или
ili
The English word "or" is translated into Russian as или (ili).
The word или is a conjunction used to connect two or more alternatives. It can be used to present a choice between different possibilities or to express uncertainty, such as when asking if something is A or B.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the "either… or…" construction in a more formal manner, you may use the paired conjunction либо… либо… instead of repeating или.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is ili.
Did you know?
- The word или is actually a linguistic 'fusion' of two separate words: the conjunction и, meaning 'and', and the particle ли, which is used to form questions. It is a rare example of two distinct functional words merging into a single conjunction.
- While или is the standard word for 'or', Russians sometimes use the word али in folk songs, poetry or archaic speech to give the sentence a traditional or rustic flavor.
- The particle ли found within или is still used independently in modern Russian to create indirect questions, a grammatical function that English lacks a single word for.
Examples in context
- Или он, или я.It's either him or me.This sentence is useful for showing how to use или in an "either… or…" structure involving people.Tatoeba #6021341 by odexed, translation #5313544 by mailohilohi
- Или она или я.It's her or me.This sentence demonstrates the use of или when choosing between two people.Tatoeba #10499727 by marafon, translation #10499798 by Ooneykcall
- Кто или что ты?Who or what are you?This sentence shows how to use или when asking a question about identity.Tatoeba #9061339 by ZegPhig, translation #11281568 by ddnktr
- Вы можете выбрать красный или синий цвет.You can choose the red or the blue color.
- Мы можем пойти в кино, либо остаться дома и поиграть в настольные игры.We can go to the cinema or stay at home and play board games.
- Ты можешь либо позвонить, либо написать ему.You can either call him or write to him.
- Он должен купить хлеб или молоко.He needs to buy bread or milk.
- 3917 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Olga and Andrey are deciding what to drink.
- Ольга OlgaТы хочешь чай или кофе?Ty khochesh' chay ili kofe?Do you want tea or coffee?
- Андрей AndreyЯ хочу кофе, пожалуйста.Ya khochu kofe, pozhaluysta.I want coffee, please.
- Ольга OlgaС молоком или без?S molokom ili bez?With milk or without?
- Андрей AndreyБез молока, спасибо.Bez moloka, spasibo.Without milk, thanks.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries или, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
