How to Say “I Want You” in Vietnamese

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anh muốn em
[ʔajŋ̟˧˧ muən˧˦ ʔɛm˧˧]word by word
In Vietnamese, "I want you" is expressed as anh muốn em.
The phrase anh muốn em is used to express romantic or sexual desire for another person. The specific choice of pronouns makes the phrase carry an intimate connotation.

What does it mean word for word?

The phrase is composed of anh (older brother/man), muốn (want) and em (younger sibling/woman).

Did you know?

  • In the past, some Vietnamese couples would refer to each other as thầy em and đẻ em, meaning 'father of the child' and 'mother of the child'.
  • Using anh and em in a romantic context creates a social hierarchy of 'older' and 'younger' within the relationship regardless of actual age.

Examples in context

  • Anh muốn em.
    I want you.
  • Lúc này, anh muốn em ở bên cạnh.
    Right now, I want you by my side.

Example conversation

A romantic dinner at a quiet restaurant.

  1. Lan

    Anh có biết em yêu anh không?
    Do you know that I love you?
  2. Minh

    Anh biết, và anh muốn em.
    I know, and I want you.
  3. Lan

    Em cũng cảm thấy như vậy.
    I feel the same way.
  4. Minh

    Chúng ta hãy về nhà nhé.
    Let's go home.

Sources

  • IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (anh, muốn, em) and can differ in connected speech.
  • Word origins: Wiktionary entries anh, em, muốn, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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Alfred Stuart
Alfred StuartHelp make this guide better. Spot a mistake, know another way to say it, or have an example from real life? Share it below.
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