<p>the translation is fine, but if you speak it, that's pretty weird.</p>
<p>colloquially, we use <code>還是說</code> or <code>或是說</code> or <code>或者說</code></p>
<p>So, the sentences are better to be spoken like this:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>M:你從哪來的?</p>
<p>F:芝加哥</p>
<p>M:我的意思是你是從中國的哪個城市來的?</p>
<p>M:或者說,你是在美國土生土長的?</p>
</blockquote>
<p>for the most part, we add few redundancies to sentence to make it fluent.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-03T00:52:37.617Z
Thanks. Is this the same in Mandarin?
Blaszard
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-03T01:00:48.227Z
It's already Mandrain.
TomN
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-02T06:38:03.727Z
2016-08-03T05:53:31.520Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
TomN
<p>I assume a sentence that starts with <code>or</code> in Mandarin, something like the follows:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>M: Where are you from?</p>
<p>F: Chicago.</p>
<p>M: No, I meant which city you are from in China?</p>
<p>M: Or did you grew up in US?</p>
</blockquote>
<p>In these sentences, is it correct to just use 或 to start the sentence? I haven't seen the kind of usage of 或; I only saw it is used within the sentence, combining multiple related items.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>M: 你是从哪里来的？</p>
<p>F: 芝加哥</p>
<p>M: 我的意思是你是从哪个中国城市来的？</p>
<p>M: 或，你在美国出生和长大了吗？</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Or if it is not correct, how should I start the sentence with <code>or</code>?</p>

<word-choice><mandarin>
How to start the sentence with "or" in Chinese?
# How to start the sentence with "or" in Chinese?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-08-02)

I assume a sentence that starts with `or` in Mandarin, something like the follows:

> M: Where are you from?
>
> F: Chicago.
>
> M: No, I meant which city you are from in China?
>
> M: Or did you grew up in US?

In these sentences, is it correct to just use 或 to start the sentence? I haven't seen the kind of usage of 或; I only saw it is used within the sentence, combining multiple related items.

> M: 你是从哪里来的？
>
> F: 芝加哥
>
> M: 我的意思是你是从哪个中国城市来的？
>
> M: 或，你在美国出生和长大了吗？

Or if it is not correct, how should I start the sentence with `or`?

**Tags:** word-choice, mandarin


---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2016-08-02. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

the translation is fine, but if you speak it, that's pretty weird.

colloquially, we use `還是說` or `或是說` or `或者說`

So, the sentences are better to be spoken like this:

> M:你從哪來的?
>
> F:芝加哥
>
> M:我的意思是你是從中國的哪個城市來的?
>
> M:或者說,你是在美國土生土長的?

for the most part, we add few redundancies to sentence to make it fluent.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks. Is this the same in Mandarin?  
> **username_1**: It's already Mandrain.  

---

