# …, phải không: …, right? in Vietnamese (A1)

> Say what you think is true, then add phải không? at the end. It works like "…, right?" or "…, isn't it?" in English: Anh là người Úc, phải không?

Source: https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/phai-khong-tag/ · Updated 2026-11-09

**…, right?**

Pattern: `[statement], phải không? → Phải. / Không (phải).`

Level: A1 (our estimate) · Register: everyday

Typed without accents: , phai khong

Variants:

- đúng không?
- phải hông? (Southern speech; written only in casual messages)

Say what you think is true, then add *phải không?* at the end. It works like "…, right?" or "…, isn't it?" in English: *Anh là người Úc, phải không?* You're Australian, aren't you? In speech there's a small pause before it, which the comma shows.

The answer is about whether your guess was right. Yes is *phải*, or *đúng rồi* (that's right), which is just as common. No is *không phải*, usually followed by the right fact: *Không phải, anh là người Anh.* Don't answer *có*: that belongs to *có … không*.

*Phải không* fits after any statement, including one with *là* and a noun, where plain *có … không* can't go (there you'd say *Anh có phải là người Úc không?*). That makes it the easy way to check a job, a name or where someone is from: *Chị là giáo viên, phải không?* You'll also hear *đúng không?* with the same meaning.

Use it when you already have a guess. If you have no idea, ask with *có … không*: *Mai anh có đi làm không?* is an open question, while *Mai anh đi làm, phải không?* says you think he is. *Hả* and *à* also check, but they react to something you've only just heard, and they sound more casual.

Before a verb, *phải* means "must" or "have to", not a check: *Em phải đi làm.* I have to go to work.

## A common mistake

✗ Dạ, có. Em là sinh viên.

✓ Dạ, phải. Em là sinh viên.

*Có* answers a *có … không* question. A *phải không* question asks whether the guess is right, so yes is *phải* or *đúng rồi*.

## Examples

- Em là sinh viên, phải không? — You're a student, right?
- Dạ, phải. — Yes, that's right.
- Anh là người Úc, phải không? — You're Australian, aren't you?
- Không phải. Anh là người Anh. — No, I'm English.
- Mai chị nghỉ, phải không? — You're off tomorrow, right?

## Words in this pattern

- [phải không](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/phai-khong/#s_phai_khong): checking question

## Compare

- [Double-checking what you just heard: hả / à](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/a-ha-check/): …, huh? / so …?
- [Yes/no questions with có … không](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/co-khong-question/): yes/no question
- [Expecting yes: … chứ?](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/chu-question/): surely …, aren't you?
- [Asking about là-sentences: có phải (là) … không](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/co-phai-khong/): is it (a) …?

Previous in Asking questions: [At what time? mấy giờ, first or last](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/may-gio-what-time/)
Next in Asking questions: [Double-checking what you just heard: hả / à](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/a-ha-check/)

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