How to say Yes and No in Vietnamese?
Vietnamese does not have a single word for yes or no. This lesson explains how to agree and disagree using context, which is one of the most important things to understand early on.
There are several ways to say yes no in Vietnamese. So, how to say it correctly?
Depending on situations and who you talk to, you can use different words to show your agreement or disagreement or answer a question.
In this lesson, we'll take a look at different Vietnamese phrases for yes and no.
How to say yes
Có - Yes
You can say có when replying to an invitation.
Example
Do you want to add sugar?
Yes.
Dạ, vâng - Yes
Dạ is the formal positive reply, which is equivalent to the English Yes. In the northern dialect, Vâng is used instead of Dạ.
This is used when you answer to someone older than you.
Example
Remember to give me the book tomorrow!
Yes.
Ừ, ờ - Yeah
If you talk to someone younger or the same age as you, you can use ừ or ờ to say yes. It's the same as Yeah or Uhm in English.
Example
Hey do you want to go to the cinema tomorrow?
Yeah.
Đúng vậy - That's right
Đúng is equivalent to "correct" in English.
Example
September 2 is National Day, right?
That's right
Được - Okay
Được means Okay in Vietnamese. You can use this phrase to show your agreement with someone, especially if that person ask for permission.
You can also use phrases such as được rồi/ được rồi (alright), được chứ (sure) if you want to impress more.
Example
Mom, can we go to the supermarket tomorrow?
Yeah, sure.
Đồng ý - Agree
Đồng ý means "agree" in Vietnamese. To say I agree, it's Tôi đồng ý. It's usually used in formal situations.
Example
Do you agree to these conditions?
I agree.
Chắc chắn rồi - Sure
For expression such as "Sure", "Definitely", "Absolutely", you can use "Chắc chắn rồi".
Example
Do you want to buy this book?
Definitely!
Tất nhiên, đương nhiên - Of course
To answer "Of course", you can use tất nhiên or đương nhiên.
Nghe hay đó
If you want to say "Sounds good!" as the reply, you can use Nghe hay đó, which literaly translated as "it sounds good!".
Example
Let's go camping tomorrow!
Sounds good!
How to say no
Không - No
To say no or to disagree with someone, you can say Không, which is No in English.
To reply "No, thanks" or "No, thank you", you can say Không, cảm ơn.
Example
Do you drink coffee?
No, thanks.
Chắc không đâu - Probably not
If you want to politely decline something, you can say Chắc không đâu, which is "Probably not" in English.
Example
Do you want to go to the movies this Friday?
No, thanks.
Chưa - Not yet
If you haven't done something when people ask, you can use chưa or chưa nữa to reply.
Example
Have you done your homework yet?
Not yet.
Không bao giờ - Never
To completely disagree or reject something, you can say Không bao giờ.
Example
Do you drink beer?
I never drink beer.