# giờ meaning in Vietnamese: o'clock (A1)

> giờ means “o'clock” in Vietnamese. It can also mean hour, now. Examples with audio, in Northern and Southern wording.

Source: https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/gio-hour/ · Updated 2026-10-31

**giờ**: o'clock · hour · now

Level: A1 (our estimate)

Typed without accents: gio

## 1. o'clock (noun)

The number goes first: *ba giờ*, three o'clock. Ask the time with *mấy giờ?*

- Bây giờ là ba giờ. — It's three o'clock now.
- Mình gặp nhau lúc tám giờ nha. — Let's meet at eight o'clock.

Level: A1

## 2. hour (noun)

For a length of time, speech mostly says *tiếng*: *hai tiếng*, two hours. *Giờ* as a length is more for writing and notices.

- Một giờ có sáu mươi phút. — An hour has sixty minutes.
- Saigon: Tiệm này mở cửa hai mươi bốn giờ. | Hà Nội: Cửa hàng này mở cửa hai mươi bốn giờ. — This shop is open twenty-four hours.

Level: A1 · to recognize

Grammar: [Hours of duration: tiếng (giờ is o'clock)](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/tieng-hours/)

## 3. now (noun)

Short for *bây giờ*, and very common in Saigon speech.

- Giờ mình đi đâu? — Where are we going now?
- Saigon: Giờ em bận, chút nữa em gọi lại nha. | Hà Nội: Giờ em bận, lát nữa em gọi lại nhé. — I'm busy now, I'll call you back in a bit.

Level: A2 · casual

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