bà lão
The English phrase "old lady" is translated into Vietnamese as bà lão.
bà lão is an informal way to refer to an elderly woman. It is often used in storytelling or descriptive writing to characterize a person.
Meaning: informal: elderly woman (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The term bà lão is composed of bà, meaning grandmother or lady and lão, which is a formal or literary term for an old person.
Which one should you use?
While bà lão is used for description, bà cụ is a more respectful and polite way to refer to an elderly woman.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
bà lão is considered informal and can sound slightly impersonal or even disrespectful if used to address an actual elderly woman in person. For more polite addressing, you might use the formal term Bà, which is similar to "madam" or "Mrs.", or the polite term Cụ, which is akin to "grandma" or "elderly lady."
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using bà lão to address an elderly woman directly in conversation, as it can lack the respect intended by more polite honorifics like Bà or Cụ.
Did you know?
- The term lão is derived from the Sino-Vietnamese character 老, which is the same root used to describe the concept of old age in many East Asian languages.
- Using bà lão to address a woman directly may feel like you are highlighting her wrinkles rather than offering a greeting.
- When reading Vietnamese folk tales, the appearance of bà lão often serves as a literary cue that the character is a person of great wisdom or a crucial figure in the plot.
Examples in context
- Bà lão đang ngồi ở ghế đá.The old lady is sitting on the stone bench.
- Tôi đã giúp bà lão xách đồ.I helped the old lady carry her things.
- Bà lão đó trông rất hiền lành.That old lady looks very kind.
Example conversation
Minh and Hương are walking in a park.
- MinhHương ơi, nhìn bà lão kia kìa.Hương, look at that old lady.
- HươngBà ấy đang cho chim ăn phải không?Is she feeding the birds?
- MinhĐúng rồi, bà lão có nhiều chim quá.Yes, the old lady has so many birds.
- HươngTrông thật là bình yên.It looks so peaceful.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bà, lão, CC BY-SA 4.0.
