lesson 11 part 1

Lesson 11, Pattern 1: `或者` or `還是`?
last revised March 10, 2004 ">March 10, 2004

你想學中文還是日文?

Do you want to study Chinese or (do you want to study) Japanese?

我想學中文或者日文。

I'd like to study either Chinese or Japanese.

你想學中文或者日文嗎?

Do you want to study either Chinese or Japanese?

In lesson 3 you learned how to make alternative questions using 還是 meaning "or." Now you are learning the word for listing inclusive options, 或者, which also translates into English as "or." Thus, in English, "or" can be ambiguous, but in Chinese two different words are used. One way to know which Chinese word to use is this: if either can be added in the English sentence, then use 或者 in Chinese. See below for examples of 或者, review of 還是, as well as contrasts between the two.

Examples of Inclusive Options: `或者`

**With Nouns as Objects of a Verb**
S - V	Obj1	`或者`	Obj2	English
`我想買`	`西裝`	`或者`	`夾克`	I'm going to buy either a suit or a jacket.
`他爸爸是`	`老師`	`或者`	`律師`	His dad's either a teacher or a lawyer. (I'm not clear which one.)
`下午他去`	`餐廳`	`或者`	`咖啡館`	This afternoon he's either going to the cafeteria or the coffee house.

**With Verbs or Verb Phrases as Predicates**
S	Verb Phrase 1	`或者`	Verb Phrase 2	English
`我`	`去圖書館看書`	`或者`	`去咖啡館喝咖啡`	I'm either going to the library to study or to the cafe to drink some coffee. (I haven't decided yet.)

**With Verbs or Verb Phrases as "objects" of Auxiliary Verbs**
S-AV	Verb 1	`或者`	Verb 2	English
`我想`	`去公園`	`或者`	`去買東西`	I'd like to go either to the park or shopping.
`這個週末我`	`看電影`	`或者`	`看錄像`	This weekend I'd either like to see a movie or watch a video.

**Miscellaneous Other Examples**
First Part	Inclusive Options (phrase) `或者` (phrase)	Last Part	English
`小白`	`五點或者六點`	`吃晚飯`	Little Bai eats at either five or six o'clock.
`今天晚上, 你想出去吃`	`日本飯或者中國飯`	`嗎?`	Would like to go out for either Chinese or Japanese food tonight?
`我想去`	`餐廳或者咖啡館`	`吃晚飯`	I'd like to eat dinner either in the dining hall or cafe.
	`中文或者英文`	`我都喜歡學`	I like studying both Chinese and English.
	`他去或者我去,`	`都可以`	He can go or I can go, either way is OK.

Go to examples of 或者, review of 還是, or contrasts

Review of Alternative Questions: `還是`

As with 或者, the alternate choices in 還是 sentences must be parallel, and may be nouns serving as objects in the sentence, nouns serving as time words, verbs, verb-object phrases, or subject-verb-object combinations, and more. Please note that there are sometimes several ways to structure a sentence with basically the same meaning. In some cases, native speakers tend to prefer choices between two verb-object combinations rather than just between two objects of the sentence.

**With Nouns as Objects of a Verb**
S - V	Obj1	`還是`	Obj2	English
`你要買`	`書`	`還是`	`夾克?`	Are you going to buy books or a jacket? (What are you buying, books or a jacket?)
`你是`	`老師`	`還是`	`律師?`	Are you a teacher or a lawyer?
`你去`	`圖書館`	`還是`	`咖啡館?`	Are you going to the library or the cafe?

**With Verbs or Verb Phrases as Predicates**
Often the verb is included in Chinese when we wouldn't include it in English.
S	Verb Phrase 1	`還是`	Verb Phrase 2	English
`你`	`去圖書館看書`	`還是`	`去咖啡館喝咖啡?`	Are you going to the library to study or to the cafe to drink some coffee?
`你`	`喝啤酒`	`還是`	`喝茶?`	Are you having beer or (having) tea?
`你`	`去`	`還是`	`不去?`	Are you going or not (going)?

**With Verbs or Verb Phrases as "objects" of Auxiliary Verbs**
S-AV	Verb 1	`還是`	Verb 2	English
`你想`	`去公園`	`還是`	`去買東西?`	Would you like to go to the park or go shopping?
`你想`	`回家`	`還是`	`去圖書館?`	Are you going home or going to the library?

**With Whole Clauses, etc.**
If the choice is between possibilities for the subject of the sentence, usually `是` is added at the beginning and/or a verb is included within the choices, which then turns it into a choice between two clauses.
First Part	Alternative choices (phrase) `還是` (phrase)	Last Part
`小白` Does Little Bai	`五點還是六點` at five o'clock or six o'clock	`吃晚飯?` eat dinner?
`是` Are	`你請我還是我請你` you inviting me, or am I inviting you Is it you inviting me or me inviting you to dinner?	`吃晚飯?` to eat dinner?
	`你請我還是我請你` Are you inviting me, or am I inviting you	`吃晚飯?` to eat dinner?
	`你去還是我去`? Are you going or shall I go?

Go to examples of 或者, review of 還是, or contrasts

Contrasting Sentences
Notice how much the meaning differs when only one word is changed.

`還是`	`或者`
`他想吃美國飯還是中國飯?` Does he want American food, or does he want Chinese food?	`他想吃美國飯或者中國飯。` He wants to have either American or Chinese food.
`他三點還是四點上課?` Does he go to class at three or (does he go at) four?	`他三點或者四點上課。` He either goes go to class at three or four.
`週末他唱歌還是學習?` Does he sing or study on the weekend?	`週末他唱歌或者學習。` He either sings or studies on the weekend.
`他去還是我去?` Is he going or am I?	`他去或者我去。` Either he is going or I am.

Go to examples of 或者, review of 還是, or contrasts


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Lesson 11, Pattern 1: 或者 or 還是? last revised March 10, 2004 ">March 10, 2004

Examples of Inclusive Options: 或者

Review of Alternative Questions: 還是

Lesson 11, Pattern 1: `或者` or `還是`?
last revised March 10, 2004 ">March 10, 2004

Examples of Inclusive Options: `或者`

Review of Alternative Questions: `還是`