5)
c = (6, 7, 8)

d = a + b + c

print(d)
# (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)

A tuple and value can't be added

We can't add a tuple and a not-tuple value.

t1 = ('A', 'B', 'C')
t2 = 'D'

t = t1 + t2
# TypeError: can only concatenate tuple (not "str") to tuple

The tuple (?) containing only one value without a trailing comma can't be added to a tuple.

t1 = ('A', 'B', 'C')
t2 = (5)

t = t1 + t2
# TypeError: can only concatenate tuple (not "int") to tuple

In fact, (5) is an integer, not a tuple.

t1 = ('A', 'B', 'C')
t2 = (5)

print(type(t2))  # <class 'int'>

But if it has a trailing comma, it is a tuple and added to another tuple.

t1 = ('A', 'B', 'C')
t2 = ('D',)

t = t1 + t2

print(t)  # ('A', 'B', 'C', 'D')

Using asterisk

You can concatenate tuples using an asterisk (*) operator.

a = (1, 2, 3)
b = (4, 5)

c = (*a, *b)

print(c)
# (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

If putting tuples directly into round brackets, c is a tuple containing two tuples and not containing directly those elements. Check the difference of the tuple and value generated by using the asterisk.

a = (1, 2, 3)
b = (4, 5)

print(a)  # (1, 2, 3)
print(*a)  # 1 2 3

Convert Python list to tuple

You can convert a Python list to a tuple as follows.

s = [1, 2, 3]

a = ()

for x in s:
    a = a + (x,)

print(a)
# (1, 2, 3)

The important point is that each iterated value is enclosed with a trailing comma. If not so, each element is not a tuple and the TypeError will be raised.