Local words in Vietnamese
In this post, Tiengviet24h will introduce to you: Local words in Vietnamese. Let’s start!
Common words and local words
– Common words are words that are used widely in a country. Example: bố (father), mẹ (mother), dứa (pineapple), lợn (pig), trâu (buffalo), hoa (flower),…
– Local words are words that are used only in one or some specific areas. Example: thầy (father), u (mother), tía (father), má (mother), thơm (pineapple), heo (pig), tru (buffalo), bông (flower),…
Classification of local words
– Local words are divided into 3 categories depending on areas:
+ Local words in Northern Vietnam: bố (father), mẹ (mother), bát (bowl), béo (fat), cốc (glass), chăn (blanket), cơm rang (fried rice), dọc mùng (mint), dứa (pineapple), hoa (flower),…
+ Local words in Central Vietnam: mi – mày (you), tau – tao (I), chủi – chổi (broom), đọi – bát (bowl), tru – trâu (buffalo), bổ – ngã (to fall), mần – làm (to do), vô – vào (to enter), mô – đâu / nào (where),…
+ Local words in Southern Vietnam: ba (father), má (mother), bạc hà (mint), chả lụa (pork bologna), chảnh (haughty), bắp (corn), trễ (late), nói xạo (to lie), xỉn (drunken),…
– Local words are divided into 2 categories depending on meanings:
+ Local words that have the same meanings with common words: tô – bát (bowl), tê – kia (that / those), honda – xe máy (motorcycle), xỉn – say (drunken), trứng gà – hột gà (egg), xà bông – xà phòng (soap),…
+ Local words that have the same pronunciation but different meanings with common words: cậu (common words –> mother’s younger brother; local words –> mother’s elder brother), té (common words –> to splash; local words –> to fall), râu (common words –> beard; local words –> buffalo), lái (common words –> to drive; local words –> net),…
Some situations
Situation 1
Bố: Là người Huế đến Hà Nội thì cần phải nhớ một số từ phổ thông để có thể dễ dàng nói chuyện với người ta. Chẳng hạn như, “tê” là “kia”, “răng” là “sao”, “mô” là “đâu”,…
Father: As Hue people, when visiting Hanoi, it’s necessary to remember some common words to talk easily with other people. For example, “tê” means “kia”, “răng” means “sao”, “mô” means “đâu”, …
Con: Vâng ạ. Thế bố ơi, nếu bị “tê răng” thì con phải nói là bị “kia sao” ạ?
Son: Yes. Then I will say “kia sao” when my tooth is numb, won’t I?
Situation 2
Nam: Ơ, râu của bà đâu, bộ đem bán rồi hử?
Man: Oh, where’s your beard, did you sell it?
Nữ: Vô duyên, tôi làm gì có râu mà đem bán chứ.
Woman: You are so rude! I don’t have beard to sell.
Nam: Ơ hay, hôm qua tôi còn thấy bà tắm cho nó nữa mà.
Man: What? I saw you bathe it yesterday.
Nữ: Đồ khùng!
Woman: You are crazy!
Actually, “râu” that the man said means buffalo, but the woman mistakenly thought that it means beard.
Above is: Local words in Vietnamese. See other similar posts in category: Vietnamese grammar
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