还是 vs 或者

HSK 3

Structure (结构 jiégòu)

Question: ... A 还是 B? / Statement: ... A 或者 B.

Use 还是 in choice questions and 或者 in declarative sentences to express "or".

Both 还是 (háishi) and 或者 (huòzhě) mean "or," but their usage is completely different.

还是 is used in questions, when you want to present options for the listener to choose from. It functions like "or" in the sense of "which one."
或者 is used in declarative sentences, when you list possibilities or alternatives without requiring the listener to make a choice.

A simple tip: if the sentence ends with a question mark ?, use 还是. If it ends with a period ., use 或者.

你喝茶还是喝咖啡？
繁: 你喝茶還是喝咖啡？Nǐ hē chá háishi hē kāfēi?
Do you drink tea or coffee?
我们明天去还是后天去？
繁: 我們明天去還是後天去？Wǒmen míngtiān qù háishi hòutiān qù?
Should we go tomorrow or the day after tomorrow?
周末我常常看书或者听音乐。
繁: 週末我常常看書或者聽音樂。Zhōumò wǒ chángcháng kàn shū huòzhě tīng yīnyuè.
On weekends I often read books or listen to music.
你可以坐地铁或者坐公共汽车。
繁: 你可以坐地鐵或者坐公共汽車。Nǐ kěyǐ zuò dìtiě huòzhě zuò gōnggòng qìchē.
You can take the subway or the bus.
午饭吃米饭或者面条都可以。
繁: 午飯吃米飯或者麵條都可以。Wǔfàn chī mǐfàn huòzhě miàntiáo dōu kěyǐ.
For lunch, eating rice or noodles is both fine.

Wrong:你喝茶或者喝咖啡？
Correct:你喝茶还是喝咖啡？
In choice questions, you must use 还是; 或者 is only used in declarative sentences.
Wrong:周末我看书还是听音乐。
Correct:周末我看书或者听音乐。
When listing possibilities in a declarative sentence, use 或者, not 还是.