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For example, when offered a choice, I might want to say "do I have to choose among these, or can I choose any others?" How do I express this? I thought of

非得选这些里面的一个吗?还是能选别的?

But I want to confirm if it's ok or if there is a better way of asking this. Would it be more natural to rephrase as:

只有这些吗,没有别的?

A related sentence I'd appreciate you guys helping me translate would be "one of them is lying, I just don't know which one".

Thanks in advance!

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  • "one of them is lying, I just don't know which one". 他们中有一个人说谎,但是不知道是谁
    – user6065
    Commented Jun 12, 2018 at 21:04
  • There are many different ways to express similar idea in any language, your translations are acceptable
    – Tang Ho
    Commented Jun 12, 2018 at 21:12
  • I endorse your examples. A common alternative to "这些里面的一个" is "其中(的)一个". A shorter version is "非得选其一吗?"
    – Frenzy Li
    Commented Jun 30, 2018 at 6:52

2 Answers 2

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To answer your first question about "do I have to choose among these, or can I choose any others?"

The following sentence is perfectly fine: 非得选这些里面的一个吗?还是能选别的? It means must i choose among these? Or can i choose others? Which fits what you asked in english.

只有这些吗,没有别的?Using this is fine, but might come out a bit rude because it makes the listener think your expecting more and can come out offensive to some. What you had originally is fine.

To answer your 2nd question about lying: 其中一个在说谎,但我不清楚是哪一个 Which translates to: One of them is lying, but I am not sure which one.

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The translation is

一个肯定在说谎,但我就不知道是哪个。

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  • “他们中的一个在说慌,但我……”
    – Frenzy Li
    Commented Jun 30, 2018 at 6:23
  • Well in context, it would be kind of weird if it wasn't one of 他们中. Also, I just saw this comment so... a year late? Commented Jul 30, 2019 at 2:14
  • You have omitted "of them" in your translation. The context you referenced does not exist in the original post.
    – Frenzy Li
    Commented Jul 30, 2019 at 20:24

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