The Vietnamese word “\u0111\u00e2u” has various usages depending on the speaker’s intention and the context of the conversation. In this lesson, we will introduce the typical usages you will often encounter in daily conversations with Vietnamese people.<\/p>\n
Usage: Refers to an unclear location or point, indicating the need for specification.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Synonyms: \u1edf ch\u1ed7 n\u00e0o \/ n\u01a1i n\u00e0o?<\/p>\n \u2460Nh\u00e0 v\u1ec7 sinh \u1edf \u0111\u00e2u<\/span><\/strong> \u1ea1? \u2461B\u1ea1n \u0111ang \u1edf \u0111\u00e2u<\/strong><\/span> r\u1ed3i? \u2462Hai ch\u1ecb em \u0111\u00e3 \u0111i nh\u1eefng \u0111\u00e2u<\/strong><\/span>? \u2463Nh\u00e0 c\u00f4 \u1ea5y ch\u1eafc ch\u1eafn \u1edf \u0111\u00e2u<\/strong><\/span> quanh \u0111\u00e2y. Usage: Completely negates a statement (like “not at all”), but softens the tone so it does not sound overly harsh or negative.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n \u2460Em kh\u00f4ng mu\u1ed1n \u0103n \u0111\u00e2u<\/span><\/strong>. \u2461Trong n\u00e0y kh\u00f4ng c\u00f3 t\u1ea5m \u1ea3nh n\u00e0o \u0111\u00e2u<\/span><\/strong>. \u2462B\u00e2y gi\u1edd, anh kh\u00f4ng r\u1ea3nh \u0111\u00e2u<\/span><\/strong>, \u0111\u1ec3 mai nh\u00e9. Usage: Gently denies or corrects the listener’s assumption, deduction, or accusation. (Meaning: “It’s not that…”)<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Synonyms: kh\u00f4ng h\u1ec1 \/ kh\u00f4ng ph\u1ea3i \/ l\u00e0m g\u00ec c\u00f3 chuy\u1ec7n\u2026<\/p>\n \u2460T\u00f4i \u0111\u00e2u<\/span><\/strong> c\u00f3 n\u00f3i v\u1eady. \/ T\u00f4i c\u00f3 n\u00f3i th\u1ebf \u0111\u00e2u<\/strong><\/span>. \u2461C\u00e1i \u0111\u00f3 \u0111\u00e2u<\/strong><\/span> ph\u1ea3i l\u1ed7i c\u1ee7a em. \/ C\u00e1i \u0111\u00f3 c\u00f3 ph\u1ea3i l\u00e0 l\u1ed7i c\u1ee7a em \u0111\u00e2u<\/strong><\/span>. \u2462Tr\u1ec5 \u0111\u00e2u<\/strong> <\/span>ph\u1ea3i v\u00ec em ch\u1eadm ch\u1ea1p. Usage: Indicates that the cause (“from where”), result, or destination (“to where”) of the topic needs to be specified.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n \u2460C\u00f4 \u1ea5y quy\u1ebft \u0111\u1ecbnh nh\u01b0 v\u1eady l\u00e0 do \u0111\u00e2u<\/span><\/strong> \/ t\u1ea1i \u0111\u00e2u<\/strong><\/span>? \u2461Kh\u00f4ng bi\u1ebft m\u1ecdi chuy\u1ec7n r\u1ed3i s\u1ebd \u0111i \u0111\u1ebfn \u0111\u00e2u<\/strong><\/span>? Usage: A rhetorical question expressing the lack of elements such as time, money, or energy. Meaning “Where would I get [Noun] to [Verb]?”.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Synonyms: l\u00e0m g\u00ec c\u00f3\u2026 \/ sao m\u00e0 c\u00f3\u2026<\/p>\n \u2460Ti\u1ec1n \u0111\u00e2u<\/span><\/strong> m\u00e0<\/strong><\/span> mua! \u2461Th\u1eddi gian \u0111\u00e2u<\/strong><\/span> m\u00e0<\/strong><\/span> l\u00e0m h\u1ebft trong h\u00f4m nay?
\n\u2192 Where is the restroom?<\/p>\n
\n\u2192 Where are you right now?<\/p>\n
\n\u2192 Where have you two been? (*Asking about multiple places visited)<\/p>\n
\n\u2192 Her house must be somewhere around here.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nEmphatic Negation (Sentence-ending Particle)<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n\u2192 I don’t want to eat at all.<\/p>\n
\n\u2192 There are absolutely no photos in here.<\/p>\n
\n\u2192 I’m really not free right now, let’s do it tomorrow.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nRebuttal \/ Correction (Negating an assumption)<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
\n\u2192 I didn’t say that at all.<\/p>\n
\n\u2192 That is not your fault. \/ It’s not like that is your fault.<\/p>\n
\n\u2192 Being late is not because I was slow.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nQuestions about Cause, Result, or Destination<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
\n\u2192 For what reason (From where) did she decide to do that?<\/p>\n
\n\u2192 I don’t know where everything is going to lead. (How things will turn out)<\/p>\n<\/div>\nEmphasis of Impossibility \/ Lack (Rhetorical)<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
\n\u2192 I don’t have the money to buy it! (Where would I get the money to buy it?)<\/p>\n
\n\u2192 I don’t have the time to finish all this today! (Where would the time come from…?)<\/p>\n<\/div>\nInability, Hesitation, Negation of Degree (Similar usage to “kh\u00f4ng”)<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
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\n Inability<\/td>\n Gi\u1edd l\u00e0m v\u1eady \u0111\u00e2u \u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c<\/span><\/strong>. Quy \u0111\u1ecbnh kh\u00f4ng cho ph\u00e9p.
\n\u2192 You can’t do that now. Regulations don’t allow it.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n Hesitation (Lack of courage)<\/td>\n Em \u0111\u00e2u d\u00e1m<\/strong><\/span> h\u1ecfi s\u1ebfp chuy\u1ec7n \u0111\u00f3.
\n\u2192 I wouldn’t dare ask the boss about that.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n Degree<\/td>\n Mu\u1ed9n x\u00edu \u0111\u00e2u \u0111\u1ebfn n\u1ed7i<\/strong><\/span> tr\u1ec5 chuy\u1ebfn.
\n\u2192 Being a little late isn’t so bad that we’ll miss the flight.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n