Expressing "how about" with "yaobu"
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Level
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Similar to
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Used for
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Keywords
要不 (yàobù) can have a number of meanings, ranging from "either/or" to "how about." It's quite colloquial to be 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
or
要不 + Option B + 吧 ,Reason / Situation
Examples
- 一个人 去 没 意思,要不 我们 一起 去 吧 。It's no fun to go by myself. How about we go together?
- 挺 好吃 的 ,要不 你 尝尝 ?It's pretty tasty. How about you also buy some?
- 这里 太 吵 了 ,要不 我们 换 个 地方 吧 。It's too loud here. How about we go to somewhere else?
- 要不 你 先 走 吧 ,我 还没 做完 。How about you go first? I haven't finished yet.
- 要不 出去 吃 吧 ,我 没 做饭 。How about we go eat out? I didn't cook.
- 下雨 了,要不 明天 去 吧 。It's raining. How about we go tomorrow?
- 走路 去 挺 远 的,要不 我 开车 送 你 去 吧 。It's quite far away to walk there. How about I drive you there?
- 我 家 不太 好 找,要不 我 去 地铁站 接 你 吧 。It's not easy to find my place. How about I pick you up at the metro station?
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- Home With Kids1 (家有儿女1)(pp. 50) →buy
- BRIDGE (桥梁 实用汉语中级教程下)(pp. 187) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 123-4) →buy
- 卓越汉语-公司实战篇 (pp. 166-7) →buy