Please (inviting): Mời + person + verb

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.