Ways to say it
| Vietnamese | IPA |
|---|---|
| tên tôi là … (tôi varies according to audience) | |
| tôi tên là … | [toj˧˧ ten˧˧ laː˨˩] (Hà Nội, word by word, narrow) |
These phrases are used to identify yourself when introducing your name to others.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase tên tôi là … is composed of tên (name), tôi (I/me) and là (is).
Which one should you use?
The form tôi tên là … is a common alternative to tên tôi là …, where tôi acts as the subject of the sentence.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The word used for "I" (the word replacing tôi) must change depending on who you are talking to. To sound polite and natural when speaking to someone older than you, use em tên là … by replacing tôi with em. If you are a child or a much younger person speaking to an elderly person, use cháu tên là … instead of tôi or em.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the alternative form tôi tên là …, the word tôi functions as the subject of the sentence.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use tôi for every situation. In Vietnamese, you must change the word for "I" based on the age and social status of the person you are speaking to.
Did you know?
- The word tên (name) is actually a non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of a Chinese character meaning 'arrow'.
- Because the use of tôi changed how people addressed each other, Vietnamese speakers began using kinship terms like 'older brother' or 'aunt' as pronouns to fill the social gap.
- The word tôi appears in different regional forms, such as tui in Central and Southern Vietnam.
Examples in context
- Tôi là John.My name is John.
- Tôi là Maria Nguyễn.I am Maria Nguyen.
- Tên tôi là Maria Nguyễn.I'm Maria Nguyen.
- Tên tôi là Smith.I'm Smith.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “my name is” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (tôi, tên, là) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries là, to, tên, tôi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
