Difference between revisions of "Expressing "either... or..." with "yaome""

Revision as of 09:15, 26 November 2013

Level

B1 / HSK0
Level

B1
Level

HSK0
Similar to
Similar to
- Expressing "how about" with "yaobu" (HSK5)
- Expressing the only two possibilities (HSK5)
- Providing two options with double "huozhe" (HSK5)
Used for

Giving alternatives
Keywords

要, 要么

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 adverb (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.

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

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Grammar Box}}
-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:\r\n==Structure==\r\n<div class="jiegou">\r\n要么 + Option A + 要么 + Option B\r\n</div>\r\n==Examples==\r\nFirstly, you can use an [[adverb]] (extra information about the verb such as time, manner or place). Some examples:\r\n<div class="liju">\r\n* 你 <strong>要么</strong> <em>今天</em> 过来 ，<strong>要么</strong> <em>后天</em> 过来 。<span class="trans">You can either come back today or the day after tomorrow.</span>
+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:
-* 咱们 <em>要么</em> 说 汉语，<em>要么</em> 就 别 说话。<span class="trans">We'll either speak Chinese or another language.</span>\r\n</div>\r\nSecondly, different objects can be given as options:\r\n<div class="liju">\r\n* 我们 <strong>要么</strong> 喝 <em>葡萄酒</em>，<strong>要么</strong> 喝 <em>啤酒</em>。<span class="trans">We either drink wine or we drink beer.</span>\r\n</div>\r\nDifferent subjects also work:\r\n<div class="liju">\r\n* <strong>要么</strong> <em>你</em> 去，<strong>要么</strong> <em>我</em> 去。<span class="
-trans">Either you go or I go.</span>\r\n</div>\r\n==See also==
+==Structure==
+<div class="jiegou">
+要么 + Option A + 要么 + Option B
+</div>
+==Examples==
+Firstly, you can use an [[adverb]] (extra information about the verb such as time, manner or place). Some examples:
+<div class="liju">
+* 你 <strong>要么</strong> <em>今天</em> 过来 ，<strong>要么</strong> <em>后天</em> 过来 。<span class="trans">You can either come back today or the day after tomorrow.</span>
+* 咱们 <em>要么</em> 说 汉语，<em>要么</em> 就 别 说话。<span class="trans">We'll either speak Chinese or another language.</span>
+</div>
+Secondly, different objects can be given as options:
+<div class="liju">
+* 我们 <strong>要么</strong> 喝 <em>葡萄酒</em>，<strong>要么</strong> 喝 <em>啤酒</em>。<span class="trans">We either drink wine or we drink beer.</span>
+</div>
+Different subjects also work:
+<div class="liju">
+* <strong>要么</strong> <em>你</em> 去，<strong>要么</strong> <em>我</em> 去。<span class="
+trans">Either you go or I go.</span>
+</div>
+==See also==
 *[[Providing two options with double "huozhe"]]
-*[[Expressing the only two possibilities]]\r\n== Sources  and further reading ==\r\n=== Books ===\r\n* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1]] (pp. 158) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276792/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276792 →buy]
+*[[Expressing the only two possibilities]]
-* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4)]] (pp. 165) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561913192/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561913192 →buy] \r\n
+== Sources  and further reading ==
+=== Books ===
+* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1]] (pp. 158) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276792/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276792 →buy]
+* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4)]] (pp. 165) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561913192/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561913192 →buy]
 [[Category:B2 grammar points]]
 {{Basic Grammar|要么|B2|要么……，要么……|你 <em>要么</em> 今天 过来 ， <em>要么</em> 后天 过来 。|grammar point|ASG30A60}}