या

Offering Alternatives

Level 1Sounds Like yā

या means or and links two or more choices.

How It Works

या means or. Put it between the choices: चाय या कॉफ़ी (tea or coffee), आज या कल (today or tomorrow).

In a question, या offers a choice: आप चाय लेंगे या कॉफ़ी? (Will you have tea or coffee?). The verb is said once, and the second choice simply follows या. You can start the question with क्या, but you do not need to.

A very common pattern is या नहीं, or not: आप आएँगे या नहीं? (Are you coming or not?).

In a statement, या gives possibilities: हम शनिवार या रविवार को मिलेंगे (We'll meet on Saturday or Sunday). With three or more choices, put या before the last one: लाल, नीला या हरा.

For a firmer either ... or, Hindi uses या तो ... या: या तो चाय लो या कॉफ़ी.

Examples (5)

  1. आप चाय लेंगे या कॉफ़ी?

    Will you have tea or coffee?

    The verb comes once; या adds the second choice.

  2. मीरा घर पर है या बाहर?

    Is Meera at home or out?

    या offers two places.

  3. आप आएँगे या नहीं?

    Are you coming or not?

    या नहीं asks for a clear yes or no.

  4. यह काम आसान है या मुश्किल?

    Is this job easy or hard?

    या offers two descriptions.

  5. मैं बस या ऑटो से आऊँगा।

    I'll come by bus or auto-rickshaw.

    In a statement, या gives two possibilities.

How It Connects

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याLevel 1Offering Alternatives

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या joins words the same way और does, but offers a choice.

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Words in This Pattern

या