Japanese word

それとも

Pronunciation

Romajisoretomo

コーヒーにしますか、それともお茶にしますか。kō hī ni shi ma su ka so re to mo o cha ni shi ma su ka

Will you have coffee or tea?

昼ご飯は家で食べますか、それとも学校で食べますか。hiru go han wa ie de ta be ma su ka so re to mo gak kō de ta be ma su ka

Will you have lunch at home or at school?

Presents another possible choice after one option has been mentioned.

またはmatawa: Connects two or more possible choices in a neutral or formal statement or question.

二つ以上の選択肢のうち、どれを選ぶかを問い、別の可能性を示す語。futa tsu i jō no sen taku shi no u chi do re o era bu ka o to i betsu no ka nō sei o shime su go

それとも (soretomo) combines それ (sore, "that") with とも (tomo, "also"), forming a conjunction for presenting an alternative.

Unlike English or, それとも (soretomo) commonly introduces the second alternative in a Japanese question.