New here? This is lesson 85 of a free 240-lesson Japanese course.
This one or that one in Japanese
Masako holds two cups at the Kissa Hotaru counter and waits. Leo cannot pick. Coffee or tea should be simple, but both look fine.
Goro is no help. When toast arrives, he takes the thicker slice. That was not one of the options.
You will choose between two things, say both are fine, offer something else, and give a short reason.
Keep it polite. You are picking a cup, not a fight.
By the end of this lesson
Choose between two things and say why.
- どちらがいいですか。Which would you prefer?
- 紅茶のほうがいいです。I'd rather have black tea.
- 歩くほうがバスよりいいです。I'd rather walk than take the bus.
- どちらもいいです。Both are good.
- 代わりにこれはどうですか。How about this instead?
- 近いからです。Because it's closer.
Scene — two cups at the counter
The rain has eased over Yanaka. Inside Kissa Hotaru, Masako holds two cups that do not match: blend coffee in one, black tea in the other.
Leo stands at the counter and does not point. In the corner booth, Goro sits over a blend coffee he has not sipped.
Learn — pick one, or both
These six lines help you pick one thing, pick both, or offer something else.
You also get a short because, for when someone asks why.
どちらがいいですか。
Which would you prefer?
When to use it: Ask this when someone must pick one of two things.
が marks which of the two you are asking about.
紅茶のほうがいいです。
I'd rather have black tea.
When to use it: Use this to pick tea over the other option.
のほう marks the side you prefer.
Say it: ほう is a long o; do not shorten it.
歩くほうがバスよりいいです。
I'd rather walk than take the bus.
When to use it: Use this to pick walking over the bus.
より marks the option you like less.
どちらもいいです。
Both are good.
When to use it: Use this when you truly cannot pick one.
も after どちら means both, not which one.
代わりにこれはどうですか。
How about this instead?
When to use it: Offer a third thing when the first two stall.
代わりに means instead, then you name the new thing.
近いからです。
Because it's closer.
When to use it: Give this as a short reason after someone asks why.
から before です gives the reason in polite form.
Story — the bigger toast
Masako holds two cups. Leo cannot choose, then Goro takes the bigger toast.
Highlighted phrases are the new lines. Turn on Show English if you want a gloss.
- Masako holds a coffee cup and a tea cup. Leo stares and does not point.
Masakoどちらがいいですか。Which would you prefer?
Leoええと、どちらもいいです。Um, both are good.- Masakoそうですか。I see.
- Leo紅茶のほうがいいです。I'd rather have black tea.
- Leo glances at the lane. Saturday class is at the community center.
- Masakoバスで行きますか。Are you going by bus?
- Leo歩くほうがバスよりいいです。I'd rather walk than take the bus.
- Masakoどうしてですか。Why is that?
- Leo近いからです。Because it's closer.
- Two slices of buttered toast land on the counter. One is much thicker.
Goro代わりにこれはどうですか。How about this instead?- Goro takes the bigger toast. His blend coffee stays untouched.
- Masako今はカップの話ですよ。We're talking about cups.
Practice — choose the right line
Eleven short tasks wait in this round. You will listen, match meanings, fill a gap, and build a line.
Each one is small, so you move on quickly.
0 of 11 done
What did you hear?
What did you hear?
Match the pairs
Japanese
どちらがいいですか。Drop the English here紅茶のほうがいいです。Drop the English hereどちらもいいです。Drop the English here近いからです。Drop the English hereEnglish
What do you say?
What do you say?
Masako holds coffee and tea. You prefer the tea.
Fill the gap
Fill the gap
Both are good.
どちら____いいです。
Pick the reply
Masako says:
Pick the reply
どうしてですか。
Why is that?
And you reply with:
Build the line
Build the line
I'd rather walk than take the bus.
。
Tap the words in order.
What does it mean?
What does it mean?
代わりにこれはどうですか。
Swap the word
Swap the word
You want Masako to pick one of the two cups.
どちら____いいですか。
Find the mistake
Find the mistake
What do you say?
What do you say?
Leo said he would rather walk than take the bus. You want the reason.
Fill the gap
Fill the gap
Black tea, please.
____をください。
Say it — your turn to speak
You are Leo at the counter. When the cue is yours, tap the microphone and say the line.
Tap play first if you want to hear it. The recording stays on this device.
- Masakoどちらがいいですか。Which would you prefer?
- Leo (you)You cannot choose. Say both are good.
You cannot choose. Say both are good.
どちらもいいです。
Both are good.
0 of 4 said
Recap — what you can say now
| Japanese | English | Play |
|---|---|---|
| どちらがいいですか。 | Which would you prefer? | |
| 紅茶のほうがいいです。 | I'd rather have black tea. | |
| 歩くほうがバスよりいいです。 | I'd rather walk than take the bus. | |
| どちらもいいです。 | Both are good. | |
| 代わりにこれはどうですか。 | How about this instead? | |
| 近いからです。 | Because it's closer. |
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Keep practicing with Yak Cards
Keep these choices in your pocket. Open the Yak Cards for this lesson and run them on the train.
A short Yak Cards round after coffee keeps this or that ready at the counter.
Open Yak Cards