Expressing "either... or..." with "yaome"

You can give a series of alternatives by using 要么 (yàome). The structure is pretty versatile, as you can put a wide variety of things after each 要么:

Structure

要么 + [option A] + 要么 + [option B]

Examples

Firstly, you can use an adverbial (extra information about the verb such as time, manner or place). Some examples:

• 你 要么 今天 过来 ，要么 后天 过来 。You can either come back today or the day after tomorrow.
• 咱们 要么 说 汉语，要么 就 别 说话。We'll either speak Chinese or another language.

Secondly, different objects can be given as options:

• 我们 要么 喝 葡萄酒，要么 喝 啤酒。We either drink wine or we drink beer.

Different subjects also work:

• 要么 你 去，要么 我 去。Either you go or I go.

See also

• Providing two options with double "huozhe"
• Expressing the only two possibilities

Sources and further reading

Books

• Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 158) →buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4) (pp. 165) →buy