What does "for" mean in Vietnamese?
For the autodidact student: the English word "for" is a preposition that points at the one who gains from an action ("a gift for Mother", "I cook for you"), at a purpose ("a knife for cutting"), at a reason ("I did it for love") and at a length of time ("for three days"). The vocabulary list that this course follows gives "for" as a preposition, purpose/benefit, indicates reason. Vietnamese has no single word that covers all of this. It has one word for each job, and this lesson teaches the commonest of them.
- Benefit and recipient: cho (no tone mark, level tone). It means "for" and "to" before the person who gains or who receives, and it is the headword of this lesson. It is also the ordinary verb "to give". - Purpose, with a verb: để "in order to", met in Lesson 12. - Reason, and sake: vì "because (of), for the sake of". - Length of time: no preposition at all (Section D, rule 10).
Five things differ from English:
1. One word means "give" and "for". Cho tôi một ly cà phê (14.3) is "Give me a coffee", with cho as the verb. Tôi mua quà cho mẹ (14.2) is "I buy a gift for Mother", with cho after the verb and its object. The place of the word in the sentence tells which job it does. 2. Cho comes after the verb and its object. English says "I cook for you" and Vietnamese says Mẹ nấu cơm cho tôi (14.4), "Mother cooks rice for me". The beneficiary closes the phrase: cho mẹ (14.2), cho cả nhà (14.8), cho tôi (14.9). 3. Verbs of handing need cho. English can say "I send you a letter". Vietnamese says gửi thư cho bạn (14.5), đưa quyển sách đó cho tôi (14.7), kể chuyện cho con (14.6): the recipient comes after cho. 4. "For" of reason is not cho. For "for the sake of", say Tôi làm việc này vì gia đình (14.10), with vì. For "in order to", use để (Lesson 12), and not cho. 5. Some English "for"s have no word at all. "I stayed for three days", "I am looking for a book" and "Thank you for buying them" have no cho in Vietnamese (rule 10, and 14.30).
The word in the dictionaries. English Wiktionary lists cho as a verb (to give; to let, to make; to allow; to put, to add; to deem; and, in mathematics, to suppose), as a particle (it stresses để, as in Để cho tôi làm!, and it marks a dative, as in Để tôi làm cho!, 14.15) and as a preposition ("for; to" and "until, till"). The Vietnamese Wiktionary separates the preposition's uses into the recipient or beneficiary (Gửi quà cho bạn), the thing that is touched or affected (Có hại cho công việc, 14.13; Bổ ích cho nhiều người, 14.14) and a purpose or goal (học cho giỏi, chờ cho mọi người đến đủ, rule 6). It also records uses in which cho stresses a degree or softens a request (rule 9).
Already met. The word has been in the course for some time: gửi tiền cho con (7.26), gọi điện cho tôi (8.8), cho tôi hỏi (8.22), cho bạn mượn (9.10), nhắn địa chỉ cho tôi (9.29), cho nó ăn (10.12), nấu cơm cho bạn (12.17) and Ai đó gọi cho Nam (13.24), and Cho tôi một ly cà phê is among the fixed phrases of Lesson 8. Để was Lesson 12, and vì appeared in 10.9 and 10.28. This lesson sets all of them in order.
Why cho, and not another word. The list gives "purpose/benefit" for "for", and the "benefit" half is cho: it is the word for the one who gains, and it is the commonest of the Vietnamese "for"s. Vì and để have their own places in Section D, rule 7, and dành cho "intended for" and cho đến "until" in rule 8.
Orthography. Cho is ch + o, with no tone mark: the tone is level. Ch is a single letter of the Vietnamese alphabet. The same letters with other marks are other words: chó (dog), chỗ (place), chợ (market), chờ (to wait). Tone is part of the spelling.
Frequently asked.
What does "cho" mean in Vietnamese? As a verb, "to give", and as a preposition, "for" or "to" before a person: Quà cho mẹ. (14.1) "A gift for Mother."
How do I say "I cook for the whole family"? Tôi nấu cơm cho cả nhà. (14.8)
How do I say "for the sake of the family"? Vì gia đình (14.10), with vì, and not cho.
- Cho = "give" and "for/to": Cho tôi một ly cà phê. (14.3), Tôi mua quà cho mẹ. (14.2) - For the beneficiary, cho goes after the verb and its object: nấu cơm cho tôi (14.4), mở cửa cho tôi (14.9) - Verbs of handing, sending and telling take cho before the recipient: gửi thư cho bạn (14.5), kể chuyện cho con (14.6), đọc cho Nam nghe (14.25) - Reason and sake are vì (14.10, 14.26) and purpose with a verb is để (Lesson 12); "intended for" is dành cho (14.28) and "until" is cho đến (14.29) - "Thank you for …" has no "for": Cảm ơn bạn đã mua hoa cho mẹ tôi. (14.30)
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The IPA in this lesson is a broad transcription of the Hanoi standard, with the tone written in Chao tone letters after each syllable, as in the earlier lessons. The six tones, in Hanoi values:
- Level, no mark: ma /maː˧˧/ "ghost" - Falling, grave accent: mà /maː˨˩/ "but" - Rising, acute accent: má /maː˧˦/ "mother (Southern); cheek" - Dipping, hook above: mả /maː˧˩/ "grave, tomb" - Broken rising, tilde: mã /maː˧˥/ "horse (Sino-Vietnamese)", with a glottal break in the middle of the vowel - Heavy, dot below: mạ /maː˧˨ʔ/ "rice seedling", short, low, ending in a glottal catch
Key words for this lesson:
- cho /t͡ɕɔ˧˧/ — ch is [t͡ɕ] in Hanoi, a "ch" said with the tongue flat against the palate and no puff of air. English Wiktionary records the Saigon pronunciation as [cɔ˧˧], with a stop [c] at the start. The vowel o is an open [ɔ], like the vowel of British "thought" cut short. The tone is level. - đưa /ʔɗɨə˧˧/ — đ is an implosive [ʔɗ]. ưa glides from [ɨ], a spread vowel, to [ə]. - gửi /ɣɨj˧˩/ and thư /tʰɨ˧˧/ — ư is a spread [ɨ]. g is [ɣ], and th is an aspirated [tʰ]. - quà /kwaː˨˩/ and hoa /hwaː˧˧/ — qu and oa carry a [w] glide. - xin /sin˧˧/ and xong /sawŋ͡m˧˧/ — x is [s], and not "ks". The o of xong is spoken [aw] before ng, and the lips close at the end. - sữa /sɨə˧˥/, ít /ʔit˧˦/ and muối /muəj˧˦/ — ữa glides [ɨ] to [ə], and uối glides [u] to [ə] to [j]. - kể /ke˧˩/ and nghe /ŋɛ˧˧/ — ê is a closed [e] and e an open [ɛ]; ng at the start of a word is [ŋ]. - bố /ʔɓo˧˦/ and bó /ʔɓɔ˧˦/ — b is an implosive [ʔɓ]. ô is a closed [o] and o an open [ɔ]: the two words differ by the vowel and not by the tone. - công /kəwŋ͡m˧˧/ and hồng /həwŋ͡m˨˩/ — ô before ng is spoken [əw], and the lips close at the end. - vì /vi˨˩/ and vui /vuj˧˧/ — v is [v] in Hanoi, and often [j] in the South. - việc /viək˧˨ʔ/, chuyện /t͡ɕwiən˧˨ʔ/ and thiệp /tʰiəp˧˨ʔ/ — iê glides from [i] to [ə]. A heavy tone with a final -c, -n or -p is short and low, with a glottal catch. - dành /zajŋ˨˩/ and chính /t͡ɕiŋ˧˦/ — a final -nh is [ŋ], with a glide [j] after a. d is [z] in Hanoi. - tấm /təm˧˦/ and nhật /ɲət˧˨ʔ/ — ấ and ậ are a short [ə]. nh is [ɲ], like Spanish ñ. - chúc /t͡ɕuk͡p˧˦/ and mừng /mɨŋ˨˩/ — after u the lips close at the end of -c; after ư they do not. - ạ /ʔaː˧˨ʔ/ — the word begins with a glottal stop, which English does not write, as in the pause of "uh-oh".
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14.1a Quà gift cho for mẹ mother
14.1b Quà /kwaː˨˩/ gift cho /t͡ɕɔ˧˧/ for.BEN mẹ /mɛ˧˨ʔ/ mother
14.2a Tôi I mua buy quà gift cho for mẹ mother
14.2b Tôi /toj˧˧/ 1SG mua /muə˧˧/ buy quà /kwaː˨˩/ gift cho /t͡ɕɔ˧˧/ for.BEN mẹ /mɛ˧˨ʔ/ mother
14.3a Cho give tôi me một one ly glass cà coffee- phê -coffee
14.3b Cho /t͡ɕɔ˧˧/ give.IMP tôi /toj˧˧/ 1SG(OBJ) một /mot˧˨ʔ/ one ly /li˧˧/ CL.glass cà /kaː˨˩/ coffee(1) phê /fe˧˧/ coffee(2)
14.4a Mẹ mother nấu cook cơm rice cho for tôi me
14.4b Mẹ /mɛ˧˨ʔ/ mother nấu /nəw˧˦/ cook cơm /kəːm˧˧/ cooked.rice cho /t͡ɕɔ˧˧/ for.BEN tôi /toj˧˧/ 1SG(OBJ)
14.5a Tôi I gửi send thư letter cho to bạn you
14.5b Tôi /toj˧˧/ 1SG gửi /ɣɨj˧˩/ send thư /tʰɨ˧˧/ letter cho /t͡ɕɔ˧˧/ to.BEN bạn /ʔɓaːn˧˨ʔ/ 2SG
14.6a Bố father kể tell chuyện story cho to con child
14.6b Bố /ʔɓo˧˦/ father kể /ke˧˩/ tell chuyện /t͡ɕwiən˧˨ʔ/ story cho /t͡ɕɔ˧˧/ to.BEN con /kɔn˧˧/ child
14.7a Anh older-brother ấy that đưa hand quyển (book) sách book đó that cho to tôi me
14.7b Anh /ʔajŋ˧˧/ older.brother(3SG) ấy /ʔəj˧˦/ DEM.MED đưa /ʔɗɨə˧˧/ hand.over quyển /kwiən˧˩/ CL.volume sách /sajk˧˦/ book đó /ʔɗɔ˧˦/ DEM.MED cho /t͡ɕɔ˧˧/ to.BEN tôi /toj˧˧/ 1SG(OBJ)
14.8a Hôm day nay this tôi I nấu cook cơm rice cho for cả whole nhà house
14.8b Hôm /hom˧˧/ day nay /naj˧˧/ this.present tôi /toj˧˧/ 1SG nấu /nəw˧˦/ cook cơm /kəːm˧˧/ cooked.rice cho /t͡ɕɔ˧˧/ for.BEN cả /kaː˧˩/ whole nhà /ɲaː˨˩/ household
14.9a Bạn you có have thể can mở open cửa door cho for tôi me không? or-not
14.9b Bạn /ʔɓaːn˧˨ʔ/ 2SG có /kɔ˧˦/ can(1) thể /tʰe˧˩/ can(2) mở /məː˧˩/ open cửa /kɨə˧˩/ door cho /t͡ɕɔ˧˧/ for.BEN tôi /toj˧˧/ 1SG(OBJ) không /xəwŋ͡m˧˧/ Q.NEG
14.10a Tôi I làm do việc matter này this vì for-the-sake-of gia family- đình -family
14.10b Tôi /toj˧˧/ 1SG làm /laːm˨˩/ do việc /viək˧˨ʔ/ matter này /naj˨˩/ DEM.PROX vì /vi˨˩/ for.the.sake.of gia /zaː˧˧/ family(1) đình /ʔɗiŋ˨˩/ family(2)
14.11a Cho give em younger-sibling xin ask một one ít little sữa milk
14.11b Cho /t͡ɕɔ˧˧/ give.IMP em /ʔɛm˧˧/ younger.sibling(1SG) xin /sin˧˧/ request.POL một /mot˧˨ʔ/ one ít /ʔit˧˦/ little sữa /sɨə˧˥/ milk
14.12a Cho put thêm more tí bit muối salt đi do-it
14.12b Cho /t͡ɕɔ˧˧/ put.in thêm /tʰem˧˧/ more tí /ti˧˦/ a.bit muối /muəj˧˦/ salt đi /ʔɗi˧˧/ IMP.PART
14.13a Có have hại harm cho for công work- việc -work
14.13b Có /kɔ˧˦/ have hại /haːj˧˨ʔ/ harm cho /t͡ɕɔ˧˧/ for.(affected) công /kəwŋ͡m˧˧/ work(1) việc /viək˧˨ʔ/ work(2)
14.14a Bổ nourish- ích -benefit cho for nhiều many người person
14.14b Bổ /ʔɓo˧˩/ beneficial(1) ích /ʔik˧˦/ beneficial(2) cho /t͡ɕɔ˧˧/ for.(affected) nhiều /ɲiəw˨˩/ many người /ŋɨəj˨˩/ person
14.15a Để let tôi I làm do cho! for
14.15b Để /ʔɗe˧˩/ let tôi /toj˧˧/ 1SG làm /laːm˨˩/ do cho /t͡ɕɔ˧˧/ PART.BEN
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Provenance. 14.11, 14.12 and 14.15 follow the examples that the English Wiktionary entry for cho gives for the verb "to give", the verb "to put; to add" and the dative particle. 14.13 and 14.14 follow phrase examples of the Vietnamese Wiktionary entry, under the sense of the object that is affected. 14.2 and 14.4 follow the benefactive pattern (verb, object, cho, beneficiary) that the grammar guides consulted give, with other words. 14.3 is the café order of Lesson 8. 14.10 uses the sense "for the sake of" that English Wiktionary gives for vì. All the other examples, and all of the dialogue (14.16 to 14.30), are made for the lesson from verified words and patterns, and are not quotations.
14.1 Quà cho mẹ. → "A gift for Mother."
14.2 Tôi mua quà cho mẹ. → "I buy a gift for Mother."
14.3 Cho tôi một ly cà phê. → "Give me a coffee."
14.4 Mẹ nấu cơm cho tôi. → "Mother cooks rice for me."
14.5 Tôi gửi thư cho bạn. → "I send a letter to you."
14.6 Bố kể chuyện cho con. → "Father tells the child a story."
14.7 Anh ấy đưa quyển sách đó cho tôi. → "He hands me that book."
14.8 Hôm nay tôi nấu cơm cho cả nhà. → "Today I am cooking for the whole family."
14.9 Bạn có thể mở cửa cho tôi không? → "Can you open the door for me?"
14.10 Tôi làm việc này vì gia đình. → "I do this for the sake of my family."
14.11 Cho em xin một ít sữa. → "Give me a little milk, please."
14.12 Cho thêm tí muối đi. → "Add a little more salt." (a friendly instruction)
14.13 Có hại cho công việc. → "It is harmful to one's work." (a phrase)
14.14 Bổ ích cho nhiều người. → "Useful for many people." (a phrase)
14.15 Để tôi làm cho! → "Let me do it (for you)!"
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14.1 Quà cho mẹ.
14.2 Tôi mua quà cho mẹ.
14.3 Cho tôi một ly cà phê.
14.4 Mẹ nấu cơm cho tôi.
14.5 Tôi gửi thư cho bạn.
14.6 Bố kể chuyện cho con.
14.7 Anh ấy đưa quyển sách đó cho tôi.
14.8 Hôm nay tôi nấu cơm cho cả nhà.
14.9 Bạn có thể mở cửa cho tôi không?
14.10 Tôi làm việc này vì gia đình.
14.11 Cho em xin một ít sữa.
14.12 Cho thêm tí muối đi.
14.13 Có hại cho công việc.
14.14 Bổ ích cho nhiều người.
14.15 Để tôi làm cho!
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These are the grammar rules for cho in Vietnamese:
1. Cho as a verb: "give", "put in". The first sense of cho in the dictionaries is "to give". Its commonest frame in speech is the request Cho + person + thing: Cho tôi một ly cà phê. (14.3), Cho em xin một ít sữa. (14.11). In the second, xin "to ask, to request" makes the request polite ("please"), and em is the speaker, who calls themself "younger sibling" (see Section E). A plain sentence of giving is Anh cho em chiếc đồng hồ "I give you a watch" (an older man to a younger person), with the recipient straight after the verb and the thing last. Cho also means "put in, add": Cho thêm tí muối đi. (14.12). The word đi at the end makes the sentence an urging.
2. Cho as a preposition: "for", "to". After the verb and its object, cho + a noun or pronoun names the one who gains: mua quà cho mẹ (14.2), nấu cơm cho tôi (14.4), nấu cơm cho cả nhà (14.8), mở cửa cho tôi (14.9), gói hoa cho chị (14.22). The beneficiary can be a person, a group (cả nhà, "the whole household") or a pronoun, and the phrase stays the same. The word order is verb, object, cho, beneficiary. The guides also show the beneficiary before the thing with a few verbs (mua cho mẹ một món quà), and both orders are heard; the order of 14.2 is the one to learn first.
3. Verbs of handing: đưa cho, gửi cho, kể cho, trả cho. With verbs of giving, sending and telling, cho introduces the recipient: gửi thư cho bạn (14.5), kể chuyện cho con (14.6), đưa quyển sách đó cho tôi (14.7), đưa bó hoa cho Anna (14.27), trả tiền cho cô (14.27). With đưa the recipient may also come straight after cho and before the thing: Nam đưa cho Anna một cây bút (14.24). The pattern đọc cho + person + nghe (14.25) is "read to someone": the person who listens stands between cho and nghe "to hear". English "I send you a letter" has no preposition, and Vietnamese needs cho here.
4. Benefit and effect. Cho also marks a thing that is touched or affected by a quality: Có hại cho công việc (14.13), "harmful to work", and Bổ ích cho nhiều người (14.14), "useful for many people". The Vietnamese Wiktionary describes this as the "object receiving impact or influence". The English words that go before "for" are adjectives, and the Vietnamese ones are adjectives as well: có hại (literally "have harm") and bổ ích.
5. Cho + person + verb: "let", "allow". When a verb follows the person, cho means "let, allow": Ai cho bạn làm vậy? "Who let you do that?" Tôi cho mẹ mua quà is "I let Mother buy a gift", and so it is not the sentence of 14.2. The learner should watch the place of the person: mua quà cho mẹ (the gift is for Mother) against cho mẹ mua quà (Mother is allowed to buy it). The fixed word for "allow" is cho phép.
6. Cho before an adjective or a clause: "so that", "until". The Vietnamese Wiktionary gives two examples of cho for a purpose or a goal: học cho giỏi "study so as to be good at it", and chờ cho mọi người đến đủ, which can be rendered "wait until everyone has arrived". Here cho has no recipient: it opens the result that is wanted. When the aim is a plain action with a verb of its own, say để (Lesson 12): Anna viết "nồi cơm điện" vào vở để không quên (13.29). In the combination để cho the two words are said together and cho stresses để (English Wiktionary: Để cho tôi làm!).
7. The three "for"s: cho, để, vì. Cho answers "for whom?" (14.2). Để answers "in order to do what?" (Lesson 12). Vì answers "for the sake of whom or what?" and "because of what?": Tôi làm việc này vì gia đình. (14.10) English Wiktionary gives for vì the prepositions "for; for the sake of" with the question Vì ai? Vì cái gì? "Who for? What for?", and the conjunction "because". As a conjunction or before a noun it gives the cause: Mẹ tôi sẽ rất vui vì tấm thiệp này. (14.26). The two phrases làm việc này vì gia đình and làm việc này cho gia đình are near: vì states whose sake moves the speaker, and cho states who gains from it.
8. Fixed phrases.
- dành cho — "intended for, set aside for": Bó hoa này dành cho mẹ bạn. (14.28). The dictionaries consulted give "intended for" for it, and the first word means "to set aside, to save". It is the word of signs and labels: a seat, a room or a book "for" a kind of person. - cho đến — "until, up to": Ngày mai tôi sẽ ở nhà bạn cho đến tối. (14.29). English Wiktionary lists cho đến as a preposition, a compound of cho and đến "to arrive". The same words make cho đến khi "until (the time when)" and cho đến nay "up to now". - đối với tôi — "for me, as far as I am concerned": this is the "for" of opinion, and not cho tôi. - Cho tôi hỏi, … — "May I ask …?" (8.22). - Chúc mừng sinh nhật — "Happy birthday" (14.24): chúc mừng is "to congratulate", and sinh nhật "birthday". - Cảm ơn bạn đã + verb — "Thank you for …ing" (14.30).
9. Cho at the end of a sentence. A sentence-final cho can say that the action is done for the listener's benefit, or it can soften a request: Để tôi làm cho! (14.15). English Wiktionary labels this cho a dative marker, and the Vietnamese Wiktionary gives similar sentences. The learner who meets it should read it as "for you" or "please", and it can wait until the first eight rules are secure.
10. Where English "for" is not cho.
- Length of time: no word at all. Tôi ở Hà Nội ba ngày is "I stayed in Hanoi for three days"; trong ba ngày "within three days" is the other form. - Look for, wait for: the verb takes its object directly. Tôi đợi bạn is "I wait for you", and Tôi tìm quyển sách đó "I am looking for that book". - Thank you for: Cảm ơn bạn đã mua hoa cho mẹ tôi (14.30). The Vietnamese verb mua follows đã directly. The cho of this sentence belongs to the phrase "buy flowers for my mother".
- Putting cho before the verb. ~~Tôi cho mẹ mua quà~~ is "I let Mother buy a gift", and not "I buy a gift for Mother". Say Tôi mua quà cho mẹ. (14.2) - Dropping cho after a verb of handing. ~~Tôi gửi thư bạn~~ and ~~Anh ấy đưa tôi quyển sách~~ are not natural. Say gửi thư cho bạn (14.5) and đưa quyển sách cho tôi (14.7). - Using cho for "for the sake of". For a cause or a sake, say vì (14.10, 14.26). For "in order to" with a verb, say để (Lesson 12). - Using cho for "for three days". ~~Tôi ở Hà Nội cho ba ngày~~ is wrong. Say Tôi ở Hà Nội ba ngày. - Translating "look for" and "wait for" with cho. ~~Tôi tìm cho quyển sách~~ is wrong in this sense. Say Tôi tìm quyển sách đó. - Putting a "for" into "thank you for". Say Cảm ơn bạn đã mua hoa (14.30), with the verb straight after đã. - Mixing up the tone. cho (give, for) is not chó (dog), chỗ (place), chợ (market) or chờ (to wait). - Forgetting the beneficiary when asking. To order or ask, say Cho tôi … (14.3) and not the bare verb ~~Cho một ly cà phê~~, which has no "me" and sounds curt.
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Frequency and register. "For" is rank 14 in the vocabulary list that this course follows. Cho is neutral and is used in every setting, in speech and in writing, and the dictionaries give it more senses than almost any other short word of the language. A learner meets it first as the word of giving and of asking, and only later as the word of "for".
Asking with cho. Cho tôi … is the ordinary way to ask for something in a shop, a café or a market (Lesson 8). It is made more polite by adding words around it: xin (14.11), the soft nhé (14.18, 14.22) and the polite ạ (14.20). The word for "I" changes with the speaker's place. In 14.11 the speaker calls themself em, "younger sibling", which a younger person, or one who wants to be modest, uses with an older listener. In 14.22 the shop assistant calls themself em and the woman customer chị, "older sister", and this is how shop talk commonly goes. The kinship words of the earlier lessons are in use here as well.
North and South. English Wiktionary records the Hanoi pronunciation of cho as [t͡ɕɔ˧˧] and the Saigon one as [cɔ˧˧]. The word for "father" in the dialogue is bố, the Northern word; Southern speakers usually say ba, as Southern speakers say má for the Northern mẹ. The learner who knows bố and mẹ is understood on both sides of the country.
The gift and the card. The dialogue of this lesson takes place on the day before a birthday. Anna buys flowers and writes a card for the mother of her friend Nam. Chúc mừng sinh nhật is the set phrase of a birthday card or a greeting. Anna writes bác, the word for someone who is of the age of one's parents or a little older; the choice among bác, cô "aunt" and other words depends on the age of the person and on the region, and the dialogue chooses a respectful one.
Cho in a state paper. The word is not only a word of shops and kitchens. The Declaration of Independence of 1945, the text of Section F, uses cho both as a verb, in the sentence that is quoted there, and as a preposition (see F-D).
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From the Declaration of Independence of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (Tuyên ngôn Độc lập), by Hồ Chí Minh, 2 September 1945. The passage is from the Declaration's list of the wrongs of French rule, and it is the sentence on political liberty followed by the sentence that follows it. The wording below is the one on which the texts printed by VietNamNet and by Báo Thanh Hóa agree (the second prints a dash after Về chính trị where the first has a comma, and this lesson follows the first). It is spelt as Vietnamese is spelt today. The same Declaration gave Lesson 13 its citation; here a different passage shows cho as a verb.
> Về chính trị, chúng tuyệt đối không cho nhân dân ta một chút tự do dân chủ nào. > Chúng thi hành những luật pháp dã man.
F.1a Về about chính govern- trị, -rule chúng they tuyệt utterly- đối -absolute không not cho give nhân people- dân -people ta our một one chút bit tự free- do -dom dân people- chủ -master nào. any
F.1b Về /ve˨˩/ about chính /t͡ɕiŋ˧˦/ politics(1) trị /t͡ɕi˧˨ʔ/ politics(2) chúng /t͡ɕuŋ͡m˧˦/ 3PL tuyệt /twiət˧˨ʔ/ absolutely(1) đối /ʔɗoj˧˦/ absolutely(2) không /xəwŋ͡m˧˧/ NEG cho /t͡ɕɔ˧˧/ give/allow nhân /ɲən˧˧/ people(1) dân /zən˧˧/ people(2) ta /taː˧˧/ 1PL.INCL(POSS) một /mot˧˨ʔ/ one chút /t͡ɕut˧˦/ bit tự /tɨ˧˨ʔ/ freedom(1) do /zɔ˧˧/ freedom(2) dân /zən˧˧/ democracy(1) chủ /t͡ɕu˧˩/ democracy(2) nào /naːw˨˩/ any
F.2a Chúng they thi carry- hành -out những PL luật law- pháp -law dã wild- man. -savage
F.2b Chúng /t͡ɕuŋ͡m˧˦/ 3PL thi /tʰi˧˧/ carry.out(1) hành /hajŋ˨˩/ carry.out(2) những /ɲɨŋ˧˨ʔ/ PL luật /luət˧˨ʔ/ law(1) pháp /fap˧˦/ law(2) dã /zaː˧˥/ barbaric(1) man /maːn˧˧/ barbaric(2)
Về chính trị, chúng tuyệt đối không cho nhân dân ta một chút tự do dân chủ nào.
"In politics, they did not allow our people the least bit of democratic freedom."
Chúng thi hành những luật pháp dã man.
"They enforced barbaric laws."
Về chính trị, chúng tuyệt đối không cho nhân dân ta một chút tự do dân chủ nào.
Chúng thi hành những luật pháp dã man.
Cho as the verb, with the recipient first. In không cho nhân dân ta một chút tự do dân chủ nào, cho is the verb of rule 1 and is negated by không: "not give", and so "not allow". The recipient follows the verb directly (nhân dân ta "our people"), and the thing given comes last (một chút tự do dân chủ nào "any bit of democratic freedom"). This is the order of rule 1, as in Anh cho em chiếc đồng hồ "I give you a watch", and there is no second cho.
Một chút … nào. Một chút is "a little bit", and nào after it, in a negative sentence, makes the whole phrase mean "not even a little": the negative không earlier in the sentence is what lets nào say "any". The sentence is a strong one: tuyệt đối "absolutely" stands before không.
Chúng and ta. Chúng is the plural "they", and it is used here for the colonial rulers, as the Declaration does through the whole list of wrongs. Ta after a noun (nhân dân ta) is "our", where "we" includes the speaker and the one addressed; the narrator of the Declaration speaks for the nation. This ta is the second half of the chúng ta of Lesson 13 (13.23).
Cho elsewhere in the Declaration. The opening of the Declaration, in its famous line on rights, has the verb "give": Tạo hóa cho họ những quyền không ai có thể xâm phạm được, "The Creator gave them rights that no one can violate". Some prints put the tone mark in hóa on the first vowel (hoá), as older Vietnamese spelling did. Later, the passage on the treatment of the French after 9 March 1945 ends with the words bảo vệ tính mạng và tài sản cho họ, "protected their lives and property for them", where cho is the preposition of rule 2: họ "they" is the beneficiary and stands after the verb and its objects. The printed texts differ in small details of wording and punctuation around that phrase, so only the phrase itself is quoted here. The one document thus has the verb "give" (cho họ những quyền), the preposition "for" (cho họ) and the "not allow" of F.1.
The text. The two online texts agree on the two sentences of F.1 and F.2, and differ in punctuation, as noted. The passage of Lesson 13 comes from the same Declaration, a few paragraphs earlier.
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The day before the birthday of Nam's mother, Anna and Nam go out to buy her a present. The text is a short scene with a narrator.
14.16a Ngày day mai morrow là be sinh born- nhật -day mẹ mother Nam, Nam và and Anna Anna muốn want mua buy quà gift cho for bà woman ấy. that
14.16b Ngày /ŋaj˨˩/ day mai /maːj˧˧/ tomorrow là /laː˨˩/ COP sinh /siŋ˧˧/ birthday(1) nhật /ɲət˧˨ʔ/ birthday(2) mẹ /mɛ˧˨ʔ/ mother Nam, /naːm˧˧/ Nam.NAME và /vaː˨˩/ and Anna /ʔan˧˧ naː˧˧/ Anna.NAME muốn /muən˧˦/ want mua /muə˧˧/ buy quà /kwaː˨˩/ gift cho /t͡ɕɔ˧˧/ for.BEN bà /ʔɓaː˨˩/ older.woman(3SG) ấy /ʔəj˧˦/ DEM.MED
14.17a Anna Anna hỏi: ask "Tôi I nên should mua buy gì what cho for mẹ mother bạn?" you
14.17b Anna /ʔan˧˧ naː˧˧/ Anna.NAME hỏi /hɔj˧˩/ ask Tôi /toj˧˧/ 1SG nên /nen˧˧/ should mua /muə˧˧/ buy gì /zi˨˩/ what.Q cho /t͡ɕɔ˧˧/ for.BEN mẹ /mɛ˧˨ʔ/ mother bạn /ʔɓaːn˧˨ʔ/ 2SG(POSS)
14.18a Nam Nam trả return lời: word "Mẹ mother tôi I rất very thích like hoa. flower Bạn you mua buy một one bó bunch hoa flower cho for mẹ mother tôi I nhé." OK
14.18b Nam /naːm˧˧/ Nam.NAME trả /t͡ɕaː˧˩/ return lời /ləːj˨˩/ word/reply Mẹ /mɛ˧˨ʔ/ mother tôi /toj˧˧/ 1SG(POSS) rất /zət˧˦/ very thích /tʰik˧˦/ like hoa /hwaː˧˧/ flower Bạn /ʔɓaːn˧˨ʔ/ 2SG mua /muə˧˧/ buy một /mot˧˨ʔ/ one bó /ʔɓɔ˧˦/ CL.bunch hoa /hwaː˧˧/ flower cho /t͡ɕɔ˧˧/ for.BEN mẹ /mɛ˧˨ʔ/ mother tôi /toj˧˧/ 1SG(POSS) nhé /ɲɛ˧˦/ PART.SOFT
14.19a Họ they đi go đến to một one cửa door- hàng -goods hoa. flower Anna Anna nói say với with cô miss bán sell hàng: goods "Cho give tôi me một one bó bunch hoa flower hồng." rose
14.19b Họ /hɔ˧˨ʔ/ 3PL đi /ʔɗi˧˧/ go đến /ʔɗen˧˦/ arrive.at một /mot˧˨ʔ/ one cửa /kɨə˧˩/ shop(1) hàng /haːŋ˨˩/ shop(2) hoa. /hwaː˧˧/ flower Anna /ʔan˧˧ naː˧˧/ Anna.NAME nói /nɔj˧˦/ say với /vəːj˧˦/ to/with cô /ko˧˧/ miss bán /ʔɓaːn˧˦/ sell hàng, /haːŋ˨˩/ goods Cho /t͡ɕɔ˧˧/ give.IMP tôi /toj˧˧/ 1SG(OBJ) một /mot˧˨ʔ/ one bó /ʔɓɔ˧˦/ CL.bunch hoa /hwaː˧˧/ flower hồng /həwŋ͡m˨˩/ rose
14.20a Cô miss bán sell hàng goods hỏi: ask "Chị older-sister mua buy hoa flower cho for ai who ạ?" POL
14.20b Cô /ko˧˧/ miss bán /ʔɓaːn˧˦/ sell hàng /haːŋ˨˩/ goods hỏi /hɔj˧˩/ ask Chị /t͡ɕi˧˨ʔ/ older.sister(2SG) mua /muə˧˧/ buy hoa /hwaː˧˧/ flower cho /t͡ɕɔ˧˧/ for.BEN ai /ʔaːj˧˧/ who.Q ạ /ʔaː˧˨ʔ/ POL
14.21a Anna Anna trả return lời: word "Tôi I mua buy hoa flower cho for mẹ mother của of bạn friend tôi." I
14.21b Anna /ʔan˧˧ naː˧˧/ Anna.NAME trả /t͡ɕaː˧˩/ return lời /ləːj˨˩/ word/reply Tôi /toj˧˧/ 1SG mua /muə˧˧/ buy hoa /hwaː˧˧/ flower cho /t͡ɕɔ˧˧/ for.BEN mẹ /mɛ˧˨ʔ/ mother của /kuə˧˩/ of bạn /ʔɓaːn˧˨ʔ/ friend tôi /toj˧˧/ 1SG(POSS)
14.22a Cô miss bán sell hàng goods cười laugh và and nói: say "Hoa flower này this rất very đẹp. beautiful Em younger-sibling gói wrap hoa flower cho for chị older-sister nhé." OK
14.22b Cô /ko˧˧/ miss bán /ʔɓaːn˧˦/ sell hàng /haːŋ˨˩/ goods cười /kɨəj˨˩/ laugh và /vaː˨˩/ and nói /nɔj˧˦/ say Hoa /hwaː˧˧/ flower này /naj˨˩/ DEM.PROX rất /zət˧˦/ very đẹp /ʔɗɛp˧˨ʔ/ beautiful Em /ʔɛm˧˧/ younger.sibling(1SG) gói /ɣɔj˧˦/ wrap hoa /hwaː˧˧/ flower cho /t͡ɕɔ˧˧/ for.BEN chị /t͡ɕi˧˨ʔ/ older.sister(2SG) nhé /ɲɛ˧˦/ PART.SOFT
14.23a Anna Anna nói: say "Tôi I muốn want viết write một one tấm sheet thiệp card cho for mẹ mother bạn." you
14.23b Anna /ʔan˧˧ naː˧˧/ Anna.NAME nói /nɔj˧˦/ say Tôi /toj˧˧/ 1SG muốn /muən˧˦/ want viết /viət˧˦/ write một /mot˧˨ʔ/ one tấm /təm˧˦/ CL.sheet thiệp /tʰiəp˧˨ʔ/ card cho /t͡ɕɔ˧˧/ for.BEN mẹ /mɛ˧˨ʔ/ mother bạn /ʔɓaːn˧˨ʔ/ 2SG(POSS)
14.24a Nam Nam đưa hand cho to Anna Anna một one cây stick bút pen và and nói: say "Bạn you viết: write Chúc wish- mừng -congratulate sinh born- nhật -day bác." elder
14.24b Nam /naːm˧˧/ Nam.NAME đưa /ʔɗɨə˧˧/ hand.over cho /t͡ɕɔ˧˧/ to.BEN Anna /ʔan˧˧ naː˧˧/ Anna.NAME một /mot˧˨ʔ/ one cây /kəj˧˧/ CL.stick bút /ʔɓut˧˦/ pen và /vaː˨˩/ and nói /nɔj˧˦/ say Bạn /ʔɓaːn˧˨ʔ/ 2SG viết /viət˧˦/ write Chúc /t͡ɕuk͡p˧˦/ congratulate(1) mừng /mɨŋ˨˩/ congratulate(2) sinh /siŋ˧˧/ birthday(1) nhật /ɲət˧˨ʔ/ birthday(2) bác /ʔɓaːk˧˦/ elder(2SG)
14.25a Anna Anna viết write xong finish rồi already đọc read cho for Nam Nam nghe. hear
14.25b Anna /ʔan˧˧ naː˧˧/ Anna.NAME viết /viət˧˦/ write xong /sawŋ͡m˧˧/ finish rồi /zoj˨˩/ PFV đọc /ʔɗawk͡p˧˨ʔ/ read cho /t͡ɕɔ˧˧/ for.BEN Nam /naːm˧˧/ Nam.NAME nghe /ŋɛ˧˧/ listen
14.26a Nam Nam nói: say "Mẹ mother tôi I sẽ will rất very vui happy vì because-of tấm sheet thiệp card này." this
14.26b Nam /naːm˧˧/ Nam.NAME nói /nɔj˧˦/ say Mẹ /mɛ˧˨ʔ/ mother tôi /toj˧˧/ 1SG(POSS) sẽ /sɛ˧˥/ FUT rất /zət˧˦/ very vui /vuj˧˧/ happy vì /vi˨˩/ because.of tấm /təm˧˦/ CL.sheet thiệp /tʰiəp˧˨ʔ/ card này /naj˨˩/ DEM.PROX
14.27a Cô miss bán sell hàng goods đưa hand bó bunch hoa flower cho to Anna, Anna và and Anna Anna trả pay tiền money cho to cô. miss
14.27b Cô /ko˧˧/ miss bán /ʔɓaːn˧˦/ sell hàng /haːŋ˨˩/ goods đưa /ʔɗɨə˧˧/ hand.over bó /ʔɓɔ˧˦/ CL.bunch hoa /hwaː˧˧/ flower cho /t͡ɕɔ˧˧/ to.BEN Anna /ʔan˧˧ naː˧˧/ Anna.NAME và /vaː˨˩/ and Anna /ʔan˧˧ naː˧˧/ Anna.NAME trả /t͡ɕaː˧˩/ pay tiền /tiən˨˩/ money cho /t͡ɕɔ˧˧/ to.BEN cô /ko˧˧/ miss
14.28a Anna Anna nhìn look bó bunch hoa flower và and nói: say "Bó bunch hoa flower này this dành set-aside cho for mẹ mother bạn." you
14.28b Anna /ʔan˧˧ naː˧˧/ Anna.NAME nhìn /ɲin˨˩/ look bó /ʔɓɔ˧˦/ CL.bunch hoa /hwaː˧˧/ flower và /vaː˨˩/ and nói /nɔj˧˦/ say Bó /ʔɓɔ˧˦/ CL.bunch hoa /hwaː˧˧/ flower này /naj˨˩/ DEM.PROX dành /zajŋ˨˩/ set.aside cho /t͡ɕɔ˧˧/ for.BEN mẹ /mɛ˧˨ʔ/ mother bạn /ʔɓaːn˧˨ʔ/ 2SG(POSS)
14.29a Anna Anna nói: say "Ngày day mai morrow tôi I sẽ will ở be-at nhà house bạn you cho up- đến -to tối." evening
14.29b Anna /ʔan˧˧ naː˧˧/ Anna.NAME nói /nɔj˧˦/ say Ngày /ŋaj˨˩/ day mai /maːj˧˧/ tomorrow tôi /toj˧˧/ 1SG sẽ /sɛ˧˥/ FUT ở /ʔəː˧˩/ LOC nhà /ɲaː˨˩/ house bạn /ʔɓaːn˧˨ʔ/ 2SG(POSS) cho /t͡ɕɔ˧˧/ until(1) đến /ʔɗen˧˦/ until(2) tối /toj˧˦/ evening
14.30a Nam Nam cười laugh và and nói: say "Cảm feel- ơn -grateful bạn you đã PAST mua buy hoa flower cho for mẹ mother tôi." I
14.30b Nam /naːm˧˧/ Nam.NAME cười /kɨəj˨˩/ laugh và /vaː˨˩/ and nói /nɔj˧˦/ say Cảm /kaːm˧˩/ thank(1) ơn /ʔəːn˧˧/ thank(2) bạn /ʔɓaːn˧˨ʔ/ 2SG đã /ʔɗaː˧˥/ PAST mua /muə˧˧/ buy hoa /hwaː˧˧/ flower cho /t͡ɕɔ˧˧/ for.BEN mẹ /mɛ˧˨ʔ/ mother tôi /toj˧˧/ 1SG(POSS)
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14.16 Ngày mai là sinh nhật mẹ Nam, và Anna muốn mua quà cho bà ấy. → Tomorrow is Nam's mother's birthday, and Anna wants to buy a gift for her.
14.17 Anna hỏi: "Tôi nên mua gì cho mẹ bạn?" → Anna asks: "What should I buy for your mother?"
14.18 Nam trả lời: "Mẹ tôi rất thích hoa. Bạn mua một bó hoa cho mẹ tôi nhé." → Nam answers: "My mother likes flowers very much. Buy a bunch of flowers for my mother, will you?"
14.19 Họ đi đến một cửa hàng hoa. Anna nói với cô bán hàng: "Cho tôi một bó hoa hồng." → They go to a flower shop. Anna says to the shop assistant: "Give me a bunch of roses."
14.20 Cô bán hàng hỏi: "Chị mua hoa cho ai ạ?" → The shop assistant asks: "Who are you buying the flowers for?"
14.21 Anna trả lời: "Tôi mua hoa cho mẹ của bạn tôi." → Anna answers: "I am buying the flowers for my friend's mother."
14.22 Cô bán hàng cười và nói: "Hoa này rất đẹp. Em gói hoa cho chị nhé." → The shop assistant smiles and says: "These flowers are very pretty. I'll wrap them for you, shall I?"
14.23 Anna nói: "Tôi muốn viết một tấm thiệp cho mẹ bạn." → Anna says: "I would like to write a card for your mother."
14.24 Nam đưa cho Anna một cây bút và nói: "Bạn viết: Chúc mừng sinh nhật bác." → Nam hands Anna a pen and says: "Write: 'Happy birthday, Bác.'"
14.25 Anna viết xong rồi đọc cho Nam nghe. → Anna finishes writing and reads it to Nam.
14.26 Nam nói: "Mẹ tôi sẽ rất vui vì tấm thiệp này." → Nam says: "My mother will be very happy about this card."
14.27 Cô bán hàng đưa bó hoa cho Anna, và Anna trả tiền cho cô. → The shop assistant hands the flowers to Anna, and Anna pays her.
14.28 Anna nhìn bó hoa và nói: "Bó hoa này dành cho mẹ bạn." → Anna looks at the flowers and says: "This bunch of flowers is meant for your mother."
14.29 Anna nói: "Ngày mai tôi sẽ ở nhà bạn cho đến tối." → Anna says: "Tomorrow I will be at your house until the evening."
14.30 Nam cười và nói: "Cảm ơn bạn đã mua hoa cho mẹ tôi." → Nam smiles and says: "Thank you for buying flowers for my mother."
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14.16 Ngày mai là sinh nhật mẹ Nam, và Anna muốn mua quà cho bà ấy.
14.17 Anna hỏi: "Tôi nên mua gì cho mẹ bạn?"
14.18 Nam trả lời: "Mẹ tôi rất thích hoa. Bạn mua một bó hoa cho mẹ tôi nhé."
14.19 Họ đi đến một cửa hàng hoa. Anna nói với cô bán hàng: "Cho tôi một bó hoa hồng."
14.20 Cô bán hàng hỏi: "Chị mua hoa cho ai ạ?"
14.21 Anna trả lời: "Tôi mua hoa cho mẹ của bạn tôi."
14.22 Cô bán hàng cười và nói: "Hoa này rất đẹp. Em gói hoa cho chị nhé."
14.23 Anna nói: "Tôi muốn viết một tấm thiệp cho mẹ bạn."
14.24 Nam đưa cho Anna một cây bút và nói: "Bạn viết: Chúc mừng sinh nhật bác."
14.25 Anna viết xong rồi đọc cho Nam nghe.
14.26 Nam nói: "Mẹ tôi sẽ rất vui vì tấm thiệp này."
14.27 Cô bán hàng đưa bó hoa cho Anna, và Anna trả tiền cho cô.
14.28 Anna nhìn bó hoa và nói: "Bó hoa này dành cho mẹ bạn."
14.29 Anna nói: "Ngày mai tôi sẽ ở nhà bạn cho đến tối."
14.30 Nam cười và nói: "Cảm ơn bạn đã mua hoa cho mẹ tôi."
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Quà cho bà ấy. The scene begins with the narrator (14.16): Ngày mai là sinh nhật mẹ Nam, "Tomorrow is Nam's mother's birthday", with the owner after the owned (sinh nhật mẹ Nam, literally "birthday mother Nam"). Mua quà cho bà ấy is rule 2: verb, object, cho, beneficiary. Bà ấy is "that older woman", that is, "she", the pronoun that is made with ấy as anh ấy was in Lesson 13.
What to buy. Anna's question (14.17), Tôi nên mua gì cho mẹ bạn?, has the question word gì where the thing would stand, and cho mẹ bạn at the end. Nên is "should". Nam's answer (14.18) has Mẹ tôi rất thích hoa, and then the suggestion Bạn mua một bó hoa cho mẹ tôi nhé, with bó as the classifier "bunch" and nhé as a soft closing word that turns the sentence into a gentle proposal.
In the shop. At the flower shop (14.19) Anna orders with the verb: Cho tôi một bó hoa hồng (rule 1). Nói với cô bán hàng is "say to the shop assistant", with với as the preposition of speaking to someone; cô bán hàng is "miss sell goods", the woman who sells. The assistant asks, Chị mua hoa cho ai ạ? (14.20), and the question word ai stands where the beneficiary would be: "for whom". Ạ is the polite word of the shop. Anna answers Tôi mua hoa cho mẹ của bạn tôi (14.21), with của "of" joining mẹ and bạn tôi. The assistant's offer, Em gói hoa cho chị nhé (14.22), is the beneficiary cho again, and gói is "wrap". Hoa này rất đẹp has the adjective đẹp "beautiful" after rất "very", as in earlier lessons.
The card. Anna would like to write a card (14.23): viết một tấm thiệp cho mẹ bạn, with tấm as the classifier of flat things, thiệp "card". Nam gives her a pen, đưa cho Anna một cây bút (14.24), with cho straight after đưa, the recipient next and the thing last (rule 3). Cây is the classifier of long thin things, and bút is "pen". Nam tells her what to write, Chúc mừng sinh nhật bác (rule 8). She finishes, and reads it to Nam: đọc cho Nam nghe (14.25), where xong rồi is "finished already".
Because of the card. Nam's remark (14.26), Mẹ tôi sẽ rất vui vì tấm thiệp này, is the vì of rule 7, and not cho: the card is the cause of the joy, and nobody receives anything from it in this sentence. Sẽ rất vui is "will be very glad", with sẽ the future marker of Lesson 13 (13.11).
Paying. In 14.27 the assistant hands over the flowers, đưa bó hoa cho Anna, and Anna trả tiền cho cô, "pays money to her": trả is "to pay (back)", tiền "money", and cho cô the recipient. The two uses of cho in one sentence are the same rule 3.
Dành cho, cho đến. Anna's remark (14.28), Bó hoa này dành cho mẹ bạn, uses dành cho (rule 8): not simply "for", but "meant for, set aside for". In 14.29 she says Ngày mai tôi sẽ ở nhà bạn cho đến tối: ở nhà bạn "be at your house", and cho đến tối "until the evening", where tối is "evening, night" (the tone mark is all that separates it from tôi "I").
Thanks. Nam's last sentence (14.30), Cảm ơn bạn đã mua hoa cho mẹ tôi, has no word for the English "for" before "buying": the verb mua follows đã directly (rule 10). The cho in the sentence is the beneficiary of 14.18, cho mẹ tôi, so that the scene ends with the phrase on which it began.
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The letters of this lesson. Vietnamese adds to the Latin alphabet ă, â, đ, ê, ô, ơ, ư, and marks five of its six tones with à á ả ã ạ. A letter may carry a vowel mark and a tone mark at once: kể (ê + hỏi), bổ (ô + hỏi), bố (ô + sắc), hồng (ô + huyền), đưa (ư, level), gửi (ư + hỏi), sữa (ư + ngã), thư (ư, level), mừng (ư + huyền), việc (iê + nặng), chuyện (uyê + nặng), thiệp (iê + nặng), tuyệt (uyê + nặng), tấm (â + sắc), nhật (â + nặng), cây (â, level), muối (uô + sắc), cười (ươ + huyền), mở (ơ + hỏi), cơm (ơ, level), lời (ơ + huyền), với (ơ + sắc), ở (ơ + hỏi), cảm (a + hỏi), bạn (a + nặng), thể (ê + hỏi), đẹp (e + nặng), đối (ô + sắc), chúc (u + sắc), chút (u + sắc), chủ (u + hỏi), ích (i + sắc).
Where the tone mark goes. On the main vowel of the syllable. In iê it goes on the ê: việc, thiệp, tuyệt, chuyện, viết, tiền, nhiều. In uô it goes on the ô: muối, muốn. In ươ it goes on the ơ: người, cười. In ia, ua, ưa with no final consonant it goes on the first vowel: mua, đưa, sữa. In oa and uy, the two ways in use are both seen: the mark falls on the second vowel in hóa (as in the VietNamNet text of the Declaration) and on the first in hoá (older spelling). In qu- the u is part of the consonant, and the mark goes on the vowel after it: quà, quyển. When a syllable has a vowel that already carries a mark (ê, ơ, ô, ư, â, ă), that vowel takes the tone mark.
Cho and its neighbours. cho /t͡ɕɔ˧˧/ (give, for), chó /t͡ɕɔ˧˦/ (dog), chỗ /t͡ɕo˧˥/ (place), chợ /t͡ɕəː˧˨ʔ/ (market) and chờ /t͡ɕəː˨˩/ (to wait) are spelt with nearly the same letters. The first two differ in tone alone, and the next three in the vowel as well. The vowel of cho is the open [ɔ], and not the closed ô [o] of chỗ.
The sound [z] and its spellings. In the Hanoi standard, d, gi and r are all [z]: dành /zajŋ˨˩/, dân /zən˧˧/, do /zɔ˧˧/, dã /zaː˧˥/, gia /zaː˧˧/, gì /zi˨˩/, rất /zət˧˦/, rồi /zoj˨˩/. The three spellings are to be learnt with the words. In the South d is often [j] and r is a trill.
The letters c, k, q, ch, kh. The sound [k] is spelt c before a, ă, â, o, ô, ơ, u, ư (cô, có, cơm, công, cười, cây), k before e, ê, i (kể) and qu when it is followed by [w] (quà, quyển). Ch is [t͡ɕ] in Hanoi (cho, chúc, chị, chủ, chuyện), and kh is [x] (không).
The letters x and s. In the Hanoi standard both letters stand for [s]: xin, xong against sữa, sinh, sẽ. The letter x is never [ks].
Final -ng, -c, -nh, -p, -t. After o, ô, u the lips close at the end of -ng and -c: không [xəwŋ͡m], công [kəwŋ͡m], hồng [həwŋ͡m], xong [sawŋ͡m], chúng [t͡ɕuŋ͡m], chúc [t͡ɕuk͡p], đọc [ʔɗawk͡p]. After ư, ă, a, i they do not: những [ɲɨŋ], mừng [mɨŋ], chính [t͡ɕiŋ]. The final -nh is [ŋ] here, with a glide [j] after a (anh [ʔajŋ], dành [zajŋ], hành [hajŋ]).
Tone pairs to drill. cho (give, for) / chó (dog) / chỗ (place) / chợ (market) / chờ (to wait); quà (gift) / qua (past) / quả (fruit) / quá (too); bố (father) / bó (bunch) / bò (cow); tôi (I) / tối (evening) / tồi (bad); vì (for, because) / vị (position, flavour); mẹ (mother) / me (tamarind) / mè (sesame); thư (letter) / thử (to try).
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