How to Say “Yes, Sir” in Vietnamese

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vâng, thưa ngài
[vəŋ˧˧ tʰɨə˧˧ ŋaːj˨˩]word by word
The English phrase "yes, sir" is translated into Vietnamese as vâng, thưa ngài.
In Vietnamese, there are several ways to express agreement or politeness depending on the context. The word Vâng is used to express agreement politely and can be used alone or as part of a longer phrase. The word Dạ is used to show respect and politeness and can be used alone or at the beginning or end of a sentence. Combining these into Dạ vâng is a respectful yet friendly way to say 'Yes, Sir'.

Which one should you use?

While vâng, thưa ngài is a formal way to address a man in authority, other variations exist for different levels of politeness. For example, the expression Vâng ạ is more formal than using Ừ alone and includes the polite particle ạ.

Is it said differently in some regions?

In Northern Vietnam, Vâng ạ is more common.

Did you know?

  • The word ngài has a historical connection to the Old Chinese word for 'moth', written as 蛾.
  • Using vâng without any polite particles can sound blunt or cold to a native speaker, even if the dictionary defines it as polite.

Examples in context

  • Vâng, thưa ngài, tôi đã hiểu.
    Yes, sir, I understand.
  • Vâng, thưa ngài, tôi sẽ làm ngay.
    Yes, sir, I will do it immediately.
  • Vâng, thưa ngài, mọi thứ đã sẵn sàng.
    Yes, sir, everything is ready.

Example conversation

An employee confirms a task with his manager.

  1. Chi

    Anh đã hoàn thành báo cáo chưa?
    Have you finished the report yet?
  2. Minh

    Vâng, thưa ngài, tôi vừa gửi qua email.
    Yes, sir, I just sent it via email.
  3. Chi

    Tốt lắm, tôi sẽ xem lại sau.
    Very good, I will review it later.
  4. Minh

    Cảm ơn ngài.
    Thank you, sir.

Sources

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Nolan Tanner
Nolan TannerHelp make this guide better. Spot a mistake, know another way to say it, or have an example from real life? Share it below.
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