# Mời: please (do) in Vietnamese (A2)

> Mời followed by a person and a verb invites someone to do something, like "please, do …": Mời chị vô nhà. Please come in (in Hà Nội, vào nhà).

Source: https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/moi-invite/ · Updated 2026-10-17

**please (do)**

Pattern: `Mời + [person] + [verb] · Xin mời + [person] + [verb]`

Level: A2 (our estimate) · Register: polite

Typed without accents: moi

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

*Mời* followed by a person and a verb invites someone to do something, like "please, do …": *Mời chị vô nhà.* Please come in (in Hà Nội, *vào nhà*). *Mời anh ngồi.* Please, have a seat. It's warm and polite, the way a host speaks to a guest.

The person's word matters: *Mời ngồi* on its own can sound curt, like an official calling the next person. *Xin mời* is more formal still, for announcements and service: *Xin mời quý khách lên xe.*

At home, children say *mời* before a meal, inviting the older people to start: *Con mời ba mẹ ăn cơm* (in Hà Nội, *bố mẹ*).

With a person in front, *mời* is the verb "invite": *Em mời chị đi uống cà phê.* I'd like to take you for a coffee. The one who invites usually pays, so *Hôm nay anh mời* means "today's on me".

*Mời* offers something to the other person. *Xin* asks for something for yourself, and *cho em* asks for things in a shop.

## Examples

- Saigon: Mời chị vô nhà. | Hà Nội: Mời chị vào nhà. — Please come in.
- Saigon: Con mời ba mẹ ăn cơm. | Hà Nội: Con mời bố mẹ ăn cơm. — Mum, Dad, please start eating.
- Xin mời quý khách lên xe. — Passengers, please board now.
- Em mời chị đi uống cà phê. — I'd like to take you for a coffee.
- Saigon: Hôm nay anh mời nha. | Hà Nội: Hôm nay anh mời nhé. — Today's on me, OK?

## Words in this pattern

- [mời](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/moi-invite/#lx_moi_invite): invite
- [mời](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/moi-invite/#s_moi_please): please

## Compare

- [Polite asking: xin + verb](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/xin-please/): please / may I
- [Can I have / let me: Cho tôi / cho em + noun or verb](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/cho-toi-let-me/): give me / let me

Previous in Can, must, should, want: [Plan to: định + verb](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/dinh-plan/)
Next in Can, must, should, want: [Please, do me a favour: làm ơn + verb](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/lam-on-please/)

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