chào bà
[t͡ɕaːw˨˩ ʔɓaː˨˩]word by word
chào bà is how you say hi grandma in Vietnamese.
The phrase is a greeting used when speaking to one's grandmother.
Did you know?
- Because bà is used for grandmothers, it is also commonly used as a polite title for any elderly woman, regardless of whether the speaker is related to her.
- The word chào originally referred to the formal act of attending an emperor's audience or meeting a high-ranking senior.
- When saying chào bà, it is common to slightly bow the head as a sign of respect, as Vietnamese culture places a high value on honoring elders.
Examples in context
- Xin chào bà! Em hy vọng bà có một ngày tốt lành.Hello, grandma! I hope you have a great day.
- Chào bà, bà khỏe không?Hi grandma, how are you?
- Con chào bà ạ.Hello grandma.
- Cháu chào bà!Hi grandma!
Example conversation
Nam arrives at his grandmother's house and meets his cousin Lan.
- NamChào bà! Con nhớ bà quá.Hi grandma! I missed you so much.
- LanBà cũng nhớ cháu, Nam vào nhà đi.I missed you too, Nam, come inside.
- NamDạ, con chào bà rồi con vào ạ.Yes, I said hi to grandma and then I'll enter.
- LanĐi thôi, bà đang đợi cháu trong bếp.Let's go, grandma is waiting for you in the kitchen.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (chào, bà) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bà, chào, CC BY-SA 4.0.
