Breakdown of Áo khoác màu đen này đang giảm giá.
Questions & Answers about Áo khoác màu đen này đang giảm giá.
Can you break the sentence down word by word?
Yes:
- áo khoác = jacket, coat, outerwear
- màu đen = black, literally color black
- này = this
- đang = currently, in the middle of, right now
- giảm giá = reduce the price, be discounted, be on sale
So the literal order is roughly jacket black this currently discount-price.
Why is này at the end instead of before the noun like this in English?
In Vietnamese, demonstratives such as này usually come after the noun phrase.
So:
- áo khoác này = this jacket
- áo khoác màu đen này = this black jacket
A good pattern to remember is:
noun + description + này
That is one of the biggest word-order differences from English.
Why does Vietnamese say áo khoác màu đen instead of just áo khoác đen?
Both are possible.
- áo khoác đen = black jacket
- áo khoác màu đen = jacket that is black in color
Using màu đen makes the color a little more explicit. It can sound slightly more descriptive or formal. In everyday speech, áo khoác đen này đang giảm giá is also very natural.
What does đang mean here?
Đang usually marks something as happening right now or currently.
In this sentence, it does not mean the jacket is physically doing an action. It means the discounted status is currently in effect. So đang adds the idea of at the moment or currently:
- đang giảm giá = currently on sale / currently discounted
Does giảm giá mean reduce the price or be on sale?
It can mean both, depending on context.
At its most basic level, giảm giá means reduce the price. But in shopping and advertising language, it is very commonly used to mean that an item is discounted or is on sale.
So in this sentence, the natural meaning is:
- This black jacket is on sale
- This black jacket is discounted
Could I say this sentence without đang?
Yes. Áo khoác màu đen này giảm giá is also possible.
The difference is:
- đang giảm giá = is currently on sale
- giảm giá = is discounted / has a reduced price
With đang, the sentence sounds a bit more like a temporary promotion happening now.
Shouldn’t Vietnamese use được here, as in được giảm giá, to mean is discounted?
You can say được giảm giá, and it is correct:
- Áo khoác màu đen này đang được giảm giá
That version sounds more explicitly passive, like is being discounted. But Vietnamese often prefers the shorter đang giảm giá, especially in shops, ads, and everyday retail language.
So:
- đang giảm giá = very common, natural, concise
- đang được giảm giá = also correct, a bit more formal or explicitly passive
Why is there no classifier like chiếc in front of áo khoác?
Vietnamese often uses classifiers with nouns, and for clothing chiếc is common:
- Chiếc áo khoác màu đen này đang giảm giá
That is perfectly natural. But classifiers are also often omitted when the meaning is already clear, especially in casual speech, product descriptions, or short statements.
So both are fine:
- Áo khoác màu đen này đang giảm giá
- Chiếc áo khoác màu đen này đang giảm giá
The version with chiếc can sound a little more specific or complete.
Is áo khoác specifically a jacket, or can it also mean a coat?
Áo khoác is a general term for outerwear worn over other clothes, so it can mean jacket or coat depending on context.
In many everyday situations, English speakers translate it as jacket, but coat can also be correct if the garment is longer or heavier. Vietnamese often leaves that level of detail to context rather than forcing a precise distinction every time.
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