Vietnamese hay Usage (Or/Or Else)
hay is commonly used to mean "or" or "or else" and is an essential Vietnamese structure for learners.
Quick explanation
Quick explanation
hay is commonly used to mean "or" or "or else" and is an essential Vietnamese structure for learners.
English meanings
- or
- or else
Grammar pattern
Examples
1
Bạn uống cà phê hay trà?
Do you drink coffee or tea?
2
Bạn đi hôm nay hay ngày mai?
Are you going today or tomorrow?
How to use it
hay is used in choice questions to mean "or else," and can also mean "or" in statements. The most common beginner usage is in two-choice questions: A hay B?
- Choice questions commonly use A hay B?.
- hay connects two parallel elements; both parts should be parallel.
- For formal listing, hoặc is an alternative.
Compared with English
Compared with English
In English, "or" is used for choices; similarly, hay is used in Vietnamese choice questions. For formal statements, hoặc is also used.
Common mistakes
Bạn uống cà phê và trà?
Bạn uống cà phê hay trà?
Use hay, not và, for two-choice questions.
Bạn đi hay hôm nay ngày mai?
Bạn đi hôm nay hay ngày mai?
hay connects two options; both must be parallel.
Commonly confused grammar
Practice
Multiple choice
Which sentence is a natural choice question?
Show answer
Multiple choice
Which sentence is a natural choice question?
- Bạn uống cà phê hay trà?
- Bạn uống cà phê và trà?
- Bạn hay uống cà phê trà?
Answer: Bạn uống cà phê hay trà?
Explanation: hay connects two options.
Fill in the blank
Fill in the blank: Bạn uống cà phê ____ trà?
Show answer
Fill in the blank
Fill in the blank: Bạn uống cà phê ____ trà?
Answer: Bạn uống cà phê hay trà?
Explanation: Choice questions commonly use A hay B?.
English to Vietnamese
Translate "Do you drink coffee or tea?" into Vietnamese.
Show answer
English to Vietnamese
Translate "Do you drink coffee or tea?" into Vietnamese.
Answer: Bạn uống cà phê hay trà?
Explanation: Use hay in the same structure as the example.
True or false
Is this sentence correct? Bạn uống cà phê và trà?
Show answer
True or false
Is this sentence correct? Bạn uống cà phê và trà?
Answer: False
Explanation: Use hay, not và, for two-choice questions.
Correction
Correct this sentence: Bạn ăn phở và bún?
Show answer
Correction
Correct this sentence: Bạn ăn phở và bún?
Answer: Bạn ăn phở hay bún?
Explanation: Use hay for two-choice questions.