别的(bié de) vs 另外(lìngwài)

 别的(bié de) vs 另外(lìngwài)

别的

As a pronoun

1. 别的 can function as an attribute. It means other, another.

e.g.

除了你，这个房子有别的人吗？(Chúle nǐ, zhège fángzi yǒu bié de rén ma?) Is there anyone else in this house except you?

别买这么贵的东西了，买别的礼物吧。(Bié mǎi zhème guì de dōngxi le, mǎi bié de lǐwù ba.) Stop buying such expensive things and buy other gifts.

2. In certain circumstances, 别的 can function as the subject or object independently.

e.g.

安全第一，别的都不重要。(Ānquán dì yī, bié de dōu bú zhòng yào.) Safety comes first, nothing else matters.

除了这些衣服，你还想买点别的吗？这个商场东西特别多。(Chúle zhèxiē yīfu, nǐ hái xiǎng mǎidiǎn bié de ma? Zhège shāngchǎng dōngxi tèbié duō.) Apart from these clothes, do you want to buy something else? There are so many things in this mall.

3. When there is a quantifier, 别的 can be used before or after it.

e.g.

你能帮我买几种别的水果吗？(Nǐ néng bāng wǒ mǎi jǐ zhǒng bié de shuǐguǒ ma?) Can you buy me some other fruits?

我还有一些别的问题想问你。(Wǒ háiyǒu yìxiē biéde wèntí xiǎnɡ wèn nǐ.) There are still some other questions I want to ask you.

今天家里会来很多人。一些人已经来了，还有别的几个人在路上。(Jīntiān jiālǐ huì lái hěnduō rén. Yīxiē rén yǐjīng láile, hái yǒu bié de jǐ gèrén zài lùshàng.) Many people will be here today. Some people have already arrived, and a few others are on the way.

另外

As a pronoun

1. When另外functioned as an attribute to modify a noun or pronoun, we should use “另外的”.

e.g.

除了这些，我还有另外的事情需要处理。(Chúle zhèxiē, wǒ hái yǒu lìngwài de shìqíng xūyào chǔlǐ.) In addition to these, I have other things to deal with.

只有我知道这件事，另外的同事都不知道。(Zhǐyǒu wǒ zhīdào zhè jiàn shì, lìnɡwài de tónɡshì dōu bù zhīdào.) Only me know it, and other colleagues all don’t know it.

2. 另外的 can function as a subject, but 另外cannot function as a subject or an object independently.

e.g.

我只有这一本书，另外的要去找老师要。(Wǒ zhǐyǒu zhè yī běn shū, lìngwài de yāo qù zhǎo lǎoshī yào.) I only have this book, and I have to ask the teacher for the others.

这些东西你带走，另外的交给我。(Zhèxiē dōngxi nǐ dài zǒu, lìngwài de jiāo gěi wǒ.) Take these things away, and leave the others to me.

3. When there is a quantifier indicating a plural, “另外” or “另外的” is often used before it. When there is a structure “一 + measure word”, 另外 is often used before it.

e.g.

家里只有你们三个吗？另外几个人呢？(Jiālǐ zhǐyǒu nǐmen sān gè ma? Lìngwài jǐ gè rén ne?) Are there only three of you at home? How about other people?

今天一共有五个人迟到。小李是因为堵车，另外的四个人我就不知道原因了。(Jīntiān yīgòng yǒu wǔ gèrén chídào. Xiǎo Lǐ shì yīnwèi dǔchē, lìngwài de sì gè rén wǒ jiù bù zhīdào yuányīn le.) A total of five people were late today. Xiao Li was in a traffic jam, and I don’t know the reason for the other four people.

这件衣服不好看，你试试另外一件吧。(Zhè jiàn yīfu bù hǎokàn, nǐ shì shì lìngwài yī jiàn ba.) This dress doesn’t look good, you can try another one.

他不喜欢这只狗，他喜欢另外一只。(Tā bù xǐhuɑn zhè zhī ɡǒu, tā xǐhuɑn lìnɡwài yì zhī.) He dislikes this dog and he likes another one.

As an adverb

4. 另外 means “else”, which indicates the actions or behaviours that happen besides the current area. In this case, 另外 is often used with the adverbs like 又, 再 and 还.

e.g.

除了红包，你另外还要送他一些礼物吧？(Chúle hóngbāo, nǐ lìngwài hái yào sòng tā yīxiē lǐwù ba?) In addition to the red envelopes, would you also give him some gifts?

这个冰箱坏了，另外再买一台吧。(Zhège bīngxiāng huàile, lìngwài zài mǎi yī tái ba.) This refrigerator is broken. Buy another one.

张老师生病了，我另外又找了一位英语老师。(Zhāng lǎoshī shēngbìngle, wǒ lìngwài yòu zhǎole yī wèi Yīngyǔ lǎoshī.) Teacher Zhang was sick, and I found another English teacher.

As a conjunction

5. 另外 means moreover.

e.g.

晚上在哪吃饭还没确定，另外，和谁吃饭也不知道。(Wǎnshàng zài nǎ chīfàn hái méi quèdìng, lìngwài, hé shéi chīfàn yě bù zhīdào.) I haven’t decided where to eat at night, and I don’t know who I will eat with.

这几件衣服我都要，另外，左边那件我要三种不同的颜色。(Zhè jǐ jiàn yīfu wǒ dōu yào, lìngwài, zuǒbiān nà jiàn wǒ yào sān zhǒng bùtóng de yánsè.) I want these clothes, besides, I want three different colors for the one on the left.