Grammar Info

N2 Lesson 6: 11/23

それともOr, Or else, Rather

Used in questions, where the choice is limited to the two mentioned options.

Structure

Option (A) + それとも + Option (B)

Details

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About それとも

それとも is a conjunction in Japanese that may be translated as 'or', or 'otherwise'. It is used to highlight alternative options or choices between (A) and (B). それとも is a combination of それ, and the particles と, and も. This grammar structure will only be used when the options are limited to either (A), or (B).

それとも will appear either after a comma, or at the beginning of new sentences.

In many cases, (A) and (B) will be opposites of each other. However, this is not a requirement for using それとも.

Examples

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    クレジットカードで払(はら)う？それとも現金(げんきん)で？

    Are you paying with a credit card? Or rather, in cash?

    苦情(くじょう)を言(い)うべきか、それとも我慢(がまん)すべきか。

    Should we complain? Or rather, should we persevere?

    今夜(こんや)はカラオケに行(い)く？それとも映画館(えいがかん)？

    Are you going to karaoke tonight? Or rather, to the cinema?

    あなたの大学(だいがく)は国立(こくりつ)？それとも私立(しりつ)？

    Is your university a national one, or rather a private one?

    生(い)きるべきか、それとも死(し)ぬべきか。それが問題(もんだい)だ。

    To live, or to die. That is the question.

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      それとも – Grammar Discussion

      Most Recent Replies (2 in total)

      • s1212z

        s1212z

        Can それか be substituted for それとも?

      • Pushindawood

        Pushindawood

        @s1212z

        For the most part, yes. However, それとも is a bit more polite/formal, while それか is used in speech. Thank you for pointing this out to us so that we could update the answers that throw hints for this grammar point. Cheers!

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