tôi thích
[toj˧˧ tʰïk̟̚˧˦]word by word
The English phrase "I like" is translated into Vietnamese as tôi thích.
This phrase is used to express a positive feeling or preference for someone or something. To express that you like doing a specific activity, you can place a verb directly after thích without needing an infinitive marker like "to" in English, such as in thích + [verb].
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of tôi (I) and thích (to like).
Which one should you use?
While thích expresses liking or preference, it is distinct from yêu, which expresses a deeper romantic love.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The form tôi thích is a formal way to say "I like". For a more friendly and casual tone among peers, you can use the informal mình thích. The phrase mình ưng is also an informal way to express liking. Additionally, mình thích cái này is a colloquial way to say "I like this".
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb thích does not change its form based on the subject or the tense of the sentence.
Did you know?
- The word tôi for 'I' actually originated from a word meaning 'slave' or 'servant'.
- In a real conversation, a Vietnamese speaker would rarely use tôi thích with a family member and would instead use a pronoun based on their relative age and rank.
- To express a preference for a specific object or person, Vietnamese speakers often omit the subject entirely and just say thích if the context is clear.
Examples in context
- Tôi thích đi bộ.I like walking.This sentence is useful for practicing how to express liking an activity using tôi thích.Tatoeba #13634550 by leucammieuvu, translation #3818760 by CK
- Tôi thích đồ ăn.I like food.This sentence is useful for practicing how to express liking a noun using tôi thích.Tatoeba #13642914 by leucammieuvu, translation #13642583 by rul
- tôi thích ánh nếnI like candlelight.Tatoeba #12538150 by thanhcona40, translation #1425 by CK
- Tôi thích học tiếng Việt.I like learning Vietnamese.
- Tôi thích đi du lịch.I like traveling.
- Mình thích phim này.I like this movie.
- Mình ưng cái áo mới của bạn.I like your new shirt.
- Tôi thích phim hàiI like comedy movies.
- Mình ưng màu sắc rực rỡ.I like vibrant colors.
- Tôi rất thích sách này.I really like this book.
- Mình thích món ăn này rất nhiều.I like this food a lot.
- 139 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hùng and Hương are talking about their hobbies.
- HùngTôi thích đọc sách vào buổi tối.I like reading books in the evening.
- HươngTôi cũng vậy, Hương rất thích sách.Me too, Hương likes books very much.
- HùngCòn Hương thì sao? Bạn thích gì?How about you, Hương? What do you like?
- HươngTôi thích nghe nhạc lúc làm việc.I like listening to music while working.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (tôi, thích) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries thích, tôi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
