# Tên là: my name is / what's your name? in Vietnamese

> To say your name, put tên (name) after yourself, then the name: Em tên Vy. Là can go in between, Em tên là Vy, with the same meaning; both are everyday.

Source: https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/ten-la-name/ · Updated 2026-11-09

**my name is / what's your name?**

Pattern: `[person] + tên (là) + [name] · [person] + tên (là) gì? · Tên + [person] + là + [name]`

Level: A1 (our estimate) · Register: everyday

Typed without accents: ten la, ten gi

To say your name, put *tên* (name) after yourself, then the name: *Em tên Vy.* *Là* can go in between, *Em tên là Vy*, with the same meaning; both are everyday. You'll also hear *tên* first: *Tên em là Vy.* *Tên anh là gì?* In this order *là* is needed.

To ask, put *gì* where the name will go: *Em tên gì?* or *Em tên là gì?* What's your name? Use the word that fits the person: *Anh tên gì?* to a man a little older, *Con tên gì?* to a child. To be extra polite, start with *Cho em hỏi*, "may I ask": *Cho em hỏi anh tên gì?*

Vietnamese names put the family name first and the given name last, and people are called by the last part: *Nguyễn Thị Lan* is *chị Lan*. So *tên gì?* asks for the given name. (On forms, *họ và tên* or *họ tên* is the full name.) For the family name, ask *họ gì?*: *Anh họ gì?*

*Là* on its own introduces you too, just as "I'm" does in English: *Em là Vy.*

## A common mistake

✗ Chào chị Nguyễn.

✓ Chào chị Lan.

People are called by the last part of their name, the given name. *Nguyễn* is the family name, shared by millions of people.

## Examples

- Em tên gì? — What's your name?
- Dạ, em tên là Vy. — My name's Vy.
- Cho em hỏi anh tên gì? — May I ask your name?
- Saigon: Con tên gì vậy? | Hà Nội: Cháu tên gì thế? — What's your name? (to a child)

## Compare

- [Is (a noun): là links two nouns](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/la-noun/): to be (+ noun)

Previous in Asking questions: [Question words stay where the answer goes: Anh đi đâu?, Ai đi?](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/question-word-in-place/)
Next in Asking questions: [What kind of? noun + gì](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/n-gi-what-kind/)

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