vai nu ... vai
Either ... or
Vai nu ..., vai means either ... or. It gives two choices, and only one of them happens: Vai nu tu nāc, vai paliec (Either you come or you stay).
How It Works
1. Two choices. A plain vai just means or. Vai nu ..., vai makes the choice sharper: it is one or the other.
- Two clauses: Vai nu tu nāc, vai paliec. (Either you come or you stay.)
- Two phrases: Mēs brauksim vai nu ar vilcienu, vai ar autobusu. (We will go either by train or by bus.)
- Two verbs: Vakarā es vai nu lasu, vai skatos filmu. (In the evening I either read or watch a film.)
2. Where vai nu goes. Vai nu stands right before the first choice. If both choices are verbs, it comes after the subject: es vai nu lasu, vai skatos.
3. The comma. With a paired conjunction, a comma goes before the second part, and only there: vai nu ar vilcienu, vai ar autobusu. This is different from a single vai or vai arī, which takes no comma: ar vilcienu vai ar autobusu.
4. Vai arī. The second part can be vai arī (or else), which adds a little weight: Vai nu viņš ir aizmirsis, vai arī viņš kavējas (Either he has forgotten, or he is running late).
Not a question. A sentence that starts with vai alone is usually a yes-no question. Vai nu ..., vai is a statement about two choices.
In negative sentences, use ne ..., ne (neither ... nor): Es nedzeru ne tēju, ne kafiju.
Examples (5)
- Vai nu tu nāc, vai paliec.
Either you come or you stay.
Word by Word: Either you come, or you-stay.
- Mēs brauksim vai nu ar vilcienu, vai ar autobusu.
We will go either by train or by bus.
Vai nu stands right before the first choice, ar vilcienu.
- Vakarā es vai nu lasu, vai skatos filmu.
In the evening I either read or watch a film.
Both choices are verbs, so vai nu comes after the subject es.
- Vai nu tagad, vai nekad!
Now or never!
Word by Word: Either now, or never!
- Vai nu viņš ir aizmirsis, vai arī viņš kavējas.
Either he has forgotten, or he is running late.
Vai arī (or else) can take the place of the second vai.
Common Mistakes
Leaving out the comma before the second vai.
Mēs brauksim vai nu ar vilcienu vai ar autobusu.Mēs brauksim vai nu ar vilcienu, vai ar autobusu.Vai nu ..., vai is a paired conjunction, so a comma always goes before its second part.
Using vai nu ..., vai to mean neither ... nor.
Es nedzeru vai nu tēju, vai kafiju.Es nedzeru ne tēju, ne kafiju.The sentence is meant to say I drink neither tea nor coffee. In a negative sentence, both choices take ne: ne ..., ne.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Vai nu ... vai means either ... or.
Related Patterns
- un / bet / vaiAnd, But and or
A single vai means or. Vai nu ..., vai makes it a firm choice between two options.
Level 2 - ne ... neNeither ... nor
Ne ..., ne (neither ... nor) rules out both options.
Level 3 - ne tikai ... bet arīNot Only ... but Also
Another paired conjunction with a comma before its second part.
Level 4 - vai QuestionsYes-No Questions with Vai
Vai at the start of a sentence usually asks a yes-no question; vai nu ..., vai states a choice.
Level 1
Words in This Pattern
Practice vai nu ... vai in Bubblegum
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