# Thưa / kính thưa: respectful address in Vietnamese (A1)

> Thưa before a title opens what you say with respect, a little like "Sir" or "Madam": Thưa cô, em có câu hỏi.

Source: https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/thua-respectful/ · Updated 2026-11-09

**(respectful address)**

Pattern: `Thưa + [title or address word], … · Kính thưa + [audience]`

Level: A1 (our estimate) · Register: polite

Typed without accents: thua, kinh thua

*Thưa* before a title opens what you say with respect, a little like "Sir" or "Madam": *Thưa cô, em có câu hỏi.* Excuse me, I have a question (a student to a woman teacher). It goes at the start, followed by the title or address word and a comma. Often *dạ* or your own word comes first: *Dạ thưa cô, …* *Em thưa cô, em có câu hỏi.*

You'll hear it where respect is expected: students to teachers (*thưa thầy*, *thưa cô*), patients to doctors (*thưa bác sĩ*), and in meetings, speeches and the news. After *thưa*, the same title usually stands for "you" in the rest of the sentence: *Thưa thầy, thầy có rảnh không ạ?*

A speech or a formal announcement opens with *kính thưa* and the audience: *Kính thưa quý vị*, ladies and gentlemen.

It's formal. With friends or at the market, people use the address word on its own, with *dạ* or *ơi*. Some families keep it at home: children say *Thưa ba mẹ, con đi học* when they leave for school. To get a waiter's attention, call *Em ơi!* (or *Anh ơi!* / *Chị ơi!* if they look older than you), not *thưa*.

## Examples

- Thưa cô, em có câu hỏi. — Excuse me, I have a question. (a student to a woman teacher)
- Thưa thầy, em xin phép vào lớp. — May I come in, sir? (a student arriving late)
- Thưa bác sĩ, con tôi bị sốt. — Doctor, my child has a fever.
- Kính thưa quý vị. — Ladies and gentlemen. (opening a speech)

## Words in this pattern

- [thưa](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/thua-respectful-opener/#s_thua_respectful_opener): respectful opener

## Compare

- [Calling someone: name + ơi](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/oi-calling/): hey (calling)
- [Polite ending to elders: … ạ](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/a-polite/): (respectful ending)

Previous in Words at the start and end of a sentence: [Polite ending to elders: … ạ](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/a-polite/)
Next in Words at the start and end of a sentence: [Softening a question: … vậy / thế?](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/vay-question-softener/)

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