óf ... óf

Either ... or

Level 3

Óf ... óf means either ... or: Ons gaan óf vandag óf môre. (We are going either today or tomorrow.)

How It Works

1. One óf before each choice. The two choices are usually the same kind of word:

  • Jy kan óf tee óf koffie kry. (You can have either tea or coffee.)
  • Hy is óf baie moeg óf baie verveeld. (He is either very tired or very bored.)

2. Write the accents. In this pair the acute accent is required in writing. It shows the stress and separates óf from of, which means or or whether (see stress accents).

3. Two subjects. Óf ... óf can join two subjects: Óf jy óf jou broer moet die skottelgoed was. (Either you or your brother must wash the dishes.)

4. Two clauses. When each óf starts a clause, the subject comes first and the verb second, as in a normal sentence: Óf jy kom nou, óf ons ry sonder jou. (Either you come now, or we leave without you.)

5. Neither ... nor. For the negative, use nóg ... nóg, not nie + óf: Ek drink nóg tee nóg koffie. (I drink neither tea nor coffee.)

Examples (5)

  1. Ons gaan óf vandag óf môre.

    We are going either today or tomorrow.

    Word by Word: We go either today or tomorrow.

  2. Jy kan óf tee óf koffie kry.

    You can have either tea or coffee.

    Word by Word: You can either tea or coffee get.

  3. Óf jy óf jou broer moet die skottelgoed was.

    Either you or your brother must wash the dishes.

    Word by Word: Either you or your brother must the dishes wash.

  4. Óf jy kom nou, óf ons ry sonder jou.

    Either you come now, or we leave without you.

    Word by Word: Either you come now, or we drive without you.

    After each óf the clause keeps its normal order: subject, then verb.

  5. Hy is óf baie moeg óf baie verveeld.

    He is either very tired or very bored.

    Word by Word: He is either very tired or very bored.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving out the accents.

    Ons gaan of vandag of môre.
    Ons gaan óf vandag óf môre.

    In the pair óf ... óf the accent is required in writing. Without it the words look like of, meaning or or whether.

  • Using nie with óf ... óf to mean neither ... nor.

    Ek drink nie óf tee óf koffie nie.
    Ek drink nóg tee nóg koffie.

    Óf ... óf means one of the two. To say neither of the two, use nóg ... nóg.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

óf ... ófLevel 3Either ... or

Learn This First

Either ... or doubles the conjunction of.

Words in This Pattern

of