Learn Hardcore Chinese: nǐ xiǎng qù chāoshì, háishi qù fàndiàn? - Do you want to go to the supermarket or go to a restaurant?

Question: 你想去超市还是去饭店？
Statement: 我想去超市或者去饭店。
Note: 还是 can also mean “still / had better” in statements (e.g., 我还是去饭店吧), which is a different usage.

Do I have to repeat 去 before 饭店?

No. Both are natural:

With repetition (more balanced/clear): 你想去超市，还是去饭店？
Without repetition (also common): 你想去超市，还是饭店？

Is the comma necessary?

It’s optional. Many would simply write 你想去超市还是去饭店？ without a comma. The comma just marks a small pause in speech.

What’s the correct pronunciation and any tone changes?

Pinyin: nǐ xiǎng qù chāoshì, háishi qù fàndiàn?

Third-tone sandhi: 你想 is pronounced ní xiǎng (the first 3rd tone becomes a 2nd tone before another 3rd).
还是 is háishi (2nd tone + neutral tone).
去 qù: q is not “ch.” It’s an aspirated alveolo-palatal sound; a good approximation is “chyoo” (with rounded lips).
Tones: 你(3→2) 想(3) 去(4) 超(1) 市(4) ，还(2) 是(neutral) 去(4) 饭(4) 店(4).

What’s the nuance of 想 here? Could I use 要 instead?

想 = would like to / feel like (softer, about desire).
要 = want to / intend to (firmer, about intention/plan).
Both fit: 你要去超市还是去饭店？ sounds more decisive than 你想去… which is gentler.

Does 饭店 mean “restaurant” or “hotel”?

Both exist depending on region.

Mainland (esp. the North): 饭店 often = restaurant (sometimes a larger/fancier one); it can also mean hotel.
South China & Taiwan: 饭店 usually = hotel.
If you specifically mean “restaurant,” alternatives: 餐厅/餐馆/饭馆. If you mean “hotel,” 酒店/宾馆 are clear.

Can I use 到 instead of 去?

去 + place is the most common for “go to” (movement).
到 + place + 去 is also correct and slightly more formal or emphasizes the destination: 我们到超市去。
到 + place alone means “arrive at / reach”: 到超市以后给我打电话。

Is 去到 acceptable?

In standard Mandarin, prefer 去 + place or 到 + place. 去到 occurs in some regions and informal contexts, but many teachers/editors avoid it in neutral-standard writing and speech. Use 到 to emphasize arrival: 到饭店了 (have arrived at the restaurant).

Why isn’t there a measure word before 超市 or 饭店?

Places after motion verbs usually don’t take a measure word when you mean the place in general: 去超市 / 去饭店.
To specify a particular one, add a modifier: 去这家饭店 / 去那家超市 (家 is the common measure for shops/restaurants).

Can I drop the subject 你?

Yes, if it’s clear from context: （你）想去超市还是去饭店？ Subject drop is common in conversation.

What are natural short answers?

去超市吧。 qù chāoshì ba. (Let’s go to the supermarket.)
去饭店。 qù fàndiàn. (Go to the restaurant.)
都可以。 dōu kěyǐ. (Either is fine.)
我更想去饭店。 wǒ gèng xiǎng qù fàndiàn. (I’d prefer the restaurant.)
我不想去。 wǒ bù xiǎng qù. (I don’t want to go.)

What intonation should I use?

Raise your pitch slightly at the end of each option, with the biggest rise on the last one:
…去超市 ⤴︎ ，还是去饭店 ⤴︎ ?
A small pause after the comma is natural.

Does this mean “right now,” “today,” or just in general?

Without a time word, it’s context-dependent—often “now/soon.” Add a time expression to clarify:

现在你想去… (now)
等会儿/一会儿你想去… (later)
今天/明天你想去… (today/tomorrow)

Why not use 在 (to be at) instead of 去 (to go)?

在 states location, not movement. 去 expresses going somewhere.

Movement: 去饭店 (go to a restaurant)
Location: 在饭店 (at a restaurant)
Combining both for sequences is fine: 到饭店以后，我们在那儿等你。