tuần
[twən˨˩]
The Vietnamese word for week is tuần. If unsure, use tuần. Wiktionary also lists tuần lễ.
Meaning: period of seven days (noun)
Ways to say it
| Vietnamese | IPA |
|---|---|
| tuần | [twən˨˩] (Hà Nội, narrow) [twəŋ˦˩] (Huế, narrow) |
| tuần lễ | [twən˨˩ le˦ˀ˥] (Hà Nội, narrow) [twəŋ˦˩ lej˧˨] (Huế, narrow) |
The word is used to refer to a period of seven days.
Which one should you use?
While tuần is the standard word for a week, tuần lễ is often used to refer to a specific, organized period of time, such as a festive week or a week of celebration.
How does it change in a sentence?
You can modify tuần to specify different timeframes: to say 'last week', place trước (before/previous) immediately after tuần to get tuần trước. To say 'next week', place sau (after/next) immediately after tuần to get tuần sau. To say 'this week', place này (this) after tuần to get tuần này. And to say 'every week', place mỗi (each/every) before tuần to get mỗi tuần.
Did you know?
- The word tuần can also be found in verbs meaning 'to patrol' or 'to go around'. This shows a historical connection between the cyclical nature of time and the physical act of moving through a cycle.
- The word tuần historically referred to a ten-day period rather than a seven-day week. This stems from its Sino-Vietnamese roots, where it originally described a cycle of ten days.
- The word lễ inside tuần lễ is etymologically related to the Vietnamese word lạy, which refers to the physical act of bowing or prostrating. This highlights the deep connection between time, ritual, and bodily respect.
Examples in context
- Trời đã mưa cả tuần.It rained all week.This sentence shows how to use tuần to describe something happening for the entire duration of a week.Tatoeba #13376854 by leucammieuvu, translation #6310254 by Hybrid
- Trời mưa tuần trước.It rained last week.This sentence demonstrates how to use tuần when referring to the previous week.Tatoeba #13379295 by leucammieuvu, translation #5466727 by CK
- Tôi sẽ ở đây cả tuần.I'll be here all week.This sentence illustrates the use of tuần to indicate staying in a place for the whole week.Tatoeba #9008621 by dotheduyet1999, translation #4976803 by CK
- Tuần này, tôi có rất nhiều việc phải làm.This week, I have a lot of things to do.
- Tuần tới, chúng ta có thể đi dạo ở công viên.Next week, we can go for a walk in the park.
- 80 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two colleagues are discussing their work schedules.
- TuấnTuần này bạn có bận không?Are you busy this week?
- MaiTuần này tôi rất bận.I am very busy this week.
- TuấnVậy tuần sau được không?Then is next week okay?
- MaiTuần sau tôi rảnh nhé.I am free next week.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “week” translations and entries tuần, tuần lễ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries lễ, tuần, tuần lễ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
