または

または means or; one choice or the other. It is a JLPT N4 Japanese grammar pattern used to express the N4 idea of “or; choice between A or B” in natural Japanese.

This grammar point often appears in conversation, written explanations, formal notices, and JLPT-style reading questions. If you want to express the N4 idea of “or; choice between A or B” in natural Japanese, または is a useful pattern to learn after the N5 basics.

What does または mean?

Use または when you want to express the N4 idea of “or; choice between A or B” in natural Japanese.

Natural translations include:

• or
• otherwise
• choice between A or B

The exact English translation changes with context. Focus on what the grammar point does in the sentence first, then choose the English phrase that sounds natural.

How to form または

Noun / phrase + または + noun / phrase

Examples of the pattern:

• Noun
• Noun / phrase
• または

Pay attention to the word form before the pattern. Many JLPT N4 mistakes happen because the meaning is understood, but the grammar is attached to the wrong form.

When is または used?

Use または in situations like:

• explaining a condition, reason, decision, comparison, or time relationship
• making a sentence more specific than a basic N5 pattern
• understanding natural Japanese in conversation or reading

Tone and register:

• neutral unless the grammar itself is marked as casual, humble, honorific, or formal
• Common in daily speech, textbook examples, and JLPT N4 reading questions

または example sentences

• 現金またはカードで払えます。 — You can pay by cash or card.
• 電話またはメールで連絡してください。 — Please contact us by phone or email.
• 今日または明日来てください。 — Please come today or tomorrow.
• 日本語または英語で書いてください。 — Please write in Japanese or English.
• バスまたは電車で行けます。 — You can go by bus or train.

Read the Japanese sentence first, then check the English translation. Try to notice what the grammar point contributes: condition, timing, limitation, possibility, decision, politeness, contrast, or emphasis.

Nuance of または

The key nuance is or; choice between A or B in a sentence-specific context.

This matters because または may look simple in English, but the Japanese form tells you whether the speaker is describing a time, a condition, a decision, a possibility, a contrast, or a social relationship.

For example:

• In context, または helps make the sentence more precise than a direct English translation.
• Compared with それとも, it has a different focus even when both patterns appear in similar sentences.

または vs それとも

Both または and それとも can appear in related sentences, but they are different.

または:

• is the target JLPT N4 pattern in this lesson
• carries the specific nuance explained above

それとも:

• is useful for comparison because learners often mix it up
• may use a different form, tone, or sentence focus

Quick contrast examples:

• Target pattern: 現金またはカードで払えます。 — You can pay by cash or card.
• Related pattern with それとも: compare the form and ask whether the sentence is about timing, condition, ability, decision, contrast, or politeness.

If you are unsure which one to use, identify the main job of the sentence before translating it into English.

Common mistakes with または

Watch out for these mistakes:

• Using it with the wrong verb, noun, or adjective form
• Confusing it with それとも because the English translation can look similar
• Translating it too literally instead of reading the whole sentence context

A good study habit is to write one short sentence and then change only the grammar point. This makes the difference between similar patterns easier to feel.

Is または on the JLPT?

Yes. または is connected to JLPT N4 grammar in this blog.

That means learners should be able to:

• recognize it in reading
• understand its nuance in context
• use it in simple original sentences

For test preparation, do not only memorize the English gloss. Practice identifying the words around the grammar point, because JLPT questions often test structure and context together.

Practice questions for または

Try making your own sentences with these prompts:

• Write one sentence using the basic pattern.
• Change the sentence into polite or casual style if possible.
• Compare it with the related pattern from the comparison section.

Keep the sentences short at first. Once the form feels natural, add time words, places, reasons, or contrast to make the sentence more realistic.

Learning path for または

Use または as part of your JLPT N4 listing, addition, and choice grammar toolkit. Use または to control how many items or reasons you present and how open-ended the list feels. Compare it with other listing and addition patterns so you can avoid making the sentence sound narrower than intended.

A good review order is: first make one short sentence with または, then compare it with それに, and finally add し or でも to see how the nuance changes.

For practice, write one sentence that uses または in its most literal meaning, one sentence that changes the subject or time expression, and one sentence that contrasts it with one of the related patterns below.

Related grammar to review next

• それに — adds another way to list, add, limit, or choose information.
• し — adds another way to list, add, limit, or choose information.
• でも — adds another way to list, add, limit, or choose information.
• も — adds another way to list, add, limit, or choose information.

Learn または with Hane

If you want to review または together with the related patterns above, Hane helps you practice Japanese in short, focused sessions.

Browse more lessons here:

• All grammar lessons
• JLPT N4 grammar lessons