tàbí

Offering a Choice

Level 1

Use alternative + tàbí + alternative in the same grammatical role.

How It Works

Put tàbí between alternative items serving the same role. They can form an object phrase, such as a choice of drinks, or a subject phrase, such as a choice of people. The connector is unchanged across subjects and does not trigger a verb agreement ending.

Use independent pronouns when the alternatives are pronoun participants. The textbook illustrates this distribution directly. A question can invite a choice; a statement can leave alternative possibilities open.

Compare wanting tea tàbí water with wanting tea àti water. The former presents options, while the latter combines the requested items. Whether both options remain possible depends on context; the connector alone does not force an exclusive choice.

  • Ṣé o fẹ́ tiì tàbí omi? — Do you want tea or water? The object phrase presents drink choices.
  • Bísí tàbí Tósìn yóò wá. — Bísí or Tósìn will come. The subject phrase presents alternative participants.
  • Ìwọ tàbí òun yóò lọ sí ilé-ìwé. — You or that person will go to school. Independent pronouns form the alternatives.
  • Mo fẹ́ tiì àti omi. — I want tea and water. This contrast combines the requests.

Examples (4)

  1. Ṣé o fẹ́ tiì tàbí omi?

    Do you want tea or water?

    Tàbí presents two drink choices.

  2. Bísí tàbí Tósìn yóò wá.

    Bísí or Tósìn will come.

    The subject phrase names two alternative participants.

  3. Ìwọ tàbí òun yóò lọ sí ilé-ìwé.

    You or that person will go to school.

    Independent pronouns serve as the coordinated alternatives.

  4. Mo fẹ́ tiì àti omi.

    I want tea and water.

    Àti combines the requested items, contrasting with tàbí.