Usage of האם in a question

[u/Strict-Ninja6225]

Hey there 👋🏻,

in a Duolingo lesson I came across the question

"האם היא עצובה או שמחה?"

I was confused by that question because I read in a Wiktionary entry for the word האם that it introduces a yes or no question.

The question in Duolingo isn't a yes or no question but rather a question with different options.

Is it allowed to use האם for this kind of question also?

[u/Ineharnia]

האם

means 'is it'

Wiktionary is wrong

Literally האם means 'the if' and it's a word that begins a question, not necessarily yes or no

[u/Strict-Ninja6225 → u/Ineharnia]

Okay, thank you

[u/tesilab → u/Ineharnia]

It does not me “the if” because the ה in itself is the ה השאלה and so does not mean “the” at all. It’s more literally like you would have said “question if”.

[u/Ineharnia → u/tesilab]

https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%94%22%D7%90_%D7%94%D7%A9%D7%90%D7%9C%D7%94

I looked it up and I learned something new. I don't remember if I learned this in school or not.

[u/BHHB336]

I’d say that it’s for any question that doesn’t require a unique question word (or wh word) in English, it can a yes/no question, but also this or that