German word

oder

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈoːdɐ/

Meaning

  • conjunctionor

Example

Sie können bar oder mit Karte zahlen.

You can pay in cash or with a card.

Illustration for oder (or)

More examples

Trinkst du lieber Tee oder Kaffee?

Do you prefer tea or coffee?

Core concept

A forked path with several possible routes, where one route or another can be chosen.

Common phrases

  • Tee oder Kaffee

    tea or coffee

  • Mit Karte oder bar

    by card or cash

  • Ja oder nein

    yes or no

Similar words

und: Links separate elements that are present together.
aber: Marks a contrast with the preceding statement.
sondern: Corrects a negative statement by introducing what is actually meant.
entweder: Highlights one choice from a pair of possibilities.

Definition in German

Verbindet zwei oder mehrere Alternativen und zeigt eine Wahl oder Entscheidung an.

Word origin

Oder is an inherited Germanic conjunction related to English or, with older German forms including Old High German odar.

Usage tips

  • At the end of a statement, oder? commonly asks for confirmation and can mean something like right? in English.

Opposites

  • undandconjunction

Word lists with this word