Difference between revisions of "Offering choices with "haishi""

Revision as of 06:29, 30 December 2011

还是 (háishì) is used in Chinese to provide options in a question. This is equivalent to one use of "or" in English. The basic structure is:

Option A + 还是 + Option B

You can then put this into all kinds of questions with the following structure:

Subject + Verb + Option A + 还是 + Option B

Some examples:

还是 questions
Subject	Verb	Option A	还是	Option B
你	是	美国人	还是	英国人	？
你	喜欢	啤酒	还是	葡萄酒	？
他	是	医生	还是	护士	？
你	想吃	中国菜	还是	法国菜	？
那	是	很大的猫	还是	很小的老虎	？

Please note that 还是 is for offering options in a question. It should not be used for "or" in statements (see below).

@@ Line 49: / Line 49: @@
 * [[New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)]] (pp. 179) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561910401/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561910401 →buy]
+* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)(2nd ed)]] (pp. 206 - 207) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561926235/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=7561926235 →buy]
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