ngồi
[ŋoj˨˩]
The English verb sit is translated into Vietnamese as ngồi.
The word ngồi is used to describe a person being in a position where the upper body is upright and the legs are supported.
Meaning: of a person, be in a position in which the upper body is upright and the legs are supported (verb)
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb ngồi can describe both the action of sitting down and the state of being seated.
When do people say it?
When inviting someone to sit, it is common to use mời ngồi (literally 'invite to sit') rather than just the verb alone.
Did you know?
- While ngồi describes sitting, the Vietnamese language uses different verbs for sitting based on the posture, such as whether one is cross-legged or squatting.
- The word ngồi shares an ancient root with the Khmer word for sit, អង្គុយ, linking Vietnamese to the Mon-Khmer language family.
- The word ngồi has a sibling, ngôi, which looks almost identical but refers to a position, a rank, or even a star in the sky.
Examples in context
- Hãy ngồi ở đó.Sit there.This sentence is useful for telling someone to sit at a specific location using ngồi.Tatoeba #8997856 by dotheduyet1999, translation #2111551 by CK
- Tôi sẽ ngồi xuống.I'm going to sit down.This sentence is useful for expressing the intention to sit down using ngồi.Tatoeba #9735945 by dotheduyet1999, translation #9735943 by CK
- Ngồi đây với tôi một lát.Sit down with me for a while.This sentence is useful for inviting someone to sit down with you for a period of time using ngồi.Tatoeba #13173279 by leucammieuvu, translation #12211303 by CK
- 18 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Tuan and Lan are meeting at a cafe.
- TuấnLan, cậu ngồi ở đây nhé.Lan, you sit here, okay?
- LanĐược, để mình ngồi xuống đã.Sure, let me sit down first.
- TuấnCậu muốn ngồi gần cửa sổ không?Do you want to sit near the window?
- LanKhông, ngồi đây là tốt rồi.No, sitting here is already good.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sit” translations and entries ngồi, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ngồi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
