How do we make a question with “or” in Japanese?
Alternative question
An alternative question is a question that asks the listener to choose between 2 or more alternatives for the answer.
A typical such question in English is the one using “or”.
Is this a pen or a pencil?
How to ask an alternative question in Japanese?
To ask an alternative question in Japanese using XはYです grammar pattern :
XはYですか、Zですか。
X wa Y desu ka, Z desu ka.
Is X Y or Z?
is one option.
For example,
スイカは野菜ですか、果物ですか。
suika wa yasai desuka, kudamono desu ka.
Is a watermelon a vegetable or a fruit?
その人は彼氏ですか、お兄さんですか。
sono hito wa kareshi desu ka, onii-san desu ka.
Is that person your boyfriend or your brother?
How to answer?
You can only give the necessary information.
The other elements of the sentence can be omitted.
For example,
A :
スイカは野菜ですか、果物ですか。
suika wa yasai desuka, kudamono desu ka.
Is a watermelon a vegetable or a fruit?
B :
野菜です。
yasai desu.
It’s a vegetable.
or
スイカは野菜です。
suika wa yasai desu.
A watermelon is a vegetable.
A :
その人は彼氏ですか、お兄さんですか。
sono hito wa kareshi desu ka, onii-san desu ka.
Is that person your boyfriend or your brother?
B :
兄です。
ani desu.
He’s my brother.
or
この人は兄です。
kono hito wa ani desu.
This person is my brother.
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