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あるいは (aruiwa) Meaning Japanese Grammar - Or

Author Sandro Maglione for article 'あるいは (aruiwa) Meaning Japanese Grammar - Or'

Sandro Maglione

The Japanese conjunction あるいは (aruiwa) is typically used to express the idea of or in a choice or list of options.

あるいは is most commonly used in formal or written contexts, since it may sound more literary or stiff in casual conversation.

How to say "or" in Japanese

Here are some alternatives to あるいは and when you might use them instead:

  • または (matawa) - This is another term that can be used as a disjunctive conjunction, to express or and is generally more commonly used than あるいは in everyday speech

(いぬ)または(ねこ)()いたい。

I want to have a dog or a cat as a pet.

  • または is generally transcribed in Hiragana, but for official texts the transcription in Kanji is preferred: (また)は (matawa).

この(しょう)(ひん)は、オレンジ(また)はグレープフルーツの(あじ)があります。

This product comes in either orange or grapefruit flavor.

  • か (ka) - This is a more casual way to express or, and is often used in conversation or informal writing.

サッカーか()(きゅう)、どちらが()きですか?

Do you like soccer or baseball more?

  • それとも (soretomo) - This expression can be used to suggest a choice between two options, and is often used in more complex sentences to express a contrast or alternative.
  • 〜であるか、〜であるか (~de aru ka, ~de aru ka) - This is a more formal way to express either ... or, and is often used in legal or academic writing.

In general, the choice of which word to use depends on the context, register, and personal preference.

あるいは (aruiwa) is often used in formal or written contexts, while または (matawa) is more commonly used in everyday speech.

か (ka) is a casual way to express or, while それとも (soretomo) is used to suggest a choice between two options.

Finally, 〜であるか、〜であるか (~de aru ka, ~de aru ka) is the most formal way to express either ... or.

Examples sentences using あるいは

この(ほん)はあるいはオンラインで()うことができますし、(しょ)(てん)(こう)(にゅう)することもできます。

You can either buy this book online or purchase it at a bookstore.

Here is the poster of a 2022 Korean thriller also shown in Japan:

'Confession or pefect defense'
2022(ねん)(かん)(こく)のサスペンススリラー(えい)(): 2022 South Korean suspense thriller movie

(こく)(はく)、あるいは(かん)(ぺき)(べん)()

'Confession or pefect defense'

The title published in English is: "Confession".