Difference between revisions of "Offering choices with "haishi""
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| + | When you're asked a question of this form, you've only got two possible ways to answer: Option A or Option B. (Pick one, but not both.) | ||
You can then put this into all kinds of questions with the following structure: | You can then put this into all kinds of questions with the following structure: | ||
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| − | + | * 你 要 <strong>茶</strong> <em>还是</em> <strong>咖啡</strong> ？ <span class="trans">Do you want tea or coffee?</span> | |
| − | + | * 你 要 <strong>一 个</strong> <em>还是</em> <strong>两 个</strong> ？ <span class="trans">Do you want one or two?</span> | |
| − | + | * 你 是 <strong>美国 人</strong> <em>还是</em> <strong>英国 人</strong> ？ <span class="trans">Are you American or English?</span> | |
| − | + | * 他 是 <strong>医生</strong> <em>还是</em> <strong>老师</strong> ？ <span class="trans">Is he a doctor or a teacher?</span> | |
| − | + | * 你 喜欢 <strong>啤酒</strong> <em>还是</em> <strong>葡萄酒</strong> ？ <span class="trans">Do you like beer or wine?</span> | |
| − | + | * 你 喜欢 <strong>上海</strong> <em>还是</em> <strong>北京</strong> ？ <span class="trans">Do you like Shanghai or Beijing?</span> | |
| − | + | * 你 喜欢 <strong>我</strong> <em>还是</em> <strong>我 的 钱</strong> ？ <span class="trans">Do you like me or my money?</span> | |
| − | + | * 你 想 吃 <strong>中国 菜</strong> <em>还是</em> <strong>法国 菜</strong> ？ <span class="trans">Do you want to eat Chinese food or French food?</span> | |
| − | + | * 你 想 去 <strong>香港</strong> <em>还是</em> <strong>泰国</strong> ？ <span class="trans">Do you want to go to HongKong or Thailand?</span> | |
| − | + | * 这 是 <strong>水</strong> <em>还是</em> <strong>酒</strong> ？ <span class="trans">Is this water or wine?</span> | |
| − | + | * 你 会 说 <strong>普通话</strong> <em>还是</em> <strong>广东话</strong> ？ <span class="expl">(The expected answer is one or the other, noth "both")</span><span class="trans">Can you speak Mandarin or Cantonese?</span> | |
| − | + | * 你 家 有 <strong>小狗</strong> <em>还是</em> <strong>小猫</strong> ？ <span class="expl">(The expected answer is one or the other, noth "both")</span><span class="trans">Do you have a puppy or a kitty in your house?</span> | |
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Revision as of 06:26, 9 September 2013
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Level
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Similar to
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Used for
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Keywords
还是 (háishì) is used in Chinese to provide options in a question. This is equivalent to one use of "or" in English.
Structure
Option A + 还是 + Option B ?
When you're asked a question of this form, you've only got two possible ways to answer: Option A or Option B. (Pick one, but not both.)
You can then put this into all kinds of questions with the following structure:
Subject + Verb + Option A + 还是 + Option B ?
Examples
- 你 要 茶 还是 咖啡 ？ Do you want tea or coffee?
- 你 要 一 个 还是 两 个 ？ Do you want one or two?
- 你 是 美国 人 还是 英国 人 ？ Are you American or English?
- 他 是 医生 还是 老师 ？ Is he a doctor or a teacher?
- 你 喜欢 啤酒 还是 葡萄酒 ？ Do you like beer or wine?
- 你 喜欢 上海 还是 北京 ？ Do you like Shanghai or Beijing?
- 你 喜欢 我 还是 我 的 钱 ？ Do you like me or my money?
- 你 想 吃 中国 菜 还是 法国 菜 ？ Do you want to eat Chinese food or French food?
- 你 想 去 香港 还是 泰国 ？ Do you want to go to HongKong or Thailand?
- 这 是 水 还是 酒 ？ Is this water or wine?
- 你 会 说 普通话 还是 广东话 ？ (The expected answer is one or the other, noth "both")Can you speak Mandarin or Cantonese?
- 你 家 有 小狗 还是 小猫 ？ (The expected answer is one or the other, noth "both")Do you have a puppy or a kitty in your house?
Please note that 还是 is for offering options in a question. It should not be used for "or" in statements (see below).
See also
Sources and Further Reading
Books
- Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 76-7, 257-8) →buy
- New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1) (pp. 179) →buy
- New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)(2nd ed) (pp. 206-7, 251) →buy
- 40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册） (p. 125)→buy
Websites
- East Asia Student: The difference between 还是 and 或者
- Yale Chinese Usage Dictionary: Comparing 还是 and 或者
