Difference between revisions of "Expressing "or" in statements"
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* 我 想 去 青岛 <em>或者</em> 南京。<span class="trans">I want to go to Qingdao or Nanjing.</span> | * 我 想 去 青岛 <em>或者</em> 南京。<span class="trans">I want to go to Qingdao or Nanjing.</span> | ||
* 你 去 <em>或者</em> 我 去，都 可以。<span class="trans">You go or I go, either way is fine.</span> | * 你 去 <em>或者</em> 我 去，都 可以。<span class="trans">You go or I go, either way is fine.</span> | ||
| − | * 晚上 的 时候，我 | + | * 晚上 的 时候，我 喜欢 喝 啤酒 <em>或者</em> 葡萄酒。<span class="trans">I prefer some beer or red wine in the evening.</span> |
| − | * | + | * 周末 的 时候，我 喜欢 做 饭 <em>或者</em> 看 电影。<span class="trans">During the weekend, I like to cook or watch movies.</span> |
| − | * | + | * 今天 晚上 我 想 吃 披萨 <em>或者</em>汉堡。<span class="trans">Tonight I want to eat pizza or hamburgers.</span> |
| − | * | + | * 下 个 月 我 打算 去 杭州 <em>或者</em> 苏州 旅行。<span class="trans">Next month I plan to go to Hangzhou or Suzhou to travel.</span> |
| − | * | + | * 圣诞节 我们 回 美国 <em>或者</em> 呆 在 中国。<span class="trans">This Christmas we are returning to America or staying in China.</span> |
| − | * | + | * 晚饭 以后 我 喜欢 和 家人 聊天<em>或者</em>喝茶。<span class="trans">After dinner I like to chat or drink tea with my family.</span> |
| − | * | + | * 你 需要 筷子 <em>或者</em>叉子。 <span class="trans">You need chopsticks or fork.</span> |
| − | * | + | * 你 可以 用 手机 <em>或者</em> 电脑。<span class="trans">You can use either a cellphone or computer.</span> |
| − | |||
| − | |||
</div> | </div> | ||
Revision as of 06:56, 25 December 2013
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Level
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Similar to
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Used for
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Keywords
In English, "or" can be used in the sense of having a choice (Chicken or beef?), and as an "either or" statement (it doesn't matter if you're black or white). In Chinese, 或者(huòzhě) is used for the latter.
Structure
Whilst 还是 is used for "or" in questions, 或者 is used for "or" in statements.
Possibility 1 + 或者 + Possibility 2
Examples
- 我 想 去 青岛 或者 南京。I want to go to Qingdao or Nanjing.
- 你 去 或者 我 去，都 可以。You go or I go, either way is fine.
- 晚上 的 时候，我 喜欢 喝 啤酒 或者 葡萄酒。I prefer some beer or red wine in the evening.
- 周末 的 时候，我 喜欢 做 饭 或者 看 电影。During the weekend, I like to cook or watch movies.
- 今天 晚上 我 想 吃 披萨 或者汉堡。Tonight I want to eat pizza or hamburgers.
- 下 个 月 我 打算 去 杭州 或者 苏州 旅行。Next month I plan to go to Hangzhou or Suzhou to travel.
- 圣诞节 我们 回 美国 或者 呆 在 中国。This Christmas we are returning to America or staying in China.
- 晚饭 以后 我 喜欢 和 家人 聊天或者喝茶。After dinner I like to chat or drink tea with my family.
- 你 需要 筷子 或者叉子。 You need chopsticks or fork.
- 你 可以 用 手机 或者 电脑。You can use either a cellphone or computer.
See also
- Offering choices with haishi
- Providing two options with double "huozhe" (advanced article)
Sources and further reading
Books
- Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar (pp. 74-5) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 257-8) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 239-40) →buy
Websites
- East Asia Student: The difference between 还是 and 或者
