PMT Easy #73: Practice "Or" Structures

🌀 Pearls of Mandarin: Translation (Easy) #73

Hello Mandarin Enthusiasts! 🌟

Something new this week:

For the first time, I’m sending two PM Translation worksheets at once: an Easy version and an Advanced version.

This worksheet you’re reading right now is the 🌱 Easy version, specifically designed for learners around HSK levels 2–3-4.

If you’re looking for more of a challenge, check your inbox for the Advanced version or click here!

In this week’s CGG #74 lesson, we explored the different ways Mandarin expresses “or”: using 还是 (háishì) for questions, 或者 (huòzhě) for statements, and even situations where no explicit “or” is needed.

These translation exercises will help you become comfortable using each of these patterns naturally. You’ll practice asking clear questions with 还是, providing options smoothly with 或者, and expressing choices without explicitly saying “or.”

The more you practice switching between these structures, the easier it will become to express choices naturally in your everyday Mandarin conversations!

Recap of CGG #74 lesson

• No explicit ‘or’ needed: Sometimes Mandarin skips the explicit “or” word entirely! Simply list two options with a pause and questioning tone to imply choice. This natural pattern relies on context and intonation, perfect for casual, quick questions where the meaning is clear.

• Using 还是 (háishì): The standard “or” for asking questions where you expect someone to choose between specific options. It only appears in questions or implied question contexts, creating that clear “A or B?” structure where you want a definitive answer.

• Using 或者 (huòzhě): The “or” for statements rather than questions, used when describing possibilities or alternatives without demanding an immediate choice. You can use it once between options or pair it for emphasis, presenting alternatives in a neutral, descriptive way.

• Using 或是 (huòshì): Functions almost identically to 或者 but with regional and stylistic differences: more common in Taiwan Mandarin and formal or literary writing, while 或者 dominates casual mainland speech.

🌱 Today’s Easy Exercises

Translate these English sentences into Mandarin:

1. Should we watch a movie today or tomorrow?

2. When we eat dinner with the whole family, my grandfather either tells us old stories or asks about our school.

3. Do you think we should plant red flowers or green vegetables in our garden this spring?

4. After work every day, my big brother either goes to run in the park or stays home to watch sports on TV.

Take your time, and remember: practicing will help you sound more natural and confident in your Mandarin conversations. You’ve got this! 💫

🌱 Translation #1

Should we watch a movie today or tomorrow?

In this sentence, we’re asking someone to choose between two specific time options, but we’re using a more casual, natural approach. When translating quick, informal questions where the choice is obvious from context in Mandarin, sometimes no explicit “or” word is needed at all! This natural pattern relies on simply listing the two options with a pause (represented by a comma) and a questioning tone to imply choice. It’s perfect for casual conversations where the meaning is immediately clear and you want to sound relaxed rather than formal.

📚 Structure: [Subject] + [Option A with Action] + ，[Option B with Action] + ？

Let’s break down the translation step by step:

• 我们 (wǒmen) means “we.”

• 今天 (jīntiān) means “today.”

• 看 (kàn) means “to watch.”

• 电影 (diànyǐng) means “movie.”

• ， represents a natural pause that creates the implied choice.

• 明天 (míngtiān) means “tomorrow.”

• 看 (kàn) again means “to watch.”

• ？ indicates the questioning tone that makes this a choice question.

Notes

• This pattern works best in casual, spoken Chinese where context makes the choice obvious.

• The questioning tone is essential. Without it, this would just be two statements.

• Don’t use this pattern in formal situations where 还是 (háishì) would be more appropriate.

Recap

• 我们今天看电影，明天看？

• 我们 / 今天 / 看 / 电影 / ，/ 明天 / 看 ？

• wǒmen jīntiān kàn diànyǐng, míngtiān kàn?

• Should we watch a movie today or tomorrow?

• we / today / watch / movie / (pause) / tomorrow / watch?

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🌱 Translation #2

When we eat dinner with the whole family, my grandfather either tells us old stories or asks about our school.