どちらが | Comparing Two Things

The Two-Item Question

For a choice between exactly two things, Japanese does not use 一番(いちばん) — it uses どちら.

A と B と、どちらが + adjective + ですか

• コーヒーと紅茶(こうちゃ)と、どちらが好(す)きですか。(Which do you prefer, coffee or tea?)

Note the second と, after B. It is often dropped in speech but standard in writing.

Answering with ほうが

The reply uses ほうが:

• コーヒーのほうが好(す)きです。(I prefer coffee.)

Or, if you cannot choose:

• どちらも好(す)きです。(I like both.)
• どちらも好(す)きじゃないです。(I don't like either.)

どちら vs どっち

どっちがいい？ is what you say to a friend; どちらがよろしいですか to a customer.

Not for Three or More

With three or more, switch to the 一番(いちばん) pattern and use the right question word:

• 何(なに)が一番(いちばん)好(す)きですか。(What do you like most?)
• どれが一番(いちばん)安(やす)いですか。(Which is cheapest?)

どちら is strictly a two-way choice.

どちら Also Means "Where"

Politely, どちら stands in for どこ:

• お住(す)まいはどちらですか。(Where do you live?)