Or has two words: 还是 háishi in questions (你喝茶还是咖啡？) and 或者 huòzhě in statements (周六或者周日都可以。). And (和 hé) joins nouns only — never two sentences. Also (也 yě) always goes after the subject, before the verb, never at the end: 我也喜欢, not 我喜欢也.
These are the smallest words in any sentence, and that is exactly why they cause trouble. English speakers never think about or, and or also — so they translate them on autopilot, and autopilot produces three of the most common errors in beginner Chinese. The fix takes ten minutes, and it is permanent.
Trap 1: “or” is two different words
English uses or for two quite different acts: asking someone to choose, and stating that either option is fine. Chinese gives each act its own word.
In a question · “which one?”
In a statement · “either is fine”
The one place 还是 sits inside a statement
When a statement reports an open choice — after 不知道, 看, 决定 — the choice is still a question at heart, so it keeps 还是:
The test is simple: is someone still choosing? Then 还是. Is any option fine? Then 或者.
还是 has two more jobs
| Meaning | Example | Pinyin & English |
|---|---|---|
| had better (advice) | 你还是去医院吧。 | nǐ háishi qù yīyuàn ba — You'd better go to the hospital. |
| still (nevertheless) | 我说了三遍，他还是不懂。 | wǒ shuō le sān biàn, tā háishi bù dǒng — I said it three times and he still doesn't get it. |
Trap 2: 和 joins nouns — not sentences
This is the error that marks learner Chinese more than almost any other. 和 hé means and, but only between nouns and pronouns. English and joins anything: people, actions, whole sentences. Chinese 和 does not.
Chinese is comfortable putting two clauses next to each other with only a comma — the and is understood. When you want to link actions explicitly, there are better tools than 和:
| To say | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| did X and (also) Y | …，还… | 我去了超市，还去了银行。 I went to the supermarket, and the bank too. |
| likes X and likes Y | …，也… | 我喜欢唱歌，也喜欢跳舞。 I like singing, and dancing too. |
| both A and B (qualities) | 又…又… | 这家店又便宜又好吃。 This place is cheap and tasty. |
| and moreover | 而且 | 他很聪明，而且很努力。 He's smart, and hard-working too. |
Trap 3: 也 never goes at the end
English puts too at the end: I like it too. Chinese 也 has one fixed seat — after the subject, before the verb:
Me too is 我也是 wǒ yě shì — or 我也 + the verb from the other person's sentence: — 我饿了。 — 我也饿了。 I'm hungry. — Me too.
也 vs 还: likewise vs in addition
也 — another subject, same action
他去，我也去。tā qù, wǒ yě qùHe's going, and so am I.
还 — same subject, another action
我买了苹果，还买了香蕉。wǒ mǎi le píngguǒ, hái mǎi le xiāngjiāoI bought apples — and bananas as well.
Check yourself
Pick the natural Chinese.
A question offering a choice → 还是.
A statement: either option works → 或者.
也 sits after the subject, before the verb: 我也喜欢茶.
和 cannot join two clauses — just place them side by side.
Same subject, an additional action → 还.
Advice = 还是…吧, “had better”.
Small words, fluent sentences
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Learn Chinese with Hanzijo - FreeQuick reference
- 还是 háishi
- “Or” in a choice question (no 吗): 你喝茶还是咖啡? Also inside 不知道…还是…. Other meanings: had better (你还是去吧), still (他还是不懂).
- 或者 huòzhě
- “Or” in a statement where either is fine: 周六或者周日都可以.
- 和 hé / 跟 gēn
- “And” between nouns and pronouns only. For clauses: comma, 也, 还, 而且, 又…又….
- 也 yě
- Also / too — after the subject, before the verb. Me too = 我也是. With 都: 也都.
- 也 vs 还
- 也 = another subject does the same. 还 = same subject does more.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between 还是 and 或者?
还是 asks someone to choose (茶还是咖啡？); 或者 states that either works (茶或者咖啡都可以). No 吗 after a 还是 question.
Can 和 join two verbs or sentences?
Not two sentences. Place clauses side by side, or use 也, 还, 而且 or 又…又….
Where does 也 go?
After the subject, before the verb: 我也喜欢. Never at the end. Me too = 我也是.
也 or 还?
也 = likewise (another person, same thing). 还 = in addition (same person, another thing).
What does 还是 mean in a statement?
“Had better” (你还是去医院吧) or “still” (他还是不懂).
- Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC), official HSK site (chinesetest.cn).
- 吕叔湘 (Lü Shuxiang), 《现代汉语八百词》 — entries for 还是, 或者, 和, 也 and 还.
- 国际中文教育中文水平等级标准 (GF 0025-2021) — the HSK 3.0 standard's elementary grammar list.