Offering choices with "haishi"

Revision as of 17:24, 13 October 2014 by Noemi (talk | contribs) (capitalization)

还是 (háishì) is used in Chinese to provide options in a question. This is equivalent to one use of "or" in English.

Simplest Form

Structure

Option A + 还是 + Option B ?

When you're asked a question of this form, there are two ways you're expected to answer: either Option A or Option B. (Pick one, but not both.) It's not that no other answers are possible, it's that usually when you're asked a question this way, the person asking expects you to just choose one. For example, if asked if you'd like to drink coffee or tea, most people are going to choose one or the other, not ask for both. 还是 (háishì) is used to ask people to make that choice between the two.

Examples

  • 还是 háishì tā?Me or him?
  • 上海 还是 北京(The eternal China expat question! Choose wisely...)Shànghǎi háishì Běijīng?Shanghai or Beijing?
  • 啤酒 还是 葡萄酒Píjiǔ háishì pútáojiǔ?Beer or wine?
  • 还是 咖啡Chá háishì kāfēi?Tea or coffee?
  • 一 个 还是 两 个Yīgè háishì liǎng gè?One or two?
  • 地铁 还是 出租车Dìtiě háishì chūzū chē?Subway or taxi?
  • 冰 的 还是 热 的Bīng de háishì rè de?Cold or hot?
  • 辣 的 还是 不 辣 的Là de háishì bù là de?Spicy or not spicy?
  • 鸡肉 还是 牛肉Jīròu háishì niúròu?Chicken or beef?
  • 拿铁 还是 摩卡Ná tiě háishì mókǎ?Latte or mocha?

Full Sentence Form

Structure

You can take the structure above, add a subject and a verb, and create all kinds of questions with the following structure:

Subject + Verb + Option A + 还是 + Option B ?

Examples

  • 你 要 还是 咖啡Nǐ yào chá háishì kāfēi?Do you want tea or coffee?
  • 你 要 一 个 还是 两 个Nǐ yào yīgè háishì liǎng gè ?Do you want one or two?
  • 你 是 美国 人 还是 英国 人Nǐ shì Měiguó rén háishì Yīngguó rén ?Are you American or British?
  • 他 是 医生 还是 老师Tā shì yīshēng háishì lǎoshī ?Is he a doctor or a teacher?
  • 你 喜欢 啤酒 还是 葡萄酒Nǐ xǐhuān píjiǔ háishì pútáojiǔ ?Do you like beer or wine?
  • 你 喜欢 上海 还是 北京Nǐ xǐhuān Shànghǎi háishì Běijīng ?Do you like Shanghai or Beijing?
  • 你 喜欢 还是 我 的 钱Nǐ xǐhuān háishì wǒ de qián ?Do you like me or my money?
  • 你 想 吃 中国 菜 还是 法国 菜Nǐ xiǎng chī Zhōngguó cài háishì Fàguó cài ?Do you want to eat Chinese food or French food?
  • 你 想 去 香港 还是 泰国Nǐ xiǎng qù Xiānggǎng háishì Tàiguó ?Do you want to go to Hong Kong or Thailand?
  • 这 是 还是 Zhè shì shuǐ háishì jiǔ ?Is this water or wine?
  • 你 喜欢 说 普通话 还是 广东话(The expected answer is one or the other, not "both")Nǐ xǐhuān shuō Pǔtōnghuà háishì Guǎngdōng huà ?Do you like speaking Mandarin or Cantonese?
  • 你 想 要 小狗 还是 小猫(The expected answer is one or the other, not "both")Nǐ xiǎng yào xiǎo gǒu háishì xiǎo māo ?Do you want a puppy or a kitten?

Please note that 还是 (háishì) 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

Websites