ChineseGrammarWiki/Programmes/B1.old/Grammar-wiki-B1-42.txt

{{Grammar Box}} 

Colloquially, 要不 (yàobù) can be used for making suggestions, like how we use "[[how about]]" in English.

== Structure ==

要不 can be used as an indirect way of giving a suggestion, as the speaker is using 要不 to seek consent of the listener. (Once again, 要么 can be used similarly.) When using 要不 in this way, it can come either at the beginning of the sentence, or in the middle, after explaining the situation.

<div class="jiegou">
Reason / Situation ，要不 + Option B + 吧
</div>

or 

<div class="jiegou">
要不 + Option B + 吧 ，Reason / Situation 
</div>

== Examples ==

<div class="liju">   

*<em>要不</em> 我们 一起 去 吧 ，一个人 去 没 意思 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàobù</em> wǒmen yīqǐ qù ba, yīgèrén qù méi yìsi.</span><span class="trans">How about we go together? It's no fun to go by myself.</span>
*挺 好吃 的 ，<em>要不</em> 你 尝尝 ？<span class="pinyin">Tǐng hǎochī de, <em>yàobù</em> nǐ chángchang?</span><span class="trans">It's tasty. Would you like to taste it?</span>
*<em>要不</em> 我们 换 个 地方 吧 ，这里 太 吵 了 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàobù</em> wǒmen huàn gè dìfang ba, zhèlǐ tài chǎo le.</span><span class="trans">How about we go to somewhere else? It's too loud here.</span>
*<em>要不</em> 你 先 走 吧 ，我 还没 做完 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yàobù</em> nǐ xiān zǒu bā, wǒ hái méi zuò wán.</span><span class="trans">How about you go first? I haven't finished yet.</span>
*下雨 了，<em>要不</em> 明天 去 吧 。<span class="pinyin">Xiàyǔ le, <em>yàobù</em> míngtiān qù ba.</span><span class="trans">It's raining. How about we go tomorrow?</span>
*走路 去 挺 远 的，<em>要不</em> 我 开车 送 你 去 吧 。<span class="pinyin">Zǒulù qù tǐng yuǎn de, <em>yàobù</em> wǒ kāichē sòng nǐ qù ba.</span><span class="trans">It's quite far away to walk there. How about I drive you there?</span>

</div>

== Multiple Meanings ==

When 要不 (yào bù) is used to mean "[[otherwise]]”, it's a shortened form of 要不然, which literally means "if that's not the case."

Note 要不 (yào bù) can also be used to offer "either/or" choices to others, similar to [[Expressing "either... or..." with "yaome"|要么]]. 

Here are a few examples of  要不 (yào bù) used as "otherwise":

<div class="liju">   

*你 先 吃 吧 ，<em>要 不然</em> 饭 就 凉 了 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ xiān chī ba, <em>yào bùrán</em> fàn jiù liáng le.</span><span class="trans">You should eat, otherwise the food gets cold.</span>
*走 吧 ，<em>要不</em> 没 地铁 了 。<span class="pinyin">Zǒu ba, <em>yàobù</em> méi dìtiě le.</span><span class="trans">Let's go, or we will miss the last metro.</span>
*打车 去 吧，<em>要 不</em> 会 迟到 的。<span class="pinyin">Dǎ chē qù ba, <em>yào bù</em> huì chídào de.</span><span class="trans">You should take a taxi, otherwise you'll be late.</span>
*快 说 对不起 吧 ，<em>要 不然</em> 她 要 生气 了 。<span class="pinyin">Kuài shuō duìbuqǐ ba, <em>yào bùrán</em> tā yào shēngqì le.</span><span class="trans">Say sorry, otherwise she's going to be angry.</span>
*快点 回家 吧，<em>要不</em> 你 爸妈 会 担心 的 。<span class="pinyin">Kuài diǎn huíjiā ba, <em>yào bù</em> nǐ bàmā huì dānxīn de.</span><span class="trans">Hurry and go home, or your parents will start to worry.</span>

</div>

== See  also ==

* [["Or" in statements]] 
* [[Suggestions with "ba"]]
* [[Expressing "had better" with "haishi"]] 

== Sources  and further reading ==

=== Books ===

*[[Home With Kids1 (家有儿女1)]](pp. 50) [http://www.amazon.cn/%E5%AE%B6%E6%9C%89%E5%84%BF%E5%A5%B31-%E5%88%98%E7%AB%8B%E6%96%B0/dp/B0020MLDO8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347862139&sr=8-1 →buy]
*[[BRIDGE (桥梁 实用汉语中级教程下)]](pp. 187) [http://www.amazon.cn/gp/product/B003AKZFF2/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B003AKZFF2&linkCode=as2&tag=allset-23 →buy]
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1]] (pp. 123-4) [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]
*[[卓越汉语－公司实战篇]] (pp. 166-7) [http://www.amazon.cn/%E5%8D%93%E8%B6%8A%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD-%E5%85%AC%E5%8F%B8%E5%AE%9E%E6%88%98%E7%AF%87-%E8%83%A1%E7%81%B5%E5%9D%87/dp/B003QZWQ6M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347863170&sr=8-1 →buy]


[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
[[Category:Prepositions]]
{{Basic Grammar|要|B1|Reason / Situation，要不 + Option B + 吧|下雨 了，<em>要不</em> 明天 再 去 吧 。|grammar point|ASGDFQP7}}
{{Rel char|要不}}
{{POS|Conjunctions}}
{{Similar|"Or" in statements}}
{{Similar|Expressing "either ... or ..." with "yaome"}}    
{{Similar|Suggestions with "ba"}}
{{Similar|Expressing "had better" with "haishi"}}
{{Used for|Giving alternatives}}
{{Used for|Indicating cause and effect}}
{{Translation|otherwise}}
{{Translation|either}}
{{Translation|or}}
{{Translation|how about}}