JLPT Grammar Comparison

それとも vs または vs あるいは vs もしくは

How to tell them apart

The core split is register and what they connect. それとも joins two full questions or clauses (先生ですか それとも 医者ですか) and is the everyday spoken choice. または, あるいは, and もしくは are written-style connectives for noun phrases or clauses, with もしくは the most stiff and legalistic. Swapping それとも into a legal document or もしくは into casual speech sounds off.

Grammar pointMeaningJLPT level
それとも soretomo Or; or else (presenting alternative) N4
または mataha Or; either ~ or ~ N2
あるいは aruiha Or; either ~ or; alternatively; perhaps N3
もしくは moshikuha Or; either ~ or (formal written) N2

それとも soretomo

N4Basic

Or; or else (presenting alternative)

Or; either ~ or ~ | A coordinate conjunction which connects two alternatives expressed by sentences.

  1. あの人は先生ですか。それとも医者ですか。

    Is he a teacher or a doctor?

  2. この本が間違っているか(それとも)私が間違っているかどちらだ・です。

    It's either that this book is wrong or that I am wrong.

Full それとも grammar page →

または mataha

N2Intermediate

Or; either ~ or ~

Or; either ~ or ~ | A conjunction which connects two choices or possibilities expressed by noun phrases or sentences.

  1. 三年以下の 懲役ちょうえき(か)、または百万円以下の 罰金ばっきん

    Imprisonment up to three years or a penalty up to one million yen.

  2. 二週間前に出したはずの手紙がまだ 先方せんぽういていない。私の 秘書ひしょが出し忘れたか、または郵便局が間違えたのだろう。

    A letter that I assumed was mailed two weeks ago has not reached the addressee yet. It is probably that my secretary forgot to mail it or that the post office made a mistake.

Full または grammar page →

あるいは aruiha

N3Advanced

Or; either ~ or; alternatively; perhaps

or; either ~ or; perhaps | A conjunction that marks alternatives

  1. この会社は大規模なリストラをするか、あるいは、倒産するかしかない。

    The only choice left for this company is to execute a large-scale restructuring or else go bankrupt.

  2. ご注文は電話か、あるいはインターネットでお願いします。

    Please place your order either by phone or by Internet.

Full あるいは grammar page →

もしくは moshikuha

N2Advanced

Or; either ~ or (formal written)

or | A conjunction to disjunctively connect two items or ideas.

  1. この予算は研究費、もしくは研究補助費にのみ使用できる。

    This budget is to be used exclusively for research or research-related expenses.

  2. この申込書は本人(か)、もしくは保証人が記入しなければならない。

    This application has to be filled in by the applicant or by his/her guarantor.

Full もしくは grammar page →

それとも and または and あるいは and もしくは are JLPT N4–N2 grammar points that Japanese learners often mix up. This page compares all 4 side by side — meanings, usage and example sentences — so you can tell them apart.