con

Meanings

Highlighted words are what Saigon and Hà Nội say differently.

1. you or I

   pronoun

   The younger generation's word: you call yourself con to someone your parents' or grandparents' age, and they call you con. Parents call their children con too.

   Also means child. In the South a neighbour of your parents' age calls a younger adult con, even one they have just met; the North says cháu.

   • Saigon

     Dạ, con chào cô.

     Hà Nội

     Cháu chào cô ạ.

     Hello. (to a woman your mother's age)

   • Con ăn cơm chưa?

     Have you eaten yet? (a parent to a child)

   In Hà Nội you say cháu.

   A1Saigon onlyGrammar: You and I are family words: anh, chị, em, cô, chú, ba / mẹ and con, thầy / cô and em

2. child

   noun

   Someone's son or daughter. The same word as the pronoun con.

   • Anh có con chưa?

     Do you have children?

   • Con tôi năm tuổi.

     My child is five.

   A1

3. for animals

   classifier

   The classifier for animals: it goes between a number and the animal, as in hai con mèo (two cats).

   Also used for a few objects — knives, rivers, roads.

   • Nhà tôi có hai con mèo.

     We have two cats.

   • Con chó này dễ thương quá.

     This dog is so cute.

   A1Grammar: Which classifier: cái for things, con for animals, người for people, and the common others