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还是 / 或者

Or (in questions) / or (in statements)

HSK 3HSK 3.0 · 2

A 还是 B？(choice question) | A 或者 B (statement)

Both mean 'or', but 还是 is used in choice questions (你喝茶还是喝咖啡？) while 或者 is used in statements (我们可以坐地铁或者坐公共汽车). A 还是 question never takes 吗. When an undecided choice is embedded in a statement (不知道, 没想好, 不管), 还是 is still used: 我还没想好去北京还是去上海. 还是 can also mean 'still' and 'had better' (你还是去吧).

HSK 3 gap fills; HSK 4 listening often uses 还是 meaning 'had better'.

Examples

  • 你喝茶还是喝咖啡？

    Would you like tea or coffee?

  • 我们可以坐地铁或者坐公共汽车去。

    We can take the subway or the bus.

  • 周末我常常看书或者看电影。

    On weekends I usually read or watch movies.

  • 我还没想好去北京还是去上海。

    I haven't decided whether to go to Beijing or Shanghai.

Exercises

  1. 1.你想吃米饭 面条？

  2. 2.我们明天 后天去都可以。

  3. 3.周末我一般在家看书 上网。

  4. 4.你是坐飞机去 坐火车去？

More grammar points