# Cho + me + …: give me / let me in Vietnamese (A1)

> Cho means "give" or "let", and cho followed by your own word for "me" is how you ask for things in a café, a shop or a restaurant: Cho em hai ly trà đá.

Source: https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/cho-toi-let-me/ · Updated 2026-11-08

**give me / let me**

Pattern: `Cho + [me] + [number] + [thing] · Cho + [me] + [verb] · Cho + [me] + tính tiền`

Level: A1 (our estimate) · Register: everyday

Situations: [Shops and services](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/?use=service)

Variants:

- cho phép (allow, formal)

*Cho* means "give" or "let", and *cho* followed by your own word for "me" is how you ask for things in a café, a shop or a restaurant: *Cho em hai ly trà đá.* Two iced teas, please (in Hà Nội, *hai cốc*). Use the word you call yourself with that person: *em* to someone older than you, *tôi* for a neutral or more formal tone, and *cháu* to someone much older, around your parents' age. *Con* is mainly for your own parents and family elders; it depends on the relationship.

Before a verb, it means "let me": *Cho em coi* (let me see), or *Cho em hỏi chút* (can I ask you something), the polite way to stop a stranger and ask the way. At the end of a meal, *Cho anh tính tiền* asks for the bill.

*Cho em* is a natural, polite way to ask in a shop or a café. *Ạ* at the end, or the person's word, makes it more respectful, and *nha* (in Hà Nội, *nhé*) makes it softer and friendlier: *Cho em hai ly trà đá nha chị.*

*Xin* adds respect. It isn't only for formal moments: it's part of everyday requests, and the two often go together: *Cho em xin cái muỗng* (could I have a spoon). Don't confuse this with *cho* as plain "give", where you do the giving: *Em cho chị cái này.* I'll give you this.

You'll also meet *cho phép*, "allow", in formal speech: *Cho phép tôi giới thiệu …*, allow me to introduce …

## A common mistake

✗ Làm ơn, một ly cà phê sữa đá.

✓ Cho em một ly cà phê sữa đá.

*Làm ơn* asks someone for a favour; it isn't the everyday "please" for ordering. Start with *cho* and your own word: *Cho em …*

## Examples

- Saigon: Cho em hai ly trà đá. | Hà Nội: Cho em hai cốc trà đá. — Two iced teas, please.
- Cho em hỏi chút, nhà vệ sinh ở đâu vậy chị? — Excuse me, where's the toilet?
- Saigon: Cho em coi cái áo kia. | Hà Nội: Cho em xem cái áo kia. — Can I see that shirt?
- Em ơi, cho anh tính tiền. — Excuse me, can I have the bill? (to a young waiter)

## Compare

- [Polite asking: xin + verb](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/xin-please/): please / may I
- [Give someone something: cho / tặng + person + thing](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/cho-give-order/): give (no 'to')
- [Borrowing from, lending: mượn … của, cho … mượn](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/cua-borrow-from/): borrow from / lend
- [Without, when ordering: dish + không + ingredient](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/khong-without-ordering/): without (an ingredient)

Next in Can, must, should, want: [Can, manage to: được after the verb](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/duoc-can-after-verb/)

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