# Ở đâu: where (location)? in Vietnamese (A1)

> To ask where someone or something is, or where something happens, put ở đâu at the end: Nhà vệ sinh ở đâu? Where's the toilet? Hôm qua em ăn tối ở đâu?

Source: https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/o-dau-where/ · Updated 2026-11-09

**where (location)?**

Pattern: `[person or thing] + ([verb]) + ở đâu? · Ở đâu có + [noun]?`

Level: A1 (our estimate) · Register: everyday

Typed without accents: o dau

To ask where someone or something is, or where something happens, put *ở đâu* at the end: *Nhà vệ sinh ở đâu?* Where's the toilet? *Hôm qua em ăn tối ở đâu?* Where did you have dinner yesterday? *Ở* means "at" or "in" and *đâu* means "where", so it sits where the place goes in the answer: *Em ăn ở nhà.*

*Ở* can also be the verb itself, "live" or "stay": *Em ở đâu?* Where do you live? *Dạ, em ở quận Ba.* On the phone or when meeting up, the same question means "Where are you right now?"

*Ở đâu* comes first mainly with *có*, to ask where you can find something: *Ở đâu có bánh mì ngon?* Where can you get a good *bánh mì*?

In quick speech the *ở* is often dropped after a thing: *Nhà vệ sinh đâu em?* Right after verbs of going, like *đi* and *về*, use just *đâu*: *Anh đi đâu?* *Ở* is for where you are, not where you're heading. With a second verb, *ở đâu* is back: *Em đi học ở đâu?*

At the end of a statement, *đâu* has nothing to do with places: it makes a no stronger. *Em không biết đâu.* I really don't know.

## A common mistake

✗ Ở đâu anh làm?

✓ Anh làm ở đâu?

*Ở đâu* stays where the place goes in the answer, after the verb: *làm ở ngân hàng*, so *làm ở đâu*. It comes first mainly with *có*.

## Examples

- Saigon: Nhà vệ sinh ở đâu vậy em? | Hà Nội: Nhà vệ sinh ở đâu thế em? — Where's the toilet?
- Em ở đâu? — Where do you live?
- Dạ, em ở quận Ba. — I live in District 3.
- Ở đâu có bánh mì ngon? — Where can you get a good bánh mì?

## Compare

- [Where to? đi đâu, no ở](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/di-dau-where-to/): where to?

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