The word “yes” in Vietnamese is “có” – a two-syllable word with a sharp (acute accent) tone that can mean agreement, confirmation, or serve as a filler word depending on context. Vietnamese offers multiple alternatives including one-syllable options like “dạ,” “vâng,” “được,” “ừ” and two-syllable phrases like “đúng vậy” and “đúng rồi.”
Vietnamese vocabulary is very diverse, rich, and has many syllables. Those who learn the language may encounter many difficulties in the early stages of learning. Therefore, the word “yes” in Vietnamese is a basic word you must understand clearly to know how to communicate.
Meaning of the Word “Yes” in Vietnamese
Depending on the situation, circumstances, and the person you are talking to, the word “yes” shows different understandings and meanings. It can be used in cases with meanings such as:
- Agree and approve certain opinions or issues
- Confirm that the information is correct
- As a filler word in front, explain the meaning of the following part of the sentence
- Answer the question yes or no
How to Say “Yes” in Vietnamese
In Vietnamese, the word “yes” means “có”. The word “yes (có)” is a word with 2 syllables and a sharp tone. For easier understanding, an example is:
Person 1: Do you want a cup of milk tea? (Bạn có muốn uống một cốc trà sữa không?)
Person 2: Yes! (Có!)
A few small notes: the word “yes (có)” cannot be used or replaced for the word “have” in English because these two words are different in their position and purpose. The word “yes (có)” in Vietnamese in some cases can be transferred to English and use the word have. But the word “have” is often in the verb position to link the subject and predicate together.
For example: I have a very nice white car. (Tôi có một chiếc ô tô màu trắng rất đẹp).
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Pronunciation of the Word “Yes” in Vietnamese
Currently, the Vietnamese alphabet has 29 letters, of which 22 letters are the same as English, and 7 letters have been modified with additional accents. To this day, the tones have been developed into 6 different tones:
- Unmarked (thanh ngang)
- Grave accent (thanh huyền)
- Tilde (thanh ngã)
- Hook above (thanh hỏi)
- Acute accent (thanh sắc)
- Underdot (thanh nặng)
Say “Yes” in Vietnamese with One Syllable
For words with one syllable, it is pronounced relatively easier like:
- “Có”: acute accent, the tone rises a little at the end
- “Được”: underdot, a warm voice with a pronunciation of 4 combined words
- “Dạ”: also a low tone but with 2 words combined easier than 4 words
- “Vâng”: unmarked, no rising and no falling tone
- “Ừ”: grave accent, can be understood as the word okay
Say “Yes” in Vietnamese with Two Syllables
With words with 2 syllables, you will need to learn carefully and a little more. Because the words behind are different but it only complements the word before. Besides, it can be a little more difficult to pronounce with 2 words.
- “Đúng vậy”: the combination of an acute accent with a low tone and a falling tone
- “Đúng rồi”: the combination of an acute accent and a grave accent
- “Dạ vâng!”: the combination of an underdot and an unmarked
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Synonyms of the Word “Yes” in Vietnamese
With the diversity of the alphabet, the sentence structure in Vietnamese today is very rich so that a native speaker can understand all aspects of it. The tone system has gradually developed and become a familiar melody in daily communication. At the same time, it is very normal for a word to have many meanings and many different ways of expression. And the word “yes (có)” in Vietnamese is one of those words.
Synonyms are:
- Of course! (Chắc chắn rồi!)
- Sounds good! (Nghe hay đấy!)
- Exactly! (Chính xác!)
- Of course! (Đương nhiên)
- Obviously! (Hiển nhiên)
- Okay! (Được!)
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Some words in Vietnamese seem easy to understand but are easily misunderstood, short but have many different meanings and ways of expressing. That is why VTJ always respects foreigners who learn the language of Vietnam. Hopefully, the detailed explanations of the word “yes (có)” in Vietnamese above will help you understand many aspects and use the word most appropriately.
