<!DOCTYPE html> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <head> <meta name="generator" content= "HTML Tidy for HTML5 for Linux version 5.2.0" /> <title></title> </head> <body> <p>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:</p> <h2 id="used-for-making-a-suggestion">Used for Making a Suggestion</h2> <h3 id="structure">Structure</h3> <p>When used all by itself, 要么 starts the sentence and is used to give a suggestion.</p> <div class="jiegou"> <p>Reason / Situation ，要么 + Option B (+ 吧)</p> </div> <p>or</p> <div class="jiegou"> <p>要么 + Option ，Reason / Situation</p> </div> <h3 id="examples">Examples</h3> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li>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></li> <li>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></li> <li>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></li> <li>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></li> <li>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></li> </ul> </div> <h2 id="used-to-express-limited-options">Used to Express Limited Options</h2> <p>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: <em>these are the two choices. Choose one.</em> (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.</p> <p>It can be used both for commands and non-commands.</p> <h3 id="structure-1">Structure</h3> <div class="jiegou"> <p>要么 + Option A ，要么 + Option B</p> </div> <h3 id="examples-1">Examples</h3> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li><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></li> <li><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></li> <li><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></li> <li>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></li> <li>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></li> </ul> </div> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul> <li><a href="Providing_two_options_with_double_"huozhe"" title="wikilink">Providing two options with double "huozhe"</a></li> <li><a href="Expressing_the_only_two_possibilities" title= "wikilink">Expressing the only two possibilities</a></li> </ul> <h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and further reading</h2> <h3 id="books">Books</h3> <ul> <li><a href="Integrated_Chinese:_Level_2,_Part_1" title= "wikilink">Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1</a> (pp. 158) <a href= "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</a></li> <li><a href= "New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_4_(%E6%96%B0%E5%AE%9E%E7%94%A8%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%BE%E6%9C%AC4)" title="wikilink">New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4)</a> (pp. 165) <a href= "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</a></li> </ul> <p><a href="Category:B1_grammar_points" title= "wikilink">Category:B1 grammar points</a></p> </body> </html>