A 还是 B? (or — in questions)
IntroducedA direct choice question asks for an option
- You ask a guest which of two drinks they prefer.
- you你to drink tea喝茶or还是coffee咖啡？ — or还是 connects the alternatives the guest should choose between.
You ask a guest which of two drinks they prefer. What does 你喝茶还是咖啡？ communicate?
还是 connects the alternatives the guest should choose between. This is an alternative question, so no final 吗 is needed in the basic frame. 还是 also means still or had better in other uses; punctuation alone cannot determine every meaning.
Build the form
- The pattern in this lesson is A or还是 B? (or — in questions). Locate it in the original interlinear examples below.
- Keep the words in their demonstrated positions; the pattern must fit the intended situation as well as the sentence form.
you你drink喝tea茶or还是coffee咖啡？
Using the lesson pattern in this demonstrated example: Tea or coffee? 你喝茶 ____ 咖啡?
A 还是 B? = a choice question: 你喝茶还是咖啡?
Read examples in context
- In the opening example, you你to drink tea喝茶or还是coffee咖啡？: or还是 connects the alternatives the guest should choose between.
- Explain who acts, what is described and which time or group is relevant before choosing an English paraphrase.
What does 还是 connect in 你喝茶还是咖啡？?
还是 joins the alternatives. It can also occur in an embedded question or mean still or had better in other constructions.
Build: “Do you drink tea or coffee?”
A + 还是 + B?: 你喝茶 + 还是 + 咖啡?
Know the boundary
- This is an alternative question, so no final (yes/no ?)吗 is needed in the basic frame.
- or还是 also means still or had better in other uses; punctuation alone cannot determine every meaning.
茶还是咖啡都行 is the right way to say “either is fine”.
That's a statement → use 或者: 茶或者咖啡都行.
Every 还是 means or, including 你还是早点走吧.
This is an alternative question, so no final 吗 is needed in the basic frame. 还是 also means still or had better in other uses; punctuation alone cannot determine every meaning. 还是 connects the alternatives the guest should choose between.
Use the distinction
- or还是 connects the alternatives the guest should choose between.
- This is an alternative question, so no final (yes/no ?)吗 is needed in the basic frame. or还是 also means still or had better in other uses; punctuation alone cannot determine every meaning.
Read the full reference: HSK 3 grammar — Conjunctions.
You ask a guest which of two drinks they prefer. Close the examples. Say a Mandarin response, then write it in Chinese. Explain briefly in English what the lesson’s pattern adds. Compare with the model, then change one detail and try again.
This is supported productive practice. Compare meaning and structure; your answer need not copy the model. A partner or teacher must hear the spoken response to comment on pronunciation.