vợ
[vəː˧˨ʔ]
The English word "wife" is vợ in Vietnamese.
vợ is the most common and general term for wife in Vietnamese. If you want to refer to a married couple (husband and wife) as a single unit, you can use the compound word vợ chồng.
Meaning: female partner in a marriage (noun)
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For an informal and affectionate way to refer to one's wife, similar to "the missus" or "wifey" in English, you can use bà xã. In contrast, hiền thê is a highly formal, literary and somewhat old-fashioned term often used in historical contexts or formal writing to mean "beloved wife". For an affectionate term used specifically among couples, you can use vợ yêu.
How does it change in a sentence?
The most common way to say "my wife" is vợ tôi. You can also use vợ của tôi, which is grammatically correct. Adding the particle của emphasizes the possession and is slightly more formal or emphatic.
Did you know?
- In the compound word vợ chồng ('husband and wife'), the word for 'wife' always comes first, regardless of who is speaking.
- The word vợ is derived from an Old Chinese word for 'wife' and is a cognate of the Sino-Vietnamese word phụ.
- Because Vietnamese uses a complex system of pronouns, a husband might refer to his 'wife' using a third-person pronoun or a kinship term instead of the word vợ when speaking to her directly.
Examples in context
- Tôi là vợ tôi.I am my wife.This sentence is useful for saying "I am my wife" using vợ.Tatoeba #13565086 by leucammieuvu, translation #13565084 by leucammieuvu
- Đó là vợ bạn à?Is that your wife?This sentence is useful for asking "Is that your wife?" using vợ.Tatoeba #13342814 by leucammieuvu, translation #3737771 by CK
- Tôi yêu vợ tôi.I love my wife.This sentence is useful for saying "I love my wife" using vợ.Tatoeba #13472280 by leucammieuvu, translation #436791 by lukaszpp
- Tối nay bạn đến chơi nhà tôi, tôi muốn giới thiệu bà xã cho bạn.Come to my place tonight, I want to introduce my wife to you.
- Em là vợ yêu của anh.You are my beloved wife.
- 52 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Minh and Mai are introducing their families at a party.
- MinhĐây là vợ tôi, Mai.This is my wife, Mai.
- MaiChào anh, tôi là Mai.Hello, I am Mai.
- MinhVợ tôi nấu ăn rất ngon.My wife cooks very well.
- MaiCảm ơn anh vì lời khen.Thank you for the compliment.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “wife” translations and entries vợ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries vợ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
