または

または
conjunction
or
1. or, otherwise
Used to present an alternative or choice between options.
Please choose coffee or tea.
Please contact us by phone or email.
Please use a black or white pen.
If you have questions, please contact us by phone or email.

または is a conjunction meaning "or," used to present alternatives. It is more formal than か and typical of written language, announcements, and official documents.

KANJI:
Can also be written as (また)は, though hiragana is more common.

WAYS TO SAY "OR" IN JAPANESE:

  • または: formal, connects nouns or clauses (written/spoken)
  • あるいは: formal, similar to または but slightly more literary
  • か: casual, versatile (AかB)
  • それとも: used in questions offering a choice (Aですか、それともBですか)
  • もしくは: very formal, legal/official documents

USAGE NOTES:

  • Connects nouns: コーヒーまたは紅茶(こうちゃ)
  • Connects clauses: 電話(でんわ)連絡(れんらく)する、または直接(ちょくせつ)()
  • Does not typically start a sentence in formal writing

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