# Kính gửi: letter openings and closings in Vietnamese

> A formal letter or email opens with Kính gửi (respectfully to) and the person's title and name, followed by a comma: Kính gửi ông Nam, Kính gửi chị Hoa.

Source: https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/letter-formulas/ · Updated 2026-10-17

**letter openings and closings**

Pattern: `Kính gửi / Kính thưa + [title, name], (formal) · [name] + thân mến, (friendly) · Trân trọng, (formal closing) · Thân, (friendly closing)`

Level: A2 (our estimate) · Register: polite · Medium: written

Typed without accents: kinh gui, than men

Situations: [At work](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/?use=work)

Variants:

- Thầy / Cô kính mến, (respectful opening)
- Kính thư, (older formal closing)

A formal letter or email opens with *Kính gửi* (respectfully to) and the person's title and name, followed by a comma: *Kính gửi ông Nam*, *Kính gửi chị Hoa*. It also works for an office or a company: *Kính gửi Phòng Nhân sự* (to the HR department). *Kính thưa* and *Thưa*, which you know from speech, sound more ceremonious; they suit a teacher or someone older you respect.

A friendly letter or message puts *thân mến* (dear) after the name: *Lan thân mến*, *Anh Minh thân mến*. *Kính mến*, with respect and affection, sits in the same place: *Thầy kính mến*, from a student to a teacher.

In the letter itself, keep the address words you'd use in speech: the reader is still *anh*, *chị* or *thầy*, and you are *em* or *tôi*.

A formal email usually closes with *Trân trọng* (respectfully) and your name. Older or very formal letters may end with *Kính thư*. To a friend, *Thân* (warmly) or a short wish is enough: *Chúc chị khỏe!*

## A common mistake

✗ Thân mến Lan,

✓ Lan thân mến,

*Thân mến* follows the name. Putting it first copies English "Dear Lan".

## Examples

- Kính gửi ông Nam, — Dear Mr Nam,
- Kính gửi Phòng Nhân sự, — To the Human Resources Department,
- Thầy kính mến, — Dear teacher, (a student writing to a male teacher)
- Lan thân mến, — Dear Lan,
- Trân trọng, — Kind regards,

## Compare

- [Regarding a matter: về việc (V/v in official letters)](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/ve-viec/): regarding / about (a matter)
- [Respectful address: thưa + title](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/thua-respectful/): (respectful address)

Next in News, official and academic writing: [A whole series of: hàng loạt, một loạt](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/hang-loat/)

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