選First sentences
This or that
か offers a choice between things. それとも joins two whole questions.
The two tools
Choosing between nouns, or between questions
I'll drink tea or coffee.
か sits between the options.
Is it tea? Or is it coffee?
それとも starts the second question.
The rule
か for items, それとも for questions
か marks an option, and it can follow nouns or whole clauses. それとも is a connecting word between two questions. You can't use か alone to join two questions, because か at the end of a sentence already means it's a question.
A common way to ask someone to pick is X か Y か, どちらがいいですか, “X or Y: which would you like?”
In use
Offering choices
I'll come on Monday or Tuesday.
Let's decide whether to go by bus or walk.
Clauses before か use the plain form.
Will you have meat, or fish?
Are you going, or calling it off?
Check yourself
What kind of choice is this?
Please choose red or blue.
Your turn
か or それとも?
I want a dog or a cat.
Find the mistake
Tap the part that's wrong.
。
Say it yourself
Taking orders
You're a server. Ask your customer whether they'd like rice or bread.
Automatic feedback on your own answers is coming to Premium.
Builds on