What does it mean word for word?
Xin chào is composed of xin, which means "to ask" or "to politely request" and chào, which means "to greet".
Which one should you use?
While Xin chào is a standard way to say hello, in daily life Vietnamese speakers often drop Xin and instead use Chào followed by a kinship pronoun, such as Chào anh or Chào chị, to sound more natural and less stiff.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Xin chào is a formal, standard greeting used when addressing someone you do not know or in professional settings. To sound more natural and less stiff in daily life, you can use Chào followed by a kinship pronoun. When addressing someone slightly older than you or someone you want to show respect to, you can say Chào Anh/Chị.
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding the polite particle ạ to the end of a greeting, such as Xin chào ạ, makes the greeting more respectful when speaking to elders or superiors.
Did you know?
- The Vietnamese word chào is a false cognate of the Italian greeting 'ciao'. While they sound similar and both serve as greetings and farewells, they have no linguistic connection.
- Vietnamese greetings are deeply tied to age and hierarchy, meaning a speaker must often estimate the age of a stranger to choose the correct pronoun before they can say 'hello'.
- In Vietnamese culture, greeting someone without a kinship pronoun can sometimes feel overly distant or cold, as the language prioritizes the social relationship over the greeting itself.
Examples in context
- Xin chào mẹ ạ!Hello, Mum!This sentence is useful for saying hello to your mother.Tatoeba #14032845 by nhuttan2004, translation #10075778 by sundown
- Xin chào cha ạ.Hello, father.This sentence is useful for saying hello to your father.Tatoeba #14032849 by nhuttan2004, translation #8783284 by jimkillock
- Xin chào bác sĩ!Hello, Doctor!This sentence is useful for saying hello to a doctor.Tatoeba #14032829 by nhuttan2004, translation #13405186 by rul
- Xin chào! Bạn khỏe không?Hello! How are you?
- 30 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Minh meets Lan at a coffee shop.
- MinhXin chào Lan.Hello, Lan.
- LanXin chào Minh.Hello, Minh.
- MinhBạn có khỏe không?How are you?
- LanMình khỏe, cảm ơn bạn.I am well, thank you.
Sources
- Pronunciation from the Wiktionary entry xin chào.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries chào, xin, xin chào, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
