How to Say Hours in Vietnamese: A Comprehensive Guide

Greetings! If you’ve ever wondered how to express hours in Vietnamese, you’ve come to the right place. In this guide, we will cover both formal and informal ways to talk about hours in Vietnamese, as well as regional variations where applicable. With plenty of tips, examples, and a warm tone, you’ll be well on your way to mastering this aspect of the Vietnamese language. Let’s dive in!

Formal Ways to Say Hours

When it comes to formal situations, such as business meetings or official events, it’s important to use appropriate language to convey professionalism. Here are some ways to express hours formally in Vietnamese:

1. “Giờ” (n): This translates to “hour” in English, and it’s the most basic and commonly used term to express time in Vietnamese. For example, “7:00” would be “bảy giờ”.
2. “Giờ kém” (n): This phrase means “minus” or “to”, as in “10:30” would be “mười giờ kém ba mươi”.
3. “Giờ rưỡi” (n): This is used to indicate “half” when talking about time. For instance, if you want to say “1:30”, you would say “một giờ rưỡi”.
4. “Buổi” (n): This term is used to refer to a specific period of time during the day, often morning or afternoon. For instance, “morning” would be “buổi sáng” and “afternoon” would be “buổi chiều”.
5. “Giây” (n): To express seconds, you can use this word. For example, “5 seconds” would be “năm giây”.

Informal Ways to Say Hours

Informal situations allow for a more relaxed and casual approach to expressing time. Here are some phrases commonly used in everyday conversations:

1. “Giờ” (n): Similar to the formal usage, “giờ” is commonly used in informal settings as well. For instance, “10:00” would be “mười giờ”.
2. “Sáng” (adv): This term means “morning” and can be used to indicate time before noon. For example, “9:00 in the morning” would be “sáng 9 giờ”.
3. “Trưa” (n): Used to refer to the time around midday or lunchtime. For example, “12:30” would be “mười hai giờ ba mươi trưa”.
4. “Chiều” (n): This word denotes the afternoon, usually after 12:00 pm. For example, “3:00 in the afternoon” would be “ba giờ chiều”.
5. “Tối” (n): Meaning “evening” or “night”, you can use this term for hours after sunset. For instance, “8:00 at night” would be “tám giờ tối”.
6. “Đêm” (n): This term specifically refers to nighttime hours. For example, “2:00 am” would be “hai giờ sáng” or “hai giờ đêm”.

Regional Variations

Vietnam is a diverse country with regional dialects that lead to variations in language usage. However, when it comes to expressing time, the variations are minimal. The formal and informal ways mentioned earlier are generally understood across different regions. However, there are a few subtle differences in pronunciation and vocabulary. For instance:

In the South of Vietnam, especially in Saigon, locals might pronounce “giờ rưỡi” as “giờ lăm” or “5 giờ 30” as “5 giờ nửa”. These variations are mostly related to pronunciation and do not drastically change the overall meaning.

Remember, these regional differences are small and should not hinder your ability to communicate effectively when talking about hours in Vietnamese.

Examples and Tips

To help solidify your understanding, here are a few examples along with some tips:

• Example 1: 8:45 AM – “Tám giờ bốn mươi lăm sáng.”
• Example 2: 6:15 PM – “Sáu giờ mười lăm chiều.”
• Tips:
  • Always use “giờ” to indicate the hour.
  • When expressing minutes, use “kém” or “mươi” followed by the corresponding number.
  • Remember to use “giờ rưỡi” for half-past the hour.
  • Combine the appropriate time of day vocabulary like “sáng,” “trưa,” “chiều,” or “tối” with the hour to be more precise.

Now you’re equipped with the knowledge to express hours in Vietnamese, both formally and informally. Practice these phrases regularly to boost your language skills and confidently communicate time-related information in various contexts.

We hope you found this guide helpful and enjoyable! Remember, language learning is a journey, so keep exploring, asking questions, and practicing. Best of luck!