<blockquote>
  <p>can I use such form in simple conversation?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Yes. It's a common structure used in both written and spoken, formal and casual,  context. E.g. 我宁愿把它扔掉也不给你。</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-13T23:53:31.397Z
2019-12-13T23:53:31.397Z
dan
<p>When the context calls for it, use it in conversation, according to a quick survey of 2 friends!</p>

<p>我宁愿坐火车去。<br>
I'd prefer to go by train.<br>
我宁愿买二手货。<br>
I prefer to buy second hand.<br>
我宁愿跟铅管约会。<br>
I'd rather date a lead pipe.  </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-14T07:40:53.917Z
That is good reminding that 宁愿 _can be used by itself_. Thank you!
Denis Popov
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-13T23:55:10.017Z
2019-12-13T23:55:10.017Z
Pedroski
<p>&quot;宁愿...也不...&quot; is actually more colloquial than &quot;宁...不...&quot;</p>
<blockquote>
<p>&quot;宁愿被殺也不投降&quot; (colloquial)</p>
<p>&quot;宁死不降&quot; (literary)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>~</p>
<blockquote>
<p>&quot;宁愿投降给美国，也不投降给苏朕&quot; (colloquial)</p>
<p>&quot;宁降美不降苏&quot; (literary)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>~</p>
<blockquote>
<p>宁愿冤枉好人，也不放走罪人(colloquial)</p>
<p>宁枉毋縱 (literary)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>As you can see, literary phrases are much shorter, using them is speech have a lot of benefit.</p>
<p>In any case, both colloquial and literary phrases are commonly used in day to day speech and written text.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-14T07:32:44.423Z
I've got it! Literary phrases are shorter, just like 单音词的文言文？很有趣！
Denis Popov
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-14T02:01:42.370Z
2019-12-14T02:27:07.077Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
Tang Ho
<p>I just met in book such sort of expressions with ”宁愿...也不...“. I understand it like "rather...than...", but my question is: is it only book style or spoken as well, <strong>can I use such form in simple conversation?</strong><br>
Thank you!</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-01-20T06:44:03.333Z
Related: [How does 也 work in 宁愿冻死也不穿?](https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/28015/how-does-也-work-in-宁愿冻死也不穿)
Becky 李蓓
<usage>
Does expression ”宁愿...也不...“ belong only to book style or I can use it in simple conversation？
# Does expression ”宁愿...也不...“ belong only to book style or I can use it in simple conversation？

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-12-13)

I just met in book such sort of expressions with ”宁愿...也不...“. I understand it like "rather...than...", but my question is: is it only book style or spoken as well, **can I use such form in simple conversation?**  
Thank you!

**Tags:** usage

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Related: [How does 也 work in 宁愿冻死也不穿?](https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/28015/how-does-也-work-in-宁愿冻死也不穿)  

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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2019-12-13. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

> can I use such form in simple conversation?

Yes. It's a common structure used in both written and spoken, formal and casual, context. E.g. 我宁愿把它扔掉也不给你。


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### Answer by username_3 on 2019-12-13. Score: 2

When the context calls for it, use it in conversation, according to a quick survey of 2 friends!

我宁愿坐火车去。  
I'd prefer to go by train.  
我宁愿买二手货。  
I prefer to buy second hand.  
我宁愿跟铅管约会。  
I'd rather date a lead pipe.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: That is good reminding that 宁愿 _can be used by itself_. Thank you!  

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### Answer by username_4 on 2019-12-14. Score: 1

"宁愿...也不..." is actually more colloquial than "宁...不..."

> "宁愿被殺也不投降" (colloquial)
>
> "宁死不降" (literary)

~

> "宁愿投降给美国，也不投降给苏朕" (colloquial)
>
> "宁降美不降苏" (literary)

~

> 宁愿冤枉好人，也不放走罪人(colloquial)
>
> 宁枉毋縱 (literary)

As you can see, literary phrases are much shorter, using them is speech have a lot of benefit.

In any case, both colloquial and literary phrases are commonly used in day to day speech and written text.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I've got it! Literary phrases are shorter, just like 单音词的文言文？很有趣！  

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