Difference between revisions of "Expressing "how about" with "yaobu""

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要不 (yàobù) can have a number of meanings, ranging from "[[either]]/[[or]]" to "[[how about]]."
 
要不 (yàobù) can have a number of meanings, ranging from "[[either]]/[[or]]" to "[[how about]]."
  
==要不 as to mark possible choices==
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== 要不 used for suggestions ==  
  
===Structure===
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=== Structure ===
 
 
要不 can be used to offer "either/or" choices to others, similar to [[Expressing "either... or..." with "yaome"|要么]]. But in this sense, 要么 is more used than 要不 in colloquial Chinese.
 
 
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
 
 
要不 + Option A,要不 + Option B
 
 
 
</div>
 
 
 
===Examples===
 
 
 
<div class="liju"> 
 
 
 
*<em>要不</em> 你 去,<em>要不</em> 他 去。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàobù</em> nǐ qù, <em>yàobù</em> tā qù.</span><span class="trans">Either you go or he goes.</span>
 
*你 <em>要不</em> 回家 ,<em>要不</em> 陪 我 再 玩 一会儿。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>yàobù</em> huíjiā, <em>yàobù</em> péi wǒ zài wán yīhuìr.</span><span class="trans">You either go home or hang out with me a little more.</span>
 
*你 <em>要不</em> 安静 一点,<em>要不</em> 就 出去。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>yàobù</em> ānjìng yīdiǎn,<em>yàobù</em> jiù chūqù.</span><span class="trans">You can either be quiet or get out.</span>
 
 
 
</div>
 
 
 
==要不 used for suggestions==
 
 
 
===Structure===
 
  
 
要不 can be used as an indirect way of giving a suggestion, as the speaker is using 要不 to seek consent of the listener. (Once again, 要么 can be used similarly.) When using 要不 in this way, it can come either at the beginning of the sentence, or in the middle, after explaining the situation.
 
要不 can be used as an indirect way of giving a suggestion, as the speaker is using 要不 to seek consent of the listener. (Once again, 要么 can be used similarly.) When using 要不 in this way, it can come either at the beginning of the sentence, or in the middle, after explaining the situation.
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
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Reason / Situation,要不 + Option B + 吧
Reason / Situation,要不 + Option B
 
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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<div class="liju">   
 
<div class="liju">   
  
*一个人 去 没 意思,<em>要不</em> 我们 一起 去 吧?<span class="pinyin">Yīgèrén qù méi yìsi, <em>yàobù</em> wǒmen yīqǐ qù ba?</span><span class="trans">It's no fun to go by myself. How about we go together?</span>
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*一个人 去 没 意思,<em>要不</em> 我们 一起 去 吧 ?<span class="pinyin">Yīgèrén qù méi yìsi, <em>yàobù</em> wǒmen yīqǐ qù ba?</span><span class="trans">It's no fun to go by myself. How about we go together?</span>
*下雨 了,<em>要不</em> 明天 再 去 吧。<span class="pinyin">Xià yǔ le, <em>yàobù</em> jīntiān bié qù le.</span><span class="trans">It's raining. How about we go tomorrow?</span>
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*下雨 了,<em>要不</em> 明天 再 去 吧 。<span class="pinyin">Xià yǔ le, <em>yàobù</em> jīntiān bié qù le.</span><span class="trans">It's raining. How about we go tomorrow?</span>
*家里 停 水 了,<em>要不</em> 今晚 出去 吃 吧。<span class="pinyin">Jiā lǐ tíng shuǐ le, <em>yàobù</em> jīnwǎn chūqù chī ba.</span><span class="trans">We have a blackout of water supply at home. How about we go eat out tonight?</span>
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*<em>要不</em> 今晚 出去 吃 吧 ,我妈 不知道 你 会 来 ,没 做饭 。<span class="trans">We have a blackout of water supply at home. How about we go eat out tonight?</span>
*走路 过去 挺 远 的,<em>要不</em> 我 开车 送 你 去 吧。<span class="pinyin">Zǒulù guòqù tǐng yuǎn de, <em>yàobù</em> wǒ kāichē sòng nǐ qù ba.</span><span class="trans">It's quite far away to walk there. How about I drive you there?</span>
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*走路 挺 远 的,<em>要不</em> 我 开车 送 你 去 吧 。<span class="pinyin">Zǒulù guò tǐng yuǎn de, <em>yàobù</em> wǒ kāichē sòng nǐ qù ba.</span><span class="trans">It's quite far away to walk there. How about I drive you there?</span>
* <em>要不</em> 我们 去 逛街 吧,比 在家 看 电视 有 意思。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàobù</em> wǒmen qù guàngjiē ba, bǐ zàijiā kàn diànshì yǒu yìsi.</span><span class="trans">Let's go shopping. It's more fun than watching TV at home.</span>
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*<em>要不</em> 我们 去 逛街 吧,比 在家 看 电视 有 意思 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàobù</em> wǒmen qù guàngjiē ba, bǐ zàijiā kàn diànshì yǒu yìsi.</span><span class="trans">Let's go shopping. It's more fun than watching TV at home.</span>
 
 
</div>
 
 
 
==要不 means "otherwise"==
 
 
 
===Structure===
 
 
 
要不 can also be used to mean "[[otherwise]]" (a shortened form of 要不然):
 
 
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
 
 
Statement, 要不 + Result
 
 
</div>
 
 
 
([[要么]] can never be used in this way.)
 
 
 
===Examples===
 
 
 
<div class="liju"> 
 
*打 个 车 吧,<em>要不</em> 会 迟到 的。<span class="pinyin">Dǎ ge chē ba, <em>yàobù</em> huì chídào de.</span><span class="trans">You should take a taxi, otherwise you'll be late.</span>
 
*快点 做 吧,<em>要不</em> 又 得 加班 了。<span class="pinyin">Kuài diǎn zuò ba, <em>yàobù</em> yòu děi jiābān.</span><span class="trans">Do it faster, otherwise we are going to work late again.</span>
 
*快点 回家 吧,<em>要不</em> 你 爸妈 会 担心 的。<span class="pinyin">Kuài diǎn huíjiā ba, <em>yàobù</em> nǐ bàmā huì dānxīn de.</span><span class="trans">Hurry and go home, or your parents will start to worry.</span>
 
*少 放 点 辣椒,<em>要不</em> 太 辣 了。<span class="pinyin">Shǎo fàng diǎn làjiāo, <em>yàobù</em> tài là le.</span><span class="trans">Don't put so much chili pepper, otherwise it'll be so spicy.</span>
 
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
要不然 can be used interchangeably with 要不 when it is used to mean [[否则]].
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== See  also ==
  
==See  also==
 
 
* [["Or" in statements]]
 
* [["Or" in statements]]
 
* [[Expressing "either ... or ..." with "yaome"]]   
 
* [[Expressing "either ... or ..." with "yaome"]]   

Revision as of 05:02, 25 August 2017

要不 (yàobù) can have a number of meanings, ranging from "either/or" to "how about."

要不 used for suggestions

Structure

要不 can be used as an indirect way of giving a suggestion, as the speaker is using 要不 to seek consent of the listener. (Once again, 要么 can be used similarly.) When using 要不 in this way, it can come either at the beginning of the sentence, or in the middle, after explaining the situation.

Reason / Situation,要不 + Option B + 吧

Examples

  • 一个人 去 没 意思,要不 我们 一起 去 吧 ?Yīgèrén qù méi yìsi, yàobù wǒmen yīqǐ qù ba?It's no fun to go by myself. How about we go together?
  • 下雨 了,要不 明天 再 去 吧 。Xià yǔ le, yàobù jīntiān bié qù le.It's raining. How about we go tomorrow?
  • 要不 今晚 出去 吃 吧 ,我妈 不知道 你 会 来 ,没 做饭 。We have a blackout of water supply at home. How about we go eat out tonight?
  • 走路 去 挺 远 的,要不 我 开车 送 你 去 吧 。Zǒulù guò tǐng yuǎn de, yàobù wǒ kāichē sòng nǐ qù ba.It's quite far away to walk there. How about I drive you there?
  • 要不 我们 去 逛街 吧,比 在家 看 电视 有 意思 。Yàobù wǒmen qù guàngjiē ba, bǐ zàijiā kàn diànshì yǒu yìsi.Let's go shopping. It's more fun than watching TV at home.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books