ChineseGrammarWiki/Programmes/B1.old/Grammar-wiki-B1-135.txt

{{Grammar Box}} 

Both 还是 (háishì) and  或者 (huòzhě) mean “or” and are used to present a choice.  However, 还是 is normally used when asking a question, and 或者 is mostly for declarative sentences.   

== 还是 is used to offer choices in a question ==

[[Offering choices with "haishi"|When asking a question, 还是 can be used to provide choices or options.]] 

===Structure===

This grammar pattern is fairly flexible. You can create all kinds of questions with 还是 using the following structure.

<div class="jiegou">
Subj. + Verb + Option A + 还是 + Option B
</div>

=== Examples ===

<div class="liju">

<ul>
<li class="o">她 喜欢 你 <em>还是</em> 他 ？<span class="pinyin">Tā xǐhuan nǐ <em>háishì</em> tā? </span><span class="trans">Does she like you or him? </span></li> 
<li class="o">你 喝 茶 <em>还是</em> 喝 咖啡 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ hē chá <em>háishì</em> hē kāfēi? </span><span class="trans">Do you drink tea or coffee? </span></li> 
<li class="o">你 中午 出去 吃 <em>还是</em> 叫 外卖 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ zhōngwǔ chūqù chī <em>háishì</em> jiào wàimài? </span><span class="trans">Are you going out for lunch or order take-out? </span></li>
<li class="x">我们 打车 <strong>或者</strong> 坐 地铁？<span class="expl">Since it is a question, it should use "还是"</span></li> 
<li class="x">你 的 中文 老师 姓 王 <strong>或者</strong> 姓 李? <span class="expl">Since it is a question, it should use "还是"</span></li> 
</ul>

</div>

== 或者 is used to give options in declarative sentences ==

[["Or" in statements|或者 is used in declarative sentences in which options are presented.]]

=== Structure ===

<div class="jiegou">
Option 1 + 或者 + Option 2
</div>

The structure for 或者 and 还是 is the same, but the meaning, as well as the context in which 或者 is needed, is different. 或者 drops the "A or B, PICK ONE" atttitude in favor of a more open, "maybe A, perhaps B... (or maybe both or neither?)" So it's less exclusive and less demanding of a choice RIGHT NOW.

=== Examples ===

<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li class="o">明天 <em>或者</em> 后天 都 行。<span class="pinyin">Míngtiān <em>huòzhě</em> hòutiān dōu xíng.</span><span class="trans">Either tomorrow or the day after is fine.</span></li>
<li class="o">周末 我 想 在 家 看书 <em>或者</em> 看 电影。<span class="pinyin">Zhōumò wǒ xiǎng zài jiā kànshū <em>huòzhě</em> kàn diànyǐng.</span><span class="trans">I'd like to stay at home reading or watching some movies.</span></li>
<li class="x">我 喜欢 走路 <strong>还是</strong> 骑 自行车 上班 。<span class="expl">Since it's declarative, it uses "或者"</span></li>
</ul>
</div>

== 还是 is used for questions that are embedded in sentences ==

Deciding whether or not to use 还是 becomes difficult with sentences that contain statements like “I don’t know,” “I want to know,” “I’m not sure,” etc.  Alone, these statements are not technically questions. However, when used in a sentence that contains choices, these statements imply that a question must be answered.  Therefore, you must use 还是.

=== Examples===

<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li class="o">我 不 知道 这 本 书 是 他 的 <em>还是</em> 我 的。<span class="pinyin"> Wǒ bù zhīdào zhè běn shū shì tā de <em>háishì</em> wǒ de.</span><span class="trans">I don't know if this book is his or mine.</span></li>
<li class="o">我 不 知道 是 自己 跟 他 说 <em>还是</em> 让 别人 帮 我 跟 他 说。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ bù zhīdào shì zìjǐ gēn tā shuō <em>háishì</em> ràng biérén bāng wǒ gēn tā shuō.</span><span class="trans">I don't know if I should talk to him myself or ask someone else to talk to him for me.</span></li>
<li class="o">我 不 清楚 是 我们 先 走 <em>还是</em> 等 他们 一起 走。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ bù qīngchu shì wǒmen xiān zǒu <em>háishì</em> děng tāmen yīqǐ zǒu.</span><span class="trans">I'm not sure if we should leave first, or wait for them and leave together.</span></li>
<li class="x">老板 现在 还 不 确定 是 这 个 周 出差 <em>或者</em> 下 个 周。<span class="expl">It's an embedded question, so it should use "还是" </span></li>
<li class="x">我 不 知道 他 要 看电影 <em>或者</em> 听 音乐。<span class="expl">It's an embedded question, so it should use "还是"</span></li>
</ul>
</div>

== 还是 is used to indicate a preferred course of action ==

===Structure===

[["Had better" with "haishi"|还是 can also be used to express the English words "ought to" or "had better."]]  The use of 还是 implies that the there were originally two options and the speaker has decided on one. In this grammar structure, 还是 often comes before the verb and sometimes before the subject. 吧 is often placed at the end of the statement to emphasize that [[Suggestions with "ba"|it is a suggestion]].

===Examples===  
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li class="o">今天 晚上 我 太忙了，不可以 去 酒吧。我 <em>还是</em> 做 作业 <strong>吧</strong>。<span class="trans">I'm extremely busy tonight, so I can't go to the bar. I'd better do my homework.</span></li> 
<li class="o">我 听说 这部电影 不好看，我们 <em>还是</em> 看 其他的 <strong>吧</strong>。<span class="trans">I heard this movie wasn't good. We should watch another one.</span></li>
<li class="o">今天 的 作业 特别 难，我们 <em>还是</em> 问 老师 <strong>吧</strong>。<span class="trans">Today's homework is especially hard. We had better ask the teacher.</span></li>
<li class="x">我 困死了，<strong>或者</strong> 回家 睡觉 <strong>吧</strong>。<span class="expl">"或者" isn't used for suggestions.</span></li>
<li class="x">我 非常 无聊，我们 <strong>或者</strong> 出去玩 <strong>吧</strong>。<span class="expl">"或者" isn't used for suggestions.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>

== 或者 can be repeated when providing options ==

[[Providing two options with double "huozhe"|Another easy way to use 或者 to give two options is to place 或者 before both options.]]

===Structure===

<div class="jiegou">
或者 A，或者 B
</div>

Almost anything can be placed after either 或者.

===Examples===

<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li class="o">只 有 一 块 蛋糕，<em>或者</em> 你 吃 <em>或者</em> 我 吃。<span class="trans">There's only one piece of cake. Either you eat it, or I do.</span></li>
<li class="o">你 <em>或者</em> 学 汉语 ， <em>或者</em> 学 法律，别的就别学了。<span class="trans">Either study Chinese or law, don't study anything else.</span></li>
<li class="x">咱们 <strong>还是</strong> 去 爬山 <strong>还是</strong> 泡温泉。<span class="expl">It's declarative, so it uses "或者"</span></li>
</ul>
</div>

== See Also ==

* [["Or" in statements]]
* [[Providing two options with double "huozhe"]]
* [[Offering choices with "haishi"]]
* [["Had better" with "haishi"]]

== Sources and  further reading ==

=== Books ===

* [[Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar]] (pp. 74-5) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933330899/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=1933330899 →buy]
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)]] (pp. 257-8) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276385 →buy]
* [[Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition]] (pp. 144) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415372615/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0415372615 →buy]
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)]] (pp. 259-60)　[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276385 →buy]
* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4)]] (pp. 103) [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]
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)]] (pp. 76-7, 257-8)　[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276385 →buy]
* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)]] (pp. 179) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561910401/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561910401 →buy]
* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)(2nd ed)]] (pp. 206-7, 251) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561926235/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=7561926235 →buy]
*[[现代汉语八百词（增订本）]] (pp. 238) [http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%85%AB%E7%99%BE%E8%AF%8D/dp/B001198GSW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693275&sr=8-1 →buy]

===Websites===

* Yale Chinese Usage Dictionary: [http://comet.cls.yale.edu/chineseusagedictionary/0213.html Comparing 还是 and 或者]

[[Category:grammar comparison]]
{{Basic Grammar|还是|B1|还是 vs 或者|你 喝 茶 <em>还是</em> 喝 咖啡？明天 <em>或者</em> 后天。|grammar point|ASGQJ5IC}}
{{Rel char|或者}}
{{Rel char|还}}
{{Rel char|是}}
{{Similar|"Or" in statements}}
{{Similar|Providing two options with double "huozhe"}}
{{Similar|Offering choices with "haishi"}}
{{Similar|"Had better" with "haishi"}}
{{Used for|Giving alternatives}}
{{Used for|Asking questions}}
{{Translation|or}}
{{Comparison|Conjunctions}}