nhớ bạn
[ɲəː˧˦ ʔɓaːn˧˨ʔ]word by word
The English phrase 'miss you' is translated into Vietnamese as nhớ bạn.
nhớ bạn is used to express that you feel sadness because someone is not with you. Vietnamese speakers often replace bạn with other personal pronouns to reflect the specific relationship between the speakers. For example, a man speaking to a younger woman or his girlfriend would say nhớ em instead. Similarly, a woman speaking to an older man or her boyfriend would say nhớ anh. You can also say Tôi nhớ bạn rất nhiều to mean 'I miss you very much'.
What does it mean word for word?
The verb nhớ means both 'to miss' (someone) or 'to remember' (something).
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb nhớ is a stable verb and does not change its form based on tense or person.
Did you know?
- Depending on the Chinese character used for the root of bạn, the word can relate to 'companion' or 'betrayal'.
- Because Vietnamese is a tonal language, changing the tone of nhớ can completely change the meaning to a different word, making the pitch essential for expressing affection.
- In Vietnamese romantic songs and poetry, nhớ is often used to describe a haunting or lingering presence of someone, rather than just a feeling of sadness.
Examples in context
- Tôi sẽ nhớ bạn.I will miss you.This sentence is useful for expressing a future intention using nhớ bạn.Tatoeba #1550778 by trieuho, translation #1550027 by miflhanc
- Tôi nhớ bạnI miss you.This sentence is useful for expressing a current feeling using nhớ bạn.Tatoeba #12528568 by thanhcona40, translation #1308 by brauliobezerra
- Chúng tôi sẽ rất nhớ bạn nếu bạn rời Nhật bản.We will miss you terribly if you leave Japan.This sentence is useful for expressing a strong feeling of missing someone using nhớ bạn.Tatoeba #4611367 by khoaharp, translation #71337 by CM
Example conversation
Chi and Hùng are talking on the phone before Hùng leaves for a trip.
- ChiNgày mai Hùng đi rồi, mình sẽ nhớ bạn.Hùng is leaving tomorrow, I will miss you.
- HùngMình cũng sẽ nhớ bạn nhiều lắm.I will miss you very much too.
- ChiKhi nào bạn về thì gọi mình nhé.Call me when you come back.
- HùngĐược rồi, mình hứa đấy.Okay, I promise.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (nhớ, bạn) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bạn, nhớ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
