một
[mot̚˧˨ʔ]
The English phrase "a" is translated to Vietnamese as một.
một is used to refer to one person or thing.
Which one should you use?
While một can mean "a/an", it is also the specific number "one" used for counting.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word một is used to mean "one" or "a" and is placed before the noun or the classifier-noun combination. In many cases, một is followed by a classifier like cái before the noun to express "a" or "one".
Did you know?
- The word một is an unexpected linguistic relative to the Vietnamese word mốt, which refers to the 'day after tomorrow'.
- While một means 'one', Vietnamese speakers often omit it entirely when the meaning is clear, effectively using a zero article.
- The word một can be used in the phrase một chút to mean 'a little bit', functioning as a quantifier rather than a count.
Examples in context
- Ôm một cái cây.Hug a tree.This sentence shows how to use một with a noun.Tatoeba #14034948 by nhuttan2004, translation #13985906 by maaster
- Một ngày tồi tệ.A terrible day.This sentence demonstrates một as the article in a phrase.Tatoeba #4607718 by khoaharp, translation #32531 by Anyone
- Cho họ một phút.Give them a minute.This sentence shows the use of một to indicate a single unit of time.Tatoeba #6546603 by duythanh, translation #3915886 by CH
- Hãy tìm một quyển sách.Find a book.
- Cháu thích bộ phim này à?Do you like this movie?
- 1648 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
At a coffee shop, Minh is ordering a drink.
- MaiBạn muốn uống gì?What do you want to drink?
- MinhCho tôi một cốc cà phê.Give me one cup of coffee.
- MaiBạn có muốn dùng thêm bánh không?Do you want some cake as well?
- MinhKhông, tôi chỉ cần một ly nước thôi.No, I only need one glass of water.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry một, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries một, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
