How to Say "Hello, My Name Is" in Vietnamese

Xin chào, tôi tên là

[sin˧˧ t͡ɕaːw˨˩ toj˧˧ ten˧˧ laː˨˩]word by word

The English phrase "hello, my name is" is expressed in Vietnamese as Xin chào, tôi tên là.

This phrase is used to greet someone and introduce yourself by stating your name. In the default form, the pronoun tôi is used to mean "I", which serves as a neutral and polite way to refer to yourself when introducing yourself to strangers or in formal settings.

What does it mean word for word?

The phrase Xin chào, tôi tên là literally translates to "Hello, I name is".

Which one should you use?

While Xin chào, tôi tên là is the standard introduction, you may encounter other variations. For example, Xin chào, tôi là [your name]. means "Hello, I am [your name]." and is used in formal contexts. For even more formal situations, you can use Chào anh/chị, tôi tên là [your name], which means "Hello, sir/madam, my name is [your name].", or the very respectful Kính chào quý ông/bà, tôi xin tự giới thiệu tên là [your name], which means "Respectful hello, I would like to introduce myself, my name is [your name].". In informal settings, you can say Xin chào, tên mình là [your name]. for "Hi, my name is [your name]." or Chào bạn, tôi là [your name]. for "Hello, I am [your name]."

Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?

The default form is polite and suitable for strangers. For very formal or respectful introductions, use Kính chào quý ông/bà, tôi xin tự giới thiệu tên là [your name]. or Chào anh/chị, tôi tên là [your name]. Informal options for peers or people of similar age include Chào, mình tên là [your name], Xin chào, tên mình là [your name], or Chào bạn, tôi là [your name].

What mistakes should you avoid?

When using the word tên (name), do not forget to include là (is) afterward. The structure tên là is the standard way to complete the sentence.

Did you know?

Using 'slave' as a way to say 'I' is a shared cultural linguistic pattern found across Southeast and East Asia, including in Thai, Khmer, and Japanese.
Using the pronoun tôi was historically a linguistic disruption that changed how Vietnamese speakers address each other. It eventually forced the widespread use of kinship terms, like 'brother' or 'sister', as polite personal pronouns.

Examples in context

Xin chào, tôi tên là Lan.
Hello, my name is Lan.
Xin chào, tôi tên là Minh.
Hello, my name is Minh.
Xin chào, tôi tên là Bình.
Hello, my name is Binh.

Example conversation

Two people meet for the first time at a networking event.

Mai

Xin chào, tôi tên là Mai.
Hello, my name is Mai.
Nam

Chào Mai, tôi tên là Nam.
Hi Mai, my name is Nam.
Mai

Rất vui được gặp anh, Nam.
It is nice to meet you, Nam.
Nam

Tôi cũng rất vui được gặp cô.
I am also very happy to meet you.

Sources

IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (xin, chào, tôi, tên, là) and can differ in connected speech.
Word origins: Wiktionary entries chào, là, tên, tôi, xin, CC BY-SA 4.0.

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How to Say “Hello, My Name Is” in Vietnamese