chờ
[t͡ɕəː˨˩]
The English verb wait is expressed in Vietnamese using the forms chờ, đợi or chờ đợi.
Meaning: delay until some event (verb)
Ways to say it
| Vietnamese | IPA |
|---|---|
| chờ | [t͡ɕəː˨˩] (Hà Nội, narrow) [t͡ɕəː˦˩] (Huế, narrow) |
| đợi | [ʔɗəːj˧˨ʔ] (Hà Nội, narrow) [ʔɗəːj˨˩ʔ] (Huế, narrow) |
| chờ đợi | [t͡ɕəː˨˩ ʔɗəːj˧˨ʔ] (Hà Nội, narrow) [t͡ɕəː˦˩ ʔɗəːj˨˩ʔ] (Huế, narrow) |
All these forms describe the action of delaying until some event occurs.
Which one should you use?
While chờ and đợi are often interchangeable, chờ is more commonly used for waiting for a specific event or time, whereas đợi can feel slightly more personal or focused on the act of waiting for a person. The compound form chờ đợi is more formal or literary than the single words chờ or đợi.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the central and southern regions of Vietnam, the term chút may be replaced with lát in phrases meaning wait.
How does it change in a sentence?
To turn chờ into a polite command like 'Please wait', you should add vui lòng or xin before it, such as Xin chờ một chút.
Did you know?
- The word đợi is a non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of the Chinese character 待, which is also read as đãi in other contexts.
- Adding vui lòng before chờ literally means 'please be happy to wait', turning a command into a polite request.
- If you are waiting for a person you respect, you might add a kinship term after the verb, such as đợi bác for 'wait for uncle', to make the sentence sound more natural and polite.
Examples in context
- Chờ ở đây nhé.Wait here.This sentence shows how to use chờ to tell someone to wait in a specific location.Tatoeba #13339698 by leucammieuvu, translation #1841188 by CK
- Hãy để Tom đợi.Let Tom wait.This sentence demonstrates the use of đợi to express letting someone wait.Tatoeba #8962072 by dotheduyet1999, translation #6645784 by CK
- Chờ ở ngoài đi.Wait outside.This sentence uses chờ to instruct someone to wait outside.Tatoeba #13333993 by leucammieuvu, translation #2549741 by CK
- Bạn có thể chờ một chút được không?Could you wait a moment, please?
- Xin vui lòng đợi, chúng tôi sẽ đến ngay.Please wait, we'll come right away.
- Chờ tí nhé, mình đang giữ chỗ.Wait a bit, I'm saving a spot.
- Đợi một chút nha, mình chỉ mua cái này xong là đi.Wait for a moment, I'll finish buying this and then we go.
- 70 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Minh and Huong are meeting at a cafe.
- MinhHương ơi, chờ mình một chút nhé!Huong, please wait for me a little bit!
- HươngĐược, mình sẽ chờ bạn ở đây.Okay, I will wait for you here.
- MinhXin lỗi, mình bắt bạn phải chờ lâu.Sorry, I made you wait a long time.
- HươngKhông sao đâu, mình không phiền mà.It is okay, I do not mind.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “wait” translations and entries chờ, đợi, chờ đợi, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries chờ đợi, đợi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
