“〜sore tomo・〜arui wa”: Or (listing two choices) [JLPT N2]

Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026

Conjunctions that list two options.

「コーヒー、それとも紅茶?」 — laying out two options for the other to choose

Hosting a guest, you ask 「コーヒー、それとも紅茶?」 (coffee, or tea?) — 「それとも・あるいは」 both express choice (or), but differ in use: 「それとも」 is for questions, asking the other to pick “A or B”; 「あるいは」 is for statements, listing options (or), leaning written. This guide covers these two choice-connectives' division of labor and the difference from 「または／もしくは.」

Core: それとも = asking to pick one of two, あるいは = listing ‘or'

Both connect options, but in different contexts:

• それとも = or (for questions, pick one of two): asking the other to choose between A, B: 行きますか、それともやめますか (are you going, or not?), コーヒー、それとも紅茶? (coffee, or tea?).
• あるいは = or (for statements, listing possibilities, written): メール、あるいは電話で連絡する (contact by email or phone), 彼、あるいは彼女が来るだろう (he or she will come, probably).

Feel: “A or B? (asking a choice)／A or B (listing options)” — 「それとも」's core is making the other pick one of two in a question (with a question tone); 「あるいは」's core is listing an ‘or' possibility in a statement (not a question), leaning written.

Attachment & forms

Example sentences

• 歩いて行く?それとも、タクシーに乗る?(Walk there, or take a taxi?) — question, pick one
• 今日にする?それとも明日?(Make it today, or tomorrow?) — question, pick one
• 電話、あるいはメールでお知らせします。(We'll notify you by phone or email.) — statement, listing
• 提出は月曜、または火曜でお願いします。(Please submit on Monday or Tuesday.) — written
• 保護者もしくは代理人の署名が必要です。(A guardian's or proxy's signature is required.) — formal document

⚠️ Where learners slip up

① 「それとも」 is for questions, 「あるいは」 for statements. This is the key division. 「それとも」 = or (for questions): it juxtaposes two questions, asking the other “A or B,” for a pick-one-of-two, with a question tone: 行く?それとも行かない? (go or not?), コーヒー?それともお茶? (coffee or tea?). It's usually flanked by questions (〜か、それとも〜か). 「あるいは」 = or (for statements): in a statement it lists an “or” possibility/option, not a question: バス、あるいは電車で行く (go by bus or train — stating two possibilities), 雨、あるいは雪になるでしょう (it'll rain or snow). Test: asking the other “A or B?” (a question) → それとも; stating “A or B” (listing possibilities) → あるいは. Don't use 「あるいは」 in a question or 「それとも」 in a statement.

② 「それとも」 can't list options in a statement. Because 「それとも」 is specifically for pick-one-of-two questions, it can't be used as “or” in a statement: × コーヒーそれともお茶を飲む (for stating “drink coffee or tea” — wrong, それとも isn't for statements) → ○ コーヒーかお茶を飲む／コーヒー、あるいはお茶を飲む. To list options in a statement use 「〜か」「あるいは／または／もしくは.」 Conversely, 「あるいは／または」 aren't much used in a spoken question directly asking “A or B?” (there それとも is most natural). Mnemonic: question choice → それとも; statement listing → あるいは/または/か.

③ 「あるいは／または／もしくは」 differ in written formality. These “or”s all list options in statements, but differ slightly in formality, setting: 「あるいは」 = or (written, more elegant, can also mean “perhaps”): 成功、あるいは失敗 (success or failure); 「または」 = or (written, formal, most common for the two-choice in rules, forms, notices): 黒または青のペンで記入 (fill in with a black or blue pen); 「もしくは」 = or (written, more literary/formal, common in law, formal documents, often paired with 「または」 for hierarchical options): 本人もしくは保護者 (the person or a guardian). For everyday spoken “or” asking a choice use それとも; for general written “or” use または (most general); for formal documents use もしくは／または; 「あるいは」 is a bit more elegant, also with a “perhaps” nuance.

🔄 Compare with similar forms: それとも／あるいは／または／もしくは

💡 The key point in use

「それとも」 and 「あるいは」 both express choice but with a clear division — three points: ① 「それとも」 is for questions — asking the other “A or B?” for a pick-one-of-two (コーヒー?それとも紅茶?), with a question tone, not for statements; ② 「あるいは」 is for statements — listing an “or” option/possibility (メールあるいは電話で), leaning written, can also mean “perhaps”; ③ the formality ladder of written “or” — general written two-choice most commonly 「または」, formal documents 「もしくは」, 「あるいは」 a bit more elegant. Mnemonic: question choice → それとも; statement listing → あるいは／または (formal もしくは). Asking a guest “coffee or tea?” uses それとも, writing a rule “black or blue pen” uses または — put each in its place and it's idiomatic.

❓ FAQ

Q: 「それとも」 and 「あるいは」 both mean ‘or' — are they interchangeable?

Not freely interchangeable, because they're for different sentence types. 「それとも」 = or (for questions): it specifically juxtaposes two questions, having the other pick one of two, with a question tone: 「歩いて行く?それともタクシー? (walk, or taxi?)」「賛成?それとも反対? (for, or against?)」. It's usually flanked by questions, its function being “asking the other: is it A or B?” 「あるいは」 = or (for statements): in a statement it lists an “or” possibility or option, not a question: 「連絡は電話、あるいはメールでします (I'll contact you by phone or email)」「彼、あるいは彼女が担当する (he or she will be in charge)」. It states two possibilities, not asking which the other picks. So the test is simple: if the whole sentence is a question ‘asking the other's choice' (A? or B?) → それとも; if it's a statement ‘listing options' (A or B) → あるいは (or または). E.g. asking a friend 「今日?それとも明日? (today? or tomorrow?)」 uses それとも (asking); a document 「月曜、または火曜に提出 (submit Monday or Tuesday)」 uses または (listing options). Using 「それとも」 in a statement (×バスそれとも電車で行く) or 「あるいは」 in a spoken question directly asking the other is unnatural. In short: それとも asks a choice (question), あるいは lists options (statement).

Q: For ‘or' in statements there's 「あるいは／または／もしくは」 — which do I use?

All three are the statement-listing “or,” differing in formality and setting. 「または」 = or (the most general written two-choice): the commonest “or” in rules, forms, notices, instructions, neutral, clear: 「黒または青のペンで記入してください (please fill in with a black or blue pen)」「現金またはカードでお支払いください (please pay by cash or card).」 For everyday written “A or B,” 「または」 is the safest, most general. 「もしくは」 = or (more literary, formal): more literary and formal than 「または,」 common in legal text, formal documents, contracts, and often paired with 「または」 for hierarchical options (broad category with または, sub-category with もしくは, or vice versa): 「本人もしくは代理人 (the person or a proxy)」「保護者または担任、もしくは校長に連絡 (contact a guardian or the class teacher, or the principal).」 「あるいは」 = or (written, more elegant, also ‘perhaps'): a bit more elegant in feel, and besides “or,” often carries a “perhaps, maybe” conjecture: 「成功、あるいは失敗するかもしれない (it may succeed, or perhaps fail)」「疲れているのか、あるいは病気なのか (is it fatigue, or perhaps illness).」 Test: general written two-choice → または (most general); law, formal documents, hierarchical options → もしくは; with an elegant or ‘perhaps' nuance → あるいは. And a spoken question directly asking the other “or” uses それとも. That's the division.

🖊️ Practice Questions (5)

Q1. 「歩いて行きますか、___バスに乗りますか。」(or take the bus)

(A) それとも　(B) それで　(C) それに　(D) それから

Q2. 「電話___メールでご連絡ください。」(by phone or email)

(A) あるいは　(B) それとも　(C) しかも　(D) ところが

Q3. 「それとも」が使われるのは?

(A) In questions (is it A, or is it B)

(B) Commands

(C) Cause-effect sentences

(D) Conditional sentences

Q4. 「それとも」と「または」の違いは?

(A) それとも = 'or' in questions; または = 'or' in statements (formal)

(B) The two are exactly the same

(C) それとも = statements

(D) または = questions

Q5. 用法が自然なのは?

(A) 行きますか、それとも行きませんか。　(B) 行きます、それとも来ます(statement)。

(C) それとも食べる(standalone)。　(D) それともだ高い。

Answer Explanations

1. (A) それとも ── or take the bus (a two-way choice in a question).

2. (A) あるいは ── by phone or email (parallel options).

3. (A) ── used in questions.

4. (A) ── それとも in questions; または in statements (formal).

5. (A) ── 「〜か、それとも〜か」 is correct.