[Grammar] Present Simple vs. Present Continuous

[mihallure]

Sometimes when I'm scolding my son for having been mean to his little sister, I'm asking him:
"Why are you being mean to her?". Is the countinuous aspect used correctly, or should I say: "Why are mean to her?"
Thank you!

 

[bhaisahab]

Sometimes when I'm scolding my son for having been mean to his little sister, I'm asking him:
"Why are you being mean to her?". Is the countinuous aspect used correctly, or should I say: "Why are you mean to her?"
Thank you!

Both are fine. In the first you are asking why he is being mean at the moment, in the second you are asking why he is always mean to her.

 

[MikeNewYork]

Sometimes when I'm scolding my son for having been mean to his little sister, I'm asking him:
"Why are you being mean to her?". Is the countinuous aspect used correctly, or should I say: "Why are mean to her?"
Thank you!

Your second version is incorrect. It can be repaired by adding "you" after "are".

 

[5jj]

Your second version is incorrect. It can be repaired by adding "you" after "are".

That's why bhai repaired it in the quoted text.

 

[MikeNewYork]

That's why bhai repaired it in the quoted text,

Ah! Didn't see that.

 

[Barb_D]

Sometimes when I'm scolding my son for having been mean to his little sister, I'm asking him:
"Why are you being mean to her?". Is the countinuous aspect used correctly, or should I say: "Why are mean to her?"
Thank you!

Interestingly, in your question you wrote "I'm asking him."

That's when you should have used "I ask him" to show it's a repeated action.