Bạn đang đọc sách hay viết thư?

Are you reading a book or writing a letter right now?

Breakdown of Bạn đang đọc sách hay viết thư?

• bạn: you
• hay: or
• đang: currently
• sách: the book
• đọc: to read
• viết: to write
• thư: the letter

Questions & Answers about Bạn đang đọc sách hay viết thư?

Why do we use đang in this question?

Đang indicates that the action (reading or writing) is happening right now. It’s similar to using the present progressive tense in English (e.g., "are you reading... or writing...?").

Why do we use hay instead of hoặc in this sentence?

In questions, hay is used to offer a choice between two possibilities. Hoặc is used more generally for "or," but in a direct question like this one, hay is preferred to emphasize the choice.

Does sách mean a specific type of book or just "book" in general?

Sách generally means "book" without specifying whether it's a novel, textbook, or similar. If you need to be specific, you can add more detail (e.g., sách giáo khoa for "textbook").

Why do we say viết thư instead of just viết?

Viết thư literally means "to write a letter." It clarifies what you’re writing. In modern usage, this can also mean writing a message or email, though you might sometimes hear more specific words like viết email or viết tin nhắn.

Is it necessary to add a polite marker like ạ at the end of the question?

It’s not strictly necessary. Using ạ or other polite markers often depends on your relationship with the listener, and whether you want to be more polite or formal. You can add ạ to be more respectful if the conversation calls for it.