bố
[ʔɓo˧˦]
In Vietnamese, "dad" can be translated as bố. Wiktionary also lists ba and cha.
Meaning: informal: a father (noun)
Ways to say it
| Vietnamese | IPA |
|---|---|
| bố | [ʔɓo˧˦] (Hà Nội, narrow) [ʔɓow˨˩˦] (Huế, narrow) |
| ba | [ʔɓaː˧˧] (Hà Nội, narrow) [ʔɓaː˧˧] (Huế, narrow) |
| cha | [t͡ɕaː˧˧] (Hà Nội, narrow) [t͡ɕaː˧˧] (Huế, narrow) |
| thầy | [tʰəj˨˩] (Hà Nội, narrow) [tʰəj˦˩] (Huế, narrow) |
| tía | [tiə˧˦] (Hà Nội, narrow) [tiə˨˩˦] (Huế, narrow) |
These terms function as both a noun to refer to a father and as a pronoun to address him directly.
Which one should you use?
bố and ba are the most common ways to say "dad" in everyday conversation. In contrast, cha sounds more formal or literary.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
bố and ba are used for informal, everyday speech. cha is a more formal term used in literature, formal speech or when referring to a father in a respectful, slightly detached way. thầy is a dated term.
Is it said differently in some regions?
bố is very common in Northern Vietnam. ba is very common in Southern Vietnam. tía is a regional term used in Southern Vietnam, often in more rural or traditional contexts.
Did you know?
- The word bố is a doublet of the word vải, meaning 'cloth', through a shared connection to the Chinese character 布.
- The word ba is actually a distant relative of the word for 'three' in many Austroasiatic languages. It is a rare instance where a common word for a parent shares an ancestor with a number.
Examples in context
- Cô ấy sống cùng ba.She lives with her dad.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use ba to refer to a father.Tatoeba #9815516 by dotheduyet1999, translation #2060024 by Spamster
- Bố lúc đó đang tưới hoa.Dad was watering the flowers.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use bố to refer to a father.Tatoeba #13860701 by leucammieuvu, translation #13859980 by tieguy
- Tôi thích đi câu cá với bố.I like going fishing with my dad.Tatoeba #9008614 by dotheduyet1999, translation #3528061 by adamtrousers
- Cám ơn cha.Thank you, Dad.
- Về nhà rồi, bố ơi!I'm home, Dad!
- 15 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mai and Nam are talking about their families at home.
- MaiBố của Nam có khỏe không?Is your dad doing well, Nam?
- NamBố mình vẫn khỏe, cảm ơn Mai.My dad is still well, thanks Mai.
- MaiBố mình cũng đang đi làm.My dad is also at work right now.
- NamVậy à, mong bố bạn luôn khỏe.I see, I hope your dad stays healthy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dad” translations and entries bố, ba, cha, thầy, tía, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ba, bố, cha, thầy, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
The northerners:
Bố, Thầy, Cậu
The central region:
Bố, Ba, Bọ
The southerners:
Ba, Cha, Tía
Thanks! Thầy and tía are on the page now. I left out cậu and bọ because they’re more local or family-specific and learners might use them in the wrong place.