bà
[ʔɓaː˨˩]
The Vietnamese word for "Mrs." is bà.
bà is a title used for a woman, typically one who is older or holds a higher social status than the person speaking.
Meaning: title before a woman's name (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Northern Vietnam (Miền Bắc), people might use Cô followed by a woman's personal name to address married women.
When do people say it?
The title bà can also function as a kinship term meaning grandmother. This reflects the importance of age-based hierarchy in Vietnamese social address.
Did you know?
- While bà is the formal equivalent of 'Mrs.', using it to address a woman much younger than yourself can actually come across as sarcastic or even insulting.
- In very formal or historical contexts, bà can be combined with other words to create titles for royalty or nobility, such as bà hoàng for an empress.
- In Vietnamese, bà can be used to address a woman even if you are not sure of her marital status, provided she is older than you.
Examples in context
- Chào bà Lan.Hello, Mrs. Lan.
- Bà Hoa là giáo viên của tôi.Mrs. Hoa is my teacher.
- Tôi muốn gặp bà Nguyễn.I want to meet Mrs. Nguyen.
Example conversation
Nam introduces his mother to Huong.
- NamHương, đây là bà Hoa.Huong, this is Mrs. Hoa.
- HươngRất vui được gặp bà.It is a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Hoa.
- NamBà Hoa là mẹ của tôi.Mrs. Hoa is my mother.
- HươngChào bà Hoa ạ.Greetings, Mrs. Hoa.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mrs” translations and entries bà, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
