Learn Hardcore Vietnamese: Bạn thường ăn tối ở nhà không?

In Vietnamese, you typically add the question particle không at the end of a statement to turn it into a yes/no question. You don’t need auxiliary verbs like “do” or “does.” You simply keep the word order of the statement and add không? with a rising tone.
Example:
• Statement: Bạn thường ăn tối ở nhà. (“You usually have dinner at home.”)
• Question: Bạn thường ăn tối ở nhà không? (“Do you usually have dinner at home?”)

Why isn’t there a có before không in this sentence?

Use có ... không? when the main verb is có (“to have”) or when forming questions about possession/existence. With other verbs like ăn (“to eat”), you drop có and just use không? at the end.
• Verb = có: Bạn có nhà không? (“Do you have a house?”)
• Verb ≠ có: Bạn ăn tối không? (“Do you eat dinner?”)

What does thường do in this sentence, and why is it placed before ăn tối?

thường means “usually” or “often.” It’s an adverb of frequency and in Vietnamese, adverbs usually come before the main verb. So thường ăn tối literally means “usually eat dinner.”

Can I use hay instead of thường? Are they the same?

Both can mean “often,” but there’s a nuance:
• thường = neutral, “usually” (more general frequency)
• hay = “often,” “frequently,” a bit more colloquial
You can say Bạn hay ăn tối ở nhà không? and it’s correct, but it may sound slightly more conversational.

Why is ở used before nhà, and what does ở nhà literally mean?

ở means “to be at/in” and nhà means “home/house.” So ở nhà = “at home.” ở marks a static location.
Alternative: tại nhà (“at home”) is more formal or literary:
• Informal: ở nhà
• Formal/written: tại nhà

What’s the difference between ăn tối and bữa tối?

• ăn tối = verb phrase “eat dinner.”
• bữa tối = noun “dinner” (the meal itself).
If you want to say “go to dinner,” you say đi ăn tối (use the verb ăn tối).
If you want to talk about the meal: Bữa tối rất ngon (“Dinner is very delicious.”)

How does Vietnamese indicate tense? There’s no past/present marker here.

Vietnamese is an analytic language: it doesn’t change the verb form for tense. Time is shown by:

Context (habitual actions are just implied).
Time words: hôm qua (yesterday), ngày mai (tomorrow), bây giờ (now), etc.
In Bạn thường ăn tối ở nhà không?, thường implies a habitual present.

Can I drop Bạn and say Thường ăn tối ở nhà không?

Yes. In casual conversation, pronouns are often omitted if the subject is clear from context. However, including Bạn makes the question more polite and clear, especially when you first address someone.

How would I answer this question both positively and negatively?

Positive answers:
• Vâng, mình thường ăn tối ở nhà. (“Yes, I usually have dinner at home.”)
• Có, mình thường ăn tối ở nhà. (“Yes, I usually have dinner at home.”)

Negative answers:
• Không, mình không thường ăn tối ở nhà. (“No, I don’t usually have dinner at home.”)
• Không, mình thường ăn ở ngoài. (“No, I usually eat out.”)

Is it possible to make a negative question like Bạn không thường ăn tối ở nhà? What would that mean?

You can, but it changes the nuance. Bạn không thường ăn tối ở nhà? suggests surprise or disbelief: “You don’t usually have dinner at home?” It’s like checking or expressing doubt about what you expect.

Could I rephrase the question to Bạn có thường ăn tối ở nhà không? Would that be correct?

Yes, you can add có to emphasize the question, making it slightly more formal or explicit:
Bạn có thường ăn tối ở nhà không?
It’s perfectly acceptable, though many native speakers simply say Bạn thường ăn tối ở nhà không? without the extra có.