…, OK? (soft suggestion): nha / nhé

Nha at the end of a sentence makes it soft and friendly, like "…, OK?" or "…, alright?": Mai gặp nha. See you tomorrow! You'll hear it constantly in Saigon, after suggestions, promises, reminders and goodbyes. In Hà Nội it's nhé: Mai gặp nhé.

Use it to suggest something: Mình đi ăn phở nha? Shall we go for phở? To promise: Em gọi lại liền nha. I'll call you right back. To remind someone gently: Đi cẩn thận nha. Get home safe.

With someone older, put their word after it: Em về trước nha chị. I'm heading off first, OK?

In casual Saigon speech and messages you'll also hear nghe, nghen and nhen, which work much the same. Nghe can also sound firm, like a parent's warning: Đừng làm vậy nữa nghe! Don't do that again, you hear? Nhé is understood everywhere, and many young people in Saigon use it in messages too.

Đi at the end urges ("go on!"); nha asks for agreement and sounds gentler. The two often go together: Ăn đi nha. Ha (in Hà Nội, nhỉ) is different again: it asks someone to agree with a remark, as in Nóng ha? Hot, isn't it?