# Vài / mấy: a few in Vietnamese (A2)

> Vài means "a few", two or three or so. It works like a number: it goes before the noun and takes the same classifier, vài cái áo (a few shirts), vài trái…

Source: https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/vai-few/ · Updated 2026-10-17

**a few**

Pattern: `vài / mấy / một vài + [classifier] + [noun]`

Level: A2 (our estimate) · Register: everyday

Typed without accents: vai, may

Variants:

- một vài
- vài ba
- dăm ba (Northern)
- mươi (about ten; written, old-fashioned)

*Vài* means "a few", two or three or so. It works like a number: it goes before the noun and takes the same classifier, *vài cái áo* (a few shirts), *vài trái xoài* (a few mangoes; in Hà Nội *quả*). Nouns that need no classifier after a number need none here either: *vài ngày* (a few days), *vài người* (a few people). *Một vài* means the same and sounds a little softer.

In relaxed speech, *mấy* often does the same job in a statement: *mấy ngày*, *mấy cái áo*. You know *mấy* as "how many?"; with no question, it's "a few". *Mấy bữa nay* (in Hà Nội *mấy hôm nay*) means "these last few days".

With *chục*, *trăm* and *ngàn*, *vài* gives a rough big figure: *vài chục người* (a few dozen people), *vài trăm ngàn* (a few hundred thousand).

*Một số* also means "some", but it takes no classifier, sounds more neutral and doesn't promise a small number. *Vài* is always just a few.

## A common mistake

✗ Em mua vài sách.

✓ Em mua vài cuốn sách.

Like a number, *vài* needs the classifier: *hai cuốn sách*, so *vài cuốn sách*.

## Examples

- Em ở Đà Lạt vài ngày thôi. — I'm only staying in Đà Lạt a few days.
- Saigon: Để chị mua vài trái xoài. | Hà Nội: Để chị mua vài quả xoài. — Let me buy a few mangoes.
- Saigon: Mấy bữa nay trời mưa hoài. | Hà Nội: Mấy hôm nay trời mưa suốt. — It's been raining non-stop these last few days.
- Saigon: Tối qua có vài chục người tới. | Hà Nội: Tối qua có vài chục người đến. — A few dozen people came last night.

## Words in this pattern

- [mấy](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/may-how-many/#s_may_few): a few
- [vài](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/vai-a-few/#s_vai_a_few): a few

## Compare

- [How many (a small number): mấy before the noun](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/may-how-many/): how many (few)?
- [A number of, some: một số](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/mot-so/): some, a number of
- [Ten-something, twenty-something: mười mấy, hai mươi mấy, mấy chục](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/muoi-may-ten-something/): in the teens, twenties; dozens of

Previous in Things, counting and numbers: [Without, when ordering: dish + không + ingredient](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/khong-without-ordering/)
Next in Things, counting and numbers: [A little: một ít, một chút, một tí](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/mot-it-a-little/)

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