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

Latest revision as of 07:00, 11 December 2020

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

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.

Sources and further reading

Books

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Grammar Box}}
-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.
+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.
+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.
-It can be used both for commands and non-commands.
 <div class="jiegou">
@@ Line 19: / Line 17: @@
 *<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> 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>
-*<em>要么</em> 好好 做 ，<em>要么</em> 就 别 做 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàome</em> hǎohǎo zuò, <em>yàome</em> jiù bié zuò.</span><span class="trans">You either do it well or don't do it.</span>
+*<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>
-*<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>
+*<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>
-*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>
+*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>
-*<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>
+*<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>
-*<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 just sit around doing nothing.</span>
 *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>
-*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>
+*<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>
-*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>
+*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>
+*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>
 </div>
+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 ==
@@ Line 43: / Line 43: @@
 [[Category:B1 grammar points]]
+{{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}}
 {{Rel char|要}}
+{{Similar|Expressing "how about" with "yaobu"}}
 {{Similar|Providing two options with double "huozhe"}}
 {{Similar|Expressing the only two possibilities}}
 {{Used for|Giving alternatives}}
 {{Structure|Sentence Patterns}}
+{{Subprop|Complex Sentence Patterns}}
 {{Translation|either}}
 {{Translation|or}}