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 are used to refer to a father. While many of these are informal and can sound childish, they vary significantly depending on the region and the level of formality you wish to convey.
Which one should you use?
The word cha is a formal or literary term for father, whereas bố and ba are the forms used in everyday speech. The word thầy is now considered dated when used to mean father, as it almost exclusively means 'teacher' in modern Vietnamese.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In daily conversation, you will use bố or ba. For more formal or written contexts, cha is the appropriate choice. The term thầy is no longer used for father in modern speech.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Northern Vietnam, bố is the standard term for dad. In Southern Vietnam, ba is the most common way to say dad, while tía is a more colloquial or rural term used in parts of the South.
How does it change in a sentence?
If you want to call out to your father to get his attention, such as saying 'Dad!', you often add the particle ơi after the word, for example ba ơi.
Did you know?
- Although ba sounds like the French word 'papa', linguists believe this resemblance is purely coincidental.
- The word ba is not just a nickname for 'daddy', it is also the word for the number 'three' in many other languages of the Austroasiatic family.
Examples in context
- Ba ơi, xem bóng đá với em đi!Dad, come watch soccer with me!
- Bố ơi, con đói quá.Daddy, I am so hungry.
- Con yêu bố nhất trên đời.I love daddy most in the world.
- Bố đang làm gì đấy?What is daddy doing?
Example conversation
A little girl is asking her father for a snack.
- HươngBố ơi, cho con ăn kẹo nhé?Daddy, can I have some candy?
- NamKhông được đâu, con sắp đi ngủ rồi.No, you are about to go to sleep.
- HươngĐi mà bố, một cái thôi!Please daddy, just one!
- NamNgoan nào, mai bố sẽ mua cho.Be good, daddy will buy it for you tomorrow.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “daddy” 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.
