{{Grammar Box}} 
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 ==

===Structure===

When used all by itself, 要么 starts the sentence and is used to give a suggestion. 

<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">
要么 + Option A ，要么 + Option B
</div>

===Examples===

<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> 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>
*<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>
*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>
*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>

</div>

== See also ==

*[[Providing two options with double "huozhe"]]
*[[Expressing the only two possibilities]]

== Sources  and further reading ==

=== 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]
* [[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] 

[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
{{Basic Grammar|要么|B1|要么⋯⋯，要么⋯⋯|你 <em>要么</em> 今天 过来 ， <em>要么</em> 后天 过来 。|grammar point|ASG30A60}}
{{Rel char|要}}
{{Similar|Providing two options with double "huozhe"}}
{{Similar|Expressing the only two possibilities}}
{{Used for|Giving alternatives}}
{{Structure|Sentence Patterns}}
{{Translation|either}}
{{Translation|or}}
{{Subprop|Either… or}}