chào mẹ
[t͡ɕaːw˨˩ mɛ˧˨ʔ]word by word
The English phrase "hi mom" is translated into Vietnamese as chào mẹ.
This phrase is an informal greeting used when speaking to one's mother.
Which one should you use?
While chào mẹ is a direct way to say "hi mom", the phrase Mẹ ơi is also used as an informal way to address your mother. For a more affectionate tone, you can say Xin chào mẹ yêu, which means "Hello, my beloved Mom".
How does it change in a sentence?
In natural Vietnamese speech, children often add the pronoun con (meaning child or offspring) before the verb to form con chào mẹ. This addition shows respect and is the much more common and culturally appropriate way for a child to greet their mother.
When do people say it?
Vietnamese greetings to family members almost always include a subject pronoun to establish the relationship and show respect.
Did you know?
- The word chào is actually a non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of the Chinese character 朝, which historically referred to attending an audience with an emperor.
- While English speakers use 'mom' as a name, Vietnamese speakers use mẹ as both a noun and a second-person pronoun to avoid saying 'you'.
- The word mẹ is a 'nursery word', meaning it is a universal sound that many infants across different cultures use to identify their mother.
Examples in context
- Chào mẹ ơi, con vừa về nhà.Hello, Mom. I just arrived home.
- Xin chào mẹ, con muốn nói chuyện với mẹ.Greetings, Mom. I want to talk to you.
- Chào mẹ! Mẹ ăn cơm chưa?Hi, Mom! Have you eaten?
- Mẹ ơi, con đi chơi với bạn vài giờ nhé.Hey, Mom, I will hang out with friends for a few hours.
- Chào mẹ, con mới đi học về.Hi mom, I just got home from school.
- Chào mẹ, mẹ có khỏe không?Hi mom, how are you?
- Chào mẹ, con mua quà về cho mẹ đây.Hi mom, I bought a gift for you.
Example conversation
Chi enters the kitchen to see her mother.
- ChiChào mẹ, mẹ nấu món gì thế?Hi mom, what are you cooking?
- HùngMẹ đang nấu phở cho cả nhà.I am cooking phở for the whole family.
- ChiThơm quá, con giúp mẹ một tay nhé.It smells great, let me give you a hand.
- HùngĐược rồi, con rửa rau giúp mẹ.Alright, help me wash the vegetables.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (chào, mẹ) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries chào, mẹ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
