Telling, making, asking someone to: kêu / bảo, bắt, nhờ + person + verb

To tell, make or ask someone to do something, put the person straight after the verb, then the action. No word for "to" is needed: Má kêu con đi chợ. Mum told me to go to the market.

In Saigon, the everyday word for "tell someone to" is kêu: Sếp kêu em làm lại. My boss told me to redo it. In Hà Nội, and in writing everywhere, the usual word is bảo: Mẹ bảo con đi chợ. To pass on a "don't", add đừng: Má kêu con đừng về trễ.

The verb says how much choice the other person has. Bắt means "make, force": Ba bắt em học bài. Dad made me study. Nhờ asks a favour: Em nhờ anh chở em về được không? Could you give me a lift home? Nhắc is "remind", and khuyên is "advise", usually with nên: Bác sĩ khuyên tôi nên ngủ sớm. Cho is "let": Ba mẹ không cho em đi chơi khuya.

All of these are a person deciding. For something that causes a feeling, use làm (cho). Để em làm (let me do it) offers to do something yourself. In letters and notices, đề nghị and yêu cầu make formal requests.