Difference between revisions of "Expressing "either... or..." with "yaome""
| Line 26: | Line 26: | ||
*这个 星期 我 比较 忙，<em>要么</em> 下 个 星期 见 ？<span class="pinyin">Zhège xīngqī wǒ bǐjiào máng, <em>yàome</em> xià gè xīngqī jiàn?</span><span class="trans">I'm pretty busy this week. How about we meet up next week?</span> | *这个 星期 我 比较 忙，<em>要么</em> 下 个 星期 见 ？<span class="pinyin">Zhège xīngqī wǒ bǐjiào máng, <em>yàome</em> xià gè xīngqī jiàn?</span><span class="trans">I'm pretty busy this week. How about we meet up next week?</span> | ||
*我 周末 还 没 安排，<em>要么</em> 你们 来 我家 玩 吧。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ zhōumò hái méi ānpái, <em>yàome</em> lái wǒ jiā wán ba.</span><span class="trans">I don't have plans for the weekend. How about you guys come to my place and hang out?</span> | *我 周末 还 没 安排，<em>要么</em> 你们 来 我家 玩 吧。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ zhōumò hái méi ānpái, <em>yàome</em> lái wǒ jiā wán ba.</span><span class="trans">I don't have plans for the weekend. How about you guys come to my place and hang out?</span> | ||
| − | *我 的 现金 不 够 ，<em>要么</em> 我 用 支付宝 付 吧 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ de xiànjīn bù gòu, <em>yàome</em> wǒ yòng Zhīfùbǎo fù bā.</span><span class="trans">I don't have that much cash | + | *我 的 现金 不 够 ，<em>要么</em> 我 用 支付宝 付 吧 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ de xiànjīn bù gòu, <em>yàome</em> wǒ yòng Zhīfùbǎo fù bā.</span><span class="trans">I don't have that much cash. How about I pay you by Alipay?</span> |
</div> | </div> | ||
| − | == | + | == Used to Express Limited Options == |
When used by itself, 要么 is a not-so-pushy suggestion. But when used for a pair of choices, it gives a much more hardline "either/or" feel: ''these are the two choices. Choose one.'' (It can also be used for more than two choices, but it's usually just two.) In this case, 要不 acts exactly like 要么. | When used by itself, 要么 is a not-so-pushy suggestion. But when used for a pair of choices, it gives a much more hardline "either/or" feel: ''these are the two choices. Choose one.'' (It can also be used for more than two choices, but it's usually just two.) In this case, 要不 acts exactly like 要么. | ||
| Line 39: | Line 39: | ||
<div class="jiegou"> | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
| − | 要么 + Option | + | 要么 + Option A ，要么 + Option B |
</div> | </div> | ||
| Line 46: | Line 46: | ||
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | *<em>要么</em> | + | *<em>要么</em> 你 去，<em>要么</em> 他 去 。<span class="trans">Either you go, or he goes.</span> |
| − | *<em>要么</em> 现在 就 买 ，<em>要么</em> 就 别 | + | *<em>要么</em> 现在 就 买 ，<em>要么</em> 就 别 买 。<span class="trans">Either buy it now, or don't buy it.</span> |
| − | *你 <em>要么</em> 快点 找 工作，<em>要么</em> 准备 | + | *你 <em>要么</em> 快点 找 工作，<em>要么</em> 准备 考研 ，不能 什么 都 不 做。<span class="trans">Either hurry up and find a job or apply for grad school, but you can't just do nothing.</span> |
*去年 暑假，我 每天 <em>要么</em> 去 健身，<em>要么</em> 去 图书馆，特别 无聊。<span class="trans">Last summer vacation I either went to the gym or the library every day. It was so boring.</span> | *去年 暑假，我 每天 <em>要么</em> 去 健身，<em>要么</em> 去 图书馆，特别 无聊。<span class="trans">Last summer vacation I either went to the gym or the library every day. It was so boring.</span> | ||
| − | * | + | *我 老公 周末 <em>要么</em> 睡觉 ，<em>要么</em> 打 游戏 ，什么 家务 都 不做 。<span class="trans">My husband either sleep or play online games. He doesn't do any chores.</span> |
</div> | </div> | ||
Revision as of 09:03, 25 August 2017
-
Level
-
Similar to
-
Used for
-
Keywords
You can give a series of alternatives by using 要么 (yàome). The structure is pretty versatile, as you can put a wide variety of things after each 要么:
Contents
Used for Suggestions
Structure
When used all by itself, 要么 starts the sentence and is used to give a suggestion. In this usage, it is very similar to 要不(yàobù).
Reason / Situation ，要么 + Option B (+ 吧)
or
要么 + Option ，Reason / Situation
Examples
- 老板 今天 不 在 ，要么 你们 明天 来 吧 。The boss isn't here today. How about if you all come back tomorrow?
- 大家 都 有点 累 了，要么 休息 一会儿 吧 。Everyone is a little tired. Why don't we rest for a while?
- 这个 星期 我 比较 忙，要么 下 个 星期 见 ？I'm pretty busy this week. How about we meet up next week?
- 我 周末 还 没 安排，要么 你们 来 我家 玩 吧。I don't have plans for the weekend. How about you guys come to my place and hang out?
- 我 的 现金 不 够 ，要么 我 用 支付宝 付 吧 。I don't have that much cash. How about I pay you by Alipay?
Used to Express Limited Options
When used by itself, 要么 is a not-so-pushy suggestion. But when used for a pair of choices, it gives a much more hardline "either/or" feel: these are the two choices. Choose one. (It can also be used for more than two choices, but it's usually just two.) In this case, 要不 acts exactly like 要么.
It can be used both for commands and non-commands.
Structure
要么 + Option A ，要么 + Option B
Examples
- 要么 你 去，要么 他 去 。Either you go, or he goes.
- 要么 现在 就 买 ，要么 就 别 买 。Either buy it now, or don't buy it.
- 你 要么 快点 找 工作，要么 准备 考研 ，不能 什么 都 不 做。Either hurry up and find a job or apply for grad school, but you can't just do nothing.
- 去年 暑假，我 每天 要么 去 健身，要么 去 图书馆，特别 无聊。Last summer vacation I either went to the gym or the library every day. It was so boring.
- 我 老公 周末 要么 睡觉 ，要么 打 游戏 ，什么 家务 都 不做 。My husband either sleep or play online games. He doesn't do any chores.
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 158) →buy
- New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4) (pp. 165) →buy
