Difference between revisions of "Expressing "either... or..." with "yaome""

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{{Grammar Box}}  
 
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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:
 
  
== Used for Making a Suggestion ==
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要么 (yàome) is used for offering a pair of choices with a 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.)
  
===Structure===
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== Structure ==
  
When used all by itself, 要么 starts the sentence and is used to give a suggestion.
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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. It can be used both for commands and non-commands.
 
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
Reason / Situation ,要么 + Option B (+ 吧)
 
</div>
 
 
 
or
 
 
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
要么 + Option ,Reason / Situation
 
</div>
 
 
 
===Examples===
 
 
 
<div class="liju">
 
 
 
*老板 今天 不 在 ,<em>要么</em> 你们 明天 来 吧 。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn jīntiān bù zài, <em>yàome</em> nǐmen míngtiān lái ba.</span><span class="trans">The boss isn't here today. How about if you all come back tomorrow?</span>
 
*大家 都 有点 累 了,<em>要么</em> 休息 一会儿 吧 。<span class="pinyin">Dàjiā dōu yǒudiǎn lèi le, <em>yàome</em> xiūxi yīhuìr ba.</span><span class="trans">Everyone is a little tired. Why don't we rest for a while?</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 ?<span class="pinyin">Wǒ zhōumò hái méi ānpái, <em>yàome</em> lái wǒ jiā wán?</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 钱 不 够 ,<em>要么</em> 我 用 支付宝 付 吧 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ de qián bù gòu, <em>yàome</em> wǒ yòng Zhīfùbǎo fù ba.</span><span class="trans">I don't have that much money. How about I pay you by Alipay?</span>
 
 
 
</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.
 
 
 
It can be used both for commands and non-commands.
 
 
 
=== Structure ===
 
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
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</div>
 
</div>
  
===Examples===
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== Examples ==
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
 
*<em>要么</em> 你 去,<em>要么</em> 他 去 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàome</em> nǐ qù, <em>yàome</em> tā qù.</span><span class="trans">Either you go, or he goes.</span>
 
*<em>要么</em> 你 去,<em>要么</em> 他 去 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàome</em> nǐ qù, <em>yàome</em> tā qù.</span><span class="trans">Either you go, or he goes.</span>
*<em>要么</em> 现在 就 买 ,<em>要么</em> 就 别 买 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàome</em> xiànzài jiù mǎi, <em>yàome</em> jiù bié mǎi.</span><span class="trans">Either buy it now, or don't buy it.</span>
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*<em>要么</em> 继续 ,<em>要么</em> 放弃 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàome</em> jìxù, <em>yàome</em> fàngqì.</span><span class="trans">Either keep going or give up.</span>
*<em>要么</em> 好好 听课 ,<em>要么</em> 现在 就 出去 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàome</em> hǎohǎo tīngkè, <em>yàome</em> xiànzài jiù chūqù.</span><span class="trans">Either listen to the lesson carefully or get out right now.</span>
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*<em>要么</em> 好好 做 ,<em>要么</em> 就 别 做 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàome</em> hǎohāo zuò, <em>yàome</em> jiù bié zuò.</span><span class="trans">You either do it well or don't do it.</span>
*去年 夏天 ,我 每天 <em>要么</em> 去 健身,<em>要么</em> 去 图书馆,特别 无聊 。<span class="pinyin">Qùnián xiàtiān, wǒ měi tiān <em>yàome</em> qù jiànshēn, <em>yàome</em> qù túshūguǎn, tèbié wúliáo.</span><span class="trans">Last summer I either went to the gym or the library every day. It was so boring.</span>
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*<em>要么</em> 现在 就 买 ,<em>要么</em> 现在 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàome</em> xiànzài jiù mǎi, <em>yàome</em> xiànzài jiù zǒu.</span><span class="trans">Either buy it now, or leave now.</span>
*我 老公 周末 <em>要么</em> 睡觉 ,<em>要么</em> 打 游戏 ,从来 不 做 家务 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ lǎogōng zhōumò <em>yàome</em> shuìjiào, <em>yàome</em> dǎ yóuxì, cónglái bù zuò jiāwù.</span><span class="trans">My husband either sleeps or plays online games on weekends. He never does chores.</span>
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*你 <em>要么</em> 回 老家 ,<em>要么</em> 留在 上海 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>yàome</em> huí lǎojiā, <em>yàome</em> liúzài Shànghǎi.</span><span class="trans">You either go back to your hometown or stay in Shanghai.</span>
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*<em>要么</em> 看书 ,<em>要么</em> 写 作业 ,不 可以 出去 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàome</em> kànshū, <em>yàome</em> xiě zuòyè, bù kěyǐ chūqù wán.</span><span class="trans">Either read or do your homework. No playing outside.</span>
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*你 <em>要么</em> 加入 我们 队,<em>要么</em> 加入 他们 队 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>yàome</em> jiārù wǒmen duì, <em>yàome</em> jiārù tāmen duì.</span><span class="trans">You either join our team or their team.</span>
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*<em>要么</em> 继续 找 工作 ,<em>要么</em> 创业 ,不 能 什么 都 不 做 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàome</em> jìxù zhǎo gōngzuò, <em>yàome</em> chuàngyè, bù néng shénme dōu bù zuò.</span><span class="trans">Either keeping looking for a job or start your own business. You can't do nothing.</span>
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*去年 夏天 ,我 每天 <em>要么</em> 去 健身房,<em>要么</em> 去 图书馆,特别 无聊 。<span class="pinyin">Qùnián xiàtiān, wǒ měi tiān <em>yàome</em> qù jiànshēnfáng, <em>yàome</em> qù túshūguǎn, tèbié wúliáo.</span><span class="trans">Last summer I either went to the gym or the library every day. It was super boring.</span>
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*我 老公 周末 <em>要么</em> 睡觉 ,<em>要么</em> 打 游戏 ,从来 不 做 家务 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ lǎogōng zhōumò <em>yàome</em> shuìjiào, <em>yàome</em> dǎ yóuxì, cónglái bù zuò jiāwù.</span><span class="trans">My husband either sleeps or plays video games on weekends. He never does housework.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
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This "either/or" 要么 pattern is similar to one of the uses of each [[Expressing "how about" with "yaobu"|要不]] and [[Providing two options with double "huozhe"|或者]].
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
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=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
  
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1]] (pp. 158) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276792/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276792 →buy]
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{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1|158}}
* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4)]] (pp. 165) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561913192/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561913192 →buy]
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{{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4)|165}}
  
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
{{Basic Grammar|要么|B1|要么⋯⋯,要么⋯⋯|<em>要么</em> 今天 过来 , <em>要么</em> 后天 过来 。|grammar point|ASG30A60}}
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{{HSK|HSK0}}
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{{Basic Grammar|要么|B1|要么⋯⋯,要么⋯⋯|<em>要么</em> 你 去,<em>要么</em> 他 去 。|grammar point|ASG30A60}}
 
{{Rel char|要}}
 
{{Rel char|要}}
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{{Similar|Expressing "how about" with "yaobu"}}
 
{{Similar|Providing two options with double "huozhe"}}
 
{{Similar|Providing two options with double "huozhe"}}
 
{{Similar|Expressing the only two possibilities}}
 
{{Similar|Expressing the only two possibilities}}
 
{{Used for|Giving alternatives}}
 
{{Used for|Giving alternatives}}
 
{{Structure|Sentence Patterns}}
 
{{Structure|Sentence Patterns}}
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{{Subprop|Complex Sentence Patterns}}
 
{{Translation|either}}
 
{{Translation|either}}
 
{{Translation|or}}
 
{{Translation|or}}

Latest revision as of 07:00, 11 December 2020

要么 (yàome) is used for offering a pair of choices with a 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.)

Structure

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. It can be used both for commands and non-commands.

要么 + Option A ,要么 + Option B

Examples

  • 要么 你 去,要么 他 去 。Yàome nǐ qù, yàome tā qù.Either you go, or he goes.
  • 要么 继续 ,要么 放弃 。Yàome jìxù, yàome fàngqì.Either keep going or give up.
  • 要么 好好 做 ,要么 就 别 做 。Yàome hǎohāo zuò, yàome jiù bié zuò.You either do it well or don't do it.
  • 要么 现在 就 买 ,要么 现在 就 走 。Yàome xiànzài jiù mǎi, yàome xiànzài jiù zǒu.Either buy it now, or leave now.
  • 要么 回 老家 ,要么 留在 上海 。yàome huí lǎojiā, yàome liúzài Shànghǎi.You either go back to your hometown or stay in Shanghai.
  • 要么 看书 ,要么 写 作业 ,不 可以 出去 玩 。Yàome kànshū, yàome xiě zuòyè, bù kěyǐ chūqù wán.Either read or do your homework. No playing outside.
  • 要么 加入 我们 队,要么 加入 他们 队 。yàome jiārù wǒmen duì, yàome jiārù tāmen duì.You either join our team or their team.
  • 要么 继续 找 工作 ,要么 创业 ,不 能 什么 都 不 做 。Yàome jìxù zhǎo gōngzuò, yàome chuàngyè, bù néng shénme dōu bù zuò.Either keeping looking for a job or start your own business. You can't do nothing.
  • 去年 夏天 ,我 每天 要么 去 健身房,要么 去 图书馆,特别 无聊 。Qùnián xiàtiān, wǒ měi tiān yàome qù jiànshēnfáng, yàome qù túshūguǎn, tèbié wúliáo.Last summer I either went to the gym or the library every day. It was super boring.
  • 我 老公 周末 要么 睡觉 ,要么 打 游戏 ,从来 不 做 家务 。Wǒ lǎogōng zhōumò yàome shuìjiào, yàome dǎ yóuxì, cónglái bù zuò jiāwù.My husband either sleeps or plays video games on weekends. He never does housework.

This "either/or" 要么 pattern is similar to one of the uses of each 要不 and 或者.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books