HSK 2 grammar · new HSK syllabus
还是: or (in questions); had better
In questions, “or” is 还是: 茶还是咖啡？ 还是…吧 also means “had better”.
Structure
- A + 还是 + B？
- Subject + 还是 + verb + 吧
How it works
When you ask someone to choose, use 还是: 你喝茶还是喝咖啡？ = tea or coffee? These questions don’t take 吗.
In statements, “or” is usually 或者 (an HSK 3 word).
还是 + verb + 吧 means “had better” or “after all, let’s…”: 太晚了，我们还是回家吧.
Examples
-
你喝茶还是喝咖啡？
Nǐ hē chá háishi hē kāfēi?
Would you like tea or coffee?
-
你今天去还是明天去？
Nǐ jīntiān qù háishi míngtiān qù?
Are you going today or tomorrow?
-
他是老师还是学生？
Tā shì lǎoshī háishi xuéshēng?
Is he a teacher or a student?
-
下雨了，我们还是坐出租车吧。
Xiàyǔ le, wǒmen háishi zuò chūzūchē ba.
It’s raining. We’d better take a taxi.
-
这件太贵了，还是买那件吧。
Zhè jiàn tài guì le, háishi mǎi nà jiàn ba.
This one’s too expensive. Let’s get that one after all.
Words in these examples (24)
| 你 | nǐ | you | HSK 1 |
| 喝 | hē | to drink | HSK 1 |
| 茶 | chá | tea | HSK 1 |
| 还是 | háishi | or (in questions); still; had better | HSK 2 |
| 咖啡 | kāfēi | coffee | HSK 2 |
| 今天 | jīntiān | today | HSK 1 |
| 去 | qù | to go | HSK 1 |
| 明天 | míngtiān | tomorrow | HSK 1 |
| 他 | tā | he; him | HSK 1 |
| 是 | shì | to be (am, is, are); yes | HSK 1 |
| 老师 | lǎoshī | teacher | HSK 1 |
| 学生 | xuéshēng | student | HSK 1 |
| 下雨 | xiàyǔ | to rain | HSK 1 |
| 了 | le | (particle marking a completed action or a change) | HSK 1 |
| 我们 | wǒmen | we; us | HSK 1 |
| 坐 | zuò | to sit; to take (bus, plane) | HSK 1 |
| 出租车 | chūzūchē | taxi | HSK 1 |
| 吧 | ba | (particle for suggestions: "let's…", "…, OK?") | HSK 1 |
| 这 | zhè | this | HSK 1 |
| 件 | jiàn | (measure word for clothes, matters, items) | HSK 1 |
| 太 | tài | too; extremely | HSK 1 |
| 贵 | guì | expensive | HSK 1 |
| 买 | mǎi | to buy | HSK 1 |
| 那 | nà | that; then | HSK 1 |
Common mistakes
-
✗你喝茶还是咖啡吗？
✓你喝茶还是咖啡？
还是 questions don’t take 吗.
-
✗我想喝茶还是咖啡。
✓我想喝茶或者咖啡。
In a statement, “or” is 或者.
Check yourself
Choose the word that fills the gap.
1. 你坐地铁 坐公交车？
2. 太累了，我们 休息一下吧。
3. 你是中国人还是日本人