Difference between revisions of "Expressing "either... or..." with "yaome""
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When used by itself, 要么 is a not-so-pushy suggestion. But when used for a pair of choices, it gives a much more hardline "either/or" feel: ''these are the two choices. Choose one.'' (It can also be used for more than two choices, but it's usually just two.) In this case, 要不 acts exactly like 要么.
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要么 (yàome) is used for offering a pair of choices with a hardline "either/or" feel: ''these are the two choices. Choose one.'' (It can also be used for more than two choices, but it's usually just two.)
  
 
== Structure ==
 
== Structure ==
  
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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.
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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. It can be used both for commands and non-commands.
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It can be used both for commands and non-commands.
 
  
 
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*<em>要么</em> 你 去，<em>要么</em> 他 去 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàome</em> nǐ qù, <em>yàome</em> tā qù.</span><span class="trans">Either you go, or he goes.</span>
 
*<em>要么</em> 你 去，<em>要么</em> 他 去 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàome</em> nǐ qù, <em>yàome</em> tā qù.</span><span class="trans">Either you go, or he goes.</span>
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*<em>要么</em> 现在 就 买 ，<em>要么</em> 现在 就 走 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàome</em> xiànzài jiù mǎi, <em>yàome</em> xiànzài jiù zǒu.</span><span class="trans">Either buy it now, or we get out of here now.</span>
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*<em>要么</em> 继续 ，<em>要么</em> 放弃 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàome</em> jìxù, <em>yàome</em> fàngqì.</span><span class="trans">Either keep going or give up.</span>
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*你 <em>要么</em> 回 老家 ，<em>要么</em> 留在 上海 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>yàome</em> huí lǎojiā, <em>yàome</em> liúzài Shànghǎi.</span><span class="trans">You either go back to hometown or stay in Shanghai.</span>
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*<em>要么</em> 好好 做 ，<em>要么</em> 就 别 做 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàome</em> hǎohāo zuò, <em>yàome</em> jiù bié zuò.</span><span class="trans">You either do it well or don't do it.</span>
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*<em>要么</em> 看书 ，<em>要么</em> 写 作业 ，不 可以 出去 玩 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàome</em> kànshū, <em>yàome</em> xiě zuòyè, bù kěyǐ chūqù wán.</span><span class="trans">You either read or do homework. No playing outside.</span>
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*<em>要么</em> 现在 就 买 ，<em>要么</em> 现在 就 走 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàome</em> xiànzài jiù mǎi, <em>yàome</em> xiànzài jiù zǒu.</span><span class="trans">Either buy it now, or leave now.</span>
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*去年 夏天 ，我 每天 <em>要么</em> 去 健身，<em>要么</em> 去 图书馆，特别 无聊 。<span class="pinyin">Qùnián xiàtiān, wǒ měi tiān <em>yàome</em> qù jiànshēn, <em>yàome</em> qù túshūguǎn, tèbié wúliáo.</span><span class="trans">Last summer I either went to the gym or the library every day. It was so boring.</span>
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*你 <em>要么</em> 回 老家 ，<em>要么</em> 留在 上海 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>yàome</em> huí lǎojiā, <em>yàome</em> liúzài Shànghǎi.</span><span class="trans">You either go back to your hometown or stay in Shanghai.</span>
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*我 老公 周末 <em>要么</em> 睡觉 ，<em>要么</em> 打 游戏 ，从来 不 做 家务 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ lǎogōng zhōumò <em>yàome</em> shuìjiào, <em>yàome</em> dǎ yóuxì, cónglái bù zuò jiāwù.</span><span class="trans">My husband either sleeps or plays video games on weekends. He never does chores.</span>
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*<em>要么</em> 看书 ，<em>要么</em> 写 作业 ，不 可以 出去 玩 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàome</em> kànshū, <em>yàome</em> xiě zuòyè, bù kěyǐ chūqù wán.</span><span class="trans">Either read or do your homework. No playing outside.</span>
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*你 <em>要么</em> 加入 我们 队，<em>要么</em> 加入 他们 队 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>yàome</em> jiārù wǒmen duì, <em>yàome</em> jiārù tāmen duì.</span><span class="trans">You either join our team or their team.</span>
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*<em>要么</em> 继续 找 工作 ，<em>要么</em> 创业 ，不 能 什么 都 不 做 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàome</em> jìxù zhǎo gōngzuò, <em>yàome</em> chuàngyè, bù néng shénme dōu bù zuò.</span><span class="trans">Either keeping looking for a job or start your own business. You can't do nothing.</span>
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*去年 夏天 ，我 每天 <em>要么</em> 去 健身房，<em>要么</em> 去 图书馆，特别 无聊 。<span class="pinyin">Qùnián xiàtiān, wǒ měi tiān <em>yàome</em> qù jiànshēnfáng, <em>yàome</em> qù túshūguǎn, tèbié wúliáo.</span><span class="trans">Last summer I either went to the gym or the library every day. It was super boring.</span>
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*我 老公 周末 <em>要么</em> 睡觉 ，<em>要么</em> 打 游戏 ，从来 不 做 家务 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ lǎogōng zhōumò <em>yàome</em> shuìjiào, <em>yàome</em> dǎ yóuxì, cónglái bù zuò jiāwù.</span><span class="trans">My husband either sleeps or plays video games on weekends. He never does housework.</span>
  
 
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This "either/or" 要么 pattern is similar to one of the uses of each [[Expressing "how about" with "yaobu"|要不]] and [[Providing two options with double "huozhe"|或者]].
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
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[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
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{{HSK|HSK0}}
 
{{Basic Grammar|要么|B1|要么⋯⋯，要么⋯⋯|<em>要么</em> 你 去，<em>要么</em> 他 去 。|grammar point|ASG30A60}}
 
{{Basic Grammar|要么|B1|要么⋯⋯，要么⋯⋯|<em>要么</em> 你 去，<em>要么</em> 他 去 。|grammar point|ASG30A60}}
 
{{Rel char|要}}
 
{{Rel char|要}}
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{{Similar|Expressing "how about" with "yaobu"}}
 
{{Similar|Providing two options with double "huozhe"}}
 
{{Similar|Providing two options with double "huozhe"}}
 
{{Similar|Expressing the only two possibilities}}
 
{{Similar|Expressing the only two possibilities}}
 
{{Used for|Giving alternatives}}
 
{{Used for|Giving alternatives}}
 
{{Structure|Sentence Patterns}}
 
{{Structure|Sentence Patterns}}
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{{Subprop|Complex Sentence Patterns}}
 
{{Translation|either}}
 
{{Translation|either}}
 
{{Translation|or}}
 
{{Translation|or}}

Latest revision as of 07:00, 11 December 2020

要么 (yàome) is used for offering a pair of choices with a hardline "either/or" feel: these are the two choices. Choose one. (It can also be used for more than two choices, but it's usually just two.)

Structure

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. It can be used both for commands and non-commands.

要么 + Option A ，要么 + Option B

Examples

  • 要么 你 去，要么 他 去 。Yàome nǐ qù, yàome tā qù.Either you go, or he goes.
  • 要么 继续 ，要么 放弃 。Yàome jìxù, yàome fàngqì.Either keep going or give up.
  • 要么 好好 做 ，要么 就 别 做 。Yàome hǎohāo zuò, yàome jiù bié zuò.You either do it well or don't do it.
  • 要么 现在 就 买 ，要么 现在 就 走 。Yàome xiànzài jiù mǎi, yàome xiànzài jiù zǒu.Either buy it now, or leave now.
  • 你 要么 回 老家 ，要么 留在 上海 。Nǐ yàome huí lǎojiā, yàome liúzài Shànghǎi.You either go back to your hometown or stay in Shanghai.
  • 要么 看书 ，要么 写 作业 ，不 可以 出去 玩 。Yàome kànshū, yàome xiě zuòyè, bù kěyǐ chūqù wán.Either read or do your homework. No playing outside.
  • 你 要么 加入 我们 队，要么 加入 他们 队 。Nǐ yàome jiārù wǒmen duì, yàome jiārù tāmen duì.You either join our team or their team.
  • 要么 继续 找 工作 ，要么 创业 ，不 能 什么 都 不 做 。Yàome jìxù zhǎo gōngzuò, yàome chuàngyè, bù néng shénme dōu bù zuò.Either keeping looking for a job or start your own business. You can't do nothing.
  • 去年 夏天 ，我 每天 要么 去 健身房，要么 去 图书馆，特别 无聊 。Qùnián xiàtiān, wǒ měi tiān yàome qù jiànshēnfáng, yàome qù túshūguǎn, tèbié wúliáo.Last summer I either went to the gym or the library every day. It was super boring.
  • 我 老公 周末 要么 睡觉 ，要么 打 游戏 ，从来 不 做 家务 。Wǒ lǎogōng zhōumò yàome shuìjiào, yàome dǎ yóuxì, cónglái bù zuò jiāwù.My husband either sleeps or plays video games on weekends. He never does housework.

This "either/or" 要么 pattern is similar to one of the uses of each 要不 and 或者.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books


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