Welcome to our guide on how to say times in Vietnamese! Whether you’re planning a trip to Vietnam or simply curious about the language, knowing how to express time is essential for effective communication. In this guide, we’ll cover both the formal and informal ways of telling time, providing you with plenty of tips and examples along the way. Let’s get started!
Table of Contents
1. Expressing Time in Formal Situations
In formal settings, it is important to use polite and respectful language when discussing time. Here are some useful phrases:
1.1 Hours
To express specific hours, you can use the phrase:
“Bây giờ là + [number] giờ.”
For example, to say “It is 2 o’clock,” you would say:
“Bây giờ là hai giờ.”
Similarly, for saying “It is 6 o’clock,” you would say:
“Bây giờ là sáu giờ.”
Remember to always include the phrase “bây giờ là” before stating the hour.
1.2 Minutes
To express minutes in formal situations, use the following pattern:
“Bây giờ là + [number of minutes] + phút.”
For example, to say “It is 10 minutes past 3,” you would say:
“Bây giờ là ba giờ mười phút.”
Similarly, for saying “It is 20 minutes to 5,” you would say:
“Bây giờ là năm giờ mười phút chuẩn bị.”
2. Informal Ways of Telling Time
In casual conversations or with friends, you can use more relaxed expressions to talk about time. Here are some examples:
2.1 Hours
An informal way to express hours is to use the following phrases:
“[Number] giờ.”
“[Number]h.”
To say “It is 2 o’clock,” you can simply say:
“Hai giờ.”
“Hai giờ h.”
Use the phrase that you find most comfortable and natural.
2.2 Minutes
To express minutes casually, you can use these phrases:
“[Number] giờ + [number of minutes].”
“[Number]h + [number of minutes].”
To say “It is 10 minutes past 3,” you could say:
“Ba giờ chừng mười phút.”
For expressing “It is 20 minutes to 5,” you can say:
“Năm giờ chừng hai mươi phút.”
3. Useful Tips and Regional Variations
Here are some additional tips and information about regional variations when talking about time in Vietnamese:
3.1 Use “Khoảng” for Approximate Time
When expressing approximate time, you can use the word “khoảng” before stating the time. For example, “around 9 o’clock” would be:
“Khoảng chín giờ.”
3.2 Northern and Southern Variations
There are slight differences in how time is expressed in northern and southern regions of Vietnam. In the north, people tend to drop the word “giờ” when stating the hour, while in the south, it is generally included. For example:
In the North: “Ba giờ” (3 o’clock)
In the South: “Ba giờ rưỡi” (3:30)
These variations should not cause significant confusion, but it’s good to be aware of them when communicating with locals.
4. Additional Time-related Vocabulary
To further enhance your understanding of expressing time in Vietnamese, here are some additional words related to time:
- ‘Giờ’ – Hour
- ‘Phút’ – Minute
- ‘Giây’ – Second
- ‘Buổi sáng’ – Morning
- ‘Buổi trưa’ – Noon
- ‘Buổi chiều’ – Afternoon/Evening
- ‘Buổi tối’ – Evening/Night
By familiarizing yourself with these words, you’ll have a more comprehensive grasp of time-related conversations in Vietnamese.
Conclusion
Congratulations! You’ve reached the end of our guide on how to say times in Vietnamese. Now you have the knowledge to express time both formally and informally, allowing you to engage in meaningful conversations about schedules, appointments, and more. Remember to pay attention to regional variations and keep practicing to enhance your conversational skills. Best of luck, or as they say in Vietnamese, “Chúc bạn may mắn!”
