quá tốt
[kwaː˧˦ tot̚˧˦]word by word
The English phrase "so good" is translated into Vietnamese as quá tốt.
The phrase is used to describe something that is of very high quality or very satisfactory. You may also encounter informal alternatives like chất to say something is "so good," or siêu hay which translates more closely to "super good."
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Southern Vietnam, the slang expression Cực Kỳ Xịn is used to emphasize that something is "so good."
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase quá tốt, the word quá functions as an intensifier meaning "too" or "excessively." Placing quá before the adjective tốt emphasizes the degree of quality.
Did you know?
- In Vietnamese, describing food as quá tốt is rare. Speakers instead use quá ngon because 'good' usually refers to quality or morality, while 'delicious' is reserved for taste.
- The slang term chất used to mean 'so good' literally translates to 'substance' or 'matter' in English, implying that something has a high quality of essence.
- The intensifier quá is a Sino-Vietnamese word derived from the Chinese character 過, which carries the sense of crossing a limit or exceeding a boundary.
Examples in context
- Bạn đã hoàn thành công việc rất tốt.You have done a really good job.
- Đồ ăn trong nhà hàng này luôn hoàn hảo và ngon miệng.The food at this restaurant is always perfect and delicious.
- Bộ phim mới này rất chất.This new movie is so good.
- Bạn đánh guitar siêu hay.You play the guitar so well.
- Kỹ năng của anh ấy quá tốt.His skills are so good.
- Dịch vụ ở đây quá tốt.The service here is so good.
- Kết quả bài kiểm tra quá tốt.The test results are so good.
Example conversation
Nam and Hương are talking about a new movie they just watched.
- NamBạn thấy bộ phim thế nào?What did you think of the movie?
- HươngNó quá tốt, Nam ạ.It was so good, Nam.
- NamMình cũng thấy vậy.I think so too.
- HươngChúng ta nên xem lại lần nữa.We should watch it again.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (quá, tốt) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries quá, tốt, CC BY-SA 4.0.
