# bệnh meaning in Vietnamese: illness (A2)

> bệnh means “illness, disease” in Vietnamese. It can also mean ill. Examples with audio, in Northern and Southern wording.

Source: https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/benh-illness/ · Updated 2026-10-31

**bệnh**: illness · ill

Level: A2 (our estimate)

Typed without accents: benh

## 1. illness (noun)

illness, disease

- Bệnh của em có nặng không? — Is your illness serious?
- Bà tôi bị bệnh tim. — My grandmother has heart disease.

Level: A2

## 2. ill (adjective)

ill, sick

Saigon's word for ill. In Hà Nội: *ốm*, which in Saigon means thin.

- Saigon: Em bệnh rồi, hôm nay em nghỉ. | Hà Nội: Em ốm rồi, hôm nay em nghỉ. — I'm sick, so I'm taking today off.
- Saigon: Con bệnh hả? Đi bác sĩ nha. | Hà Nội: Con ốm à? Đi khám bác sĩ nhé. — Are you sick? Let's go to the doctor.

In Hà Nội you say [ốm](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/om-ill/#s_om_ill).

Level: A2 · Saigon only

Previous: [bến xe khách](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/ben-xe-khach/)
Next: [bếp](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/bep-kitchen/)

---

Add to Vietnamese Buddy: https://app.vietnamesebuddy.com/waitlist?source=word%3Aw_benh_illness
In the app, any word you meet while reading can go into your lexicon with its audio, ready to study with flashcards and spaced repetition.