hôm nay
[hom˧˧ naj˧˧]
The English word "today" is expressed in Vietnamese as hôm nay. Wiktionary also lists bữa nay.
Meaning: on the current day (adv)
Ways to say it
| Vietnamese | IPA |
|---|---|
| hôm nay | [hom˧˧ naj˧˧] (Hà Nội, narrow) [hom˧˧ naj˧˧] (Huế, narrow) |
| bữa nay | [ʔɓɨə˦ˀ˥ naj˧˧] (Hà Nội, narrow) [ʔɓɨə˧˨ naj˧˧] (Huế, narrow) |
Both hôm nay and bữa nay are used as adverbs to mean "on the current day". These terms can also function as nouns meaning "today". For more formal contexts such as official announcements or formal writing, you may use the phrase Ngày hôm nay, which translates to "the day today".
What does it mean word for word?
The standard form hôm nay is composed of hôm, referring to a day or a period of time and nay, meaning "this" or "current".
Which one should you use?
hôm nay is the standard way to say "today" in most contexts. In contrast, bữa nay is a more colloquial form.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The form bữa nay is a colloquial expression often used in Southern Vietnamese dialects.
Related words
Did you know?
- The word hôm shares an ancient linguistic ancestor with the Zhuang language, specifically the word haemh, showing the deep roots of time-related vocabulary in the region.
- The word hôm used in hôm nay is an archaic term for 'day' that is rarely used on its own in modern speech, appearing mostly in fixed time expressions.
- In casual conversation, Vietnamese speakers may drop hôm nay entirely if the context is clear, using only the word nay to refer to the current time or state of things.
Examples in context
- Hôm nay quá nóngIt is very hot today.This sentence shows how to use hôm nay to describe the weather.Tatoeba #12556758 by thanhcona40, translation #1689 by blay_paul
- Hôm nay giá cao.Prices are high today.This sentence shows how to use hôm nay when discussing prices.Tatoeba #13508465 by leucammieuvu, translation #13507068 by rul
- Hôm nay tôi rảnh.I'm free today.This sentence shows how to use hôm nay to express availability.Tatoeba #9734384 by dotheduyet1999, translation #257587 by CK
- Hôm nay tôi đi làmToday, I am going to work.
- Ngày hôm nay là ngày 30 tháng 5Today is the 30th of May.
- Tôi thức dậy sớm nayI woke up early today.
- Hôm nay tôi tham dự cuộc họp.Today, I'm attending the meeting.
- Hôm nay tôi muốn đi du lịch.Today, I want to go on a trip.
- 163 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chi and Minh are talking about their plans for the day.
- ChiHôm nay anh có bận không?Are you busy today?
- MinhAnh không bận, sao vậy Chi?I am not busy, why is that, Chi?
- ChiChúng ta đi xem phim nhé.Let's go see a movie.
- MinhĐược, hẹn gặp em hôm nay.Okay, see you today.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “today” translations and entries hôm nay, bữa nay, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bữa, bữa nay, hôm, hôm nay, nay, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
