German entweder ... oder: Two-Part Conjunction

Entweder du isst jetzt dein Essen oder du gehst sofort ins Bett! Life is full of choices, and entweder ... oder is how you express them in German. In this B1 lesson you learn how this two-part conjunction works with the same verb or with two verbs, when you can leave out the subject, and what changes if you have different subjects.

Entweder ... oder (either ... or) names two possibilities, and only one of them can happen. It is a two-part conjunction (zweiteilige Konjunktion).

Same Verb: One Sentence

If both options use the same verb, you only need the verb once:

• Ich koche entweder Nudeln oder Reis.

Good to know: Nudeln means pasta in general, not only noodles.

Two Verbs

With two different verbs, you connect two actions. The subject can be named once or twice:

• Entweder du isst jetzt dein Essen oder gehst sofort ins Bett. (The subject du is only named once.)
• Entweder du isst jetzt dein Essen oder du gehst sofort ins Bett. (The subject is repeated.)

If both parts have the same subject, the second subject is optional. This sentence is a typical threat, for example from parents to a child.

Different Subjects

You can also use entweder ... oder with two different subjects: Entweder ich gehe, oder du gehst. Here, both subjects must be named.

Word Order

• Entweder stands at the beginning of the sentence or in the middle. After entweder at the start, you can choose between two patterns: subject first or verb first.
• Oder is on position 0, so the word order of the second part stays normal.

Homework

Write one sentence with entweder ... oder about your weekend.

What to Learn Next

See all seven connectors in German Double Conjunctions: Zweiteilige Konnektoren. Compare with How to use the conjunction je...desto and Sondern vs. Aber.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does entweder ... oder mean?

It means either ... or. It names two options, and only one of them can be true.

Where does entweder stand in the sentence?

It can stand at the beginning of the sentence or in the middle, directly before the first option. Oder is on position 0 before the second option.

Can I leave out the subject in the second part?

Yes, if both parts have the same subject. If the subjects are different, you must name both.

Is entweder ... oder only for two options?

Yes, it is made for a choice between two possibilities.

What does Nudeln mean in German?

Nudeln means pasta in general, for example Spaghetti or Penne, not only noodles.

Want to build longer and more natural sentences? Our B1 German online course practises conjunctions step by step.