Level 6 · Lesson 5

或者和还是
或者 and 还是

茶或者咖啡都可以。你喝茶还是喝咖啡？

或者 offers a choice in a statement, 还是 offers one in a question — and a 还是 question never takes 吗.

听 · Listen

喝茶还是喝咖啡？
 李明 —  安娜，你喝茶还是喝咖啡？ 
Anna, are you having tea or coffee?  
 安娜 —  随便。茶或者咖啡我都喜欢。 
Whatever you like. Tea or coffee, I like both.  
 李明 —  那我们喝茶吧。你吃饺子还是吃面条？ 
Then let's have tea. Are you having dumplings or noodles?  
 安娜 —  我还没决定。 
I haven't decided yet.  
 李明 —  晚上我们可以看电影或者去公园。 
This evening we can see a film or go to the park.  
 安娜 —  我选择看电影。今天太累了。 
I choose the film. I'm too tired today.  
 李明 —  看中国电影还是看美国电影？ 
A Chinese film or an American one?  
 安娜 —  中国电影。好，我决定了：吃饺子，看中国电影！ 
Chinese. Right, I've decided — dumplings, and a Chinese film!  

讲解 · Explanation

你喝茶还是喝咖啡？茶或者咖啡我都喜欢。

English has one word for both jobs, so learners reach for one Chinese word too — and that is the classic error of this level. 还是 puts a choice to somebody: it belongs in a question. 或者 lays two possibilities side by side without asking anything: it belongs in a statement. 你喝茶或者咖啡？ is wrong, and 茶还是咖啡我都喜欢 is wrong. Ask with 还是, tell with 或者.

你去还是我去？晚上我们可以看电影或者去公园。

A 还是 question never takes 吗. The choice is already the question, so 你去还是我去吗 has one question too many. Notice also that both sides are usually said in full — 喝茶还是喝咖啡, with the verb repeated — where English says it once. To answer, you do not say yes or no: you simply pick a side, 我喝茶.

我选择看电影。我还没决定。随便，都可以。

选择 and 决定 are each both verb and noun: 选择一个 / 这是我的选择, 我决定去北京 / 这是我的决定. Note 还没决定 with 没, because deciding is an event that has not happened. 随便 is the everyday spoken answer that hands the choice back — friendly with friends, a little casual with strangers. And the same two characters 还是 are also the adverb 'still': 他还是不来. Position tells you which word it is.

生词 · Vocabulary

词	Meaning	注 · Note
或者	or	statements only: A 或者 B
还是	or	questions only; never together with 吗
选择	to choose; a choice	选择一个；这是我的选择
决定	to decide; a decision	我决定去北京；还没决定 takes 没
随便	as you like, whatever	口语 — hands the choice back to the other person

练习 · Practice

你喝茶 ______ 喝咖啡？ Are you having tea or coffee?

晚上我看电影 ______ 看书，都可以。 This evening I'll watch a film or read — either is fine.

你想吃饺子还是吃面条？ You genuinely don't mind either way. Which reply is natural?

你去 ______ 我去？ Fill in: 'Are you going, or am I?'

或者、还是、选择、决定、随便 Match each word to its meaning.

用一用 · Use it

你今天晚上吃饭还是喝茶？我看电影或者看书，都可以。我已经决定了。

Ask a friend three choice questions aloud, each with 还是 and each without 吗 — what to eat, where to go, who goes first. Then answer yourself twice: once with 随便 and 或者 to leave it open, once with 我选择… or 我决定… to close it. Say the pair 茶还是咖啡？ and 茶或者咖啡都可以 back to back so the two words settle into different slots.