# hỏi meaning in Vietnamese: to ask (A1)

> hỏi means “to ask” in Vietnamese. It can also mean hỏi tone. Examples with audio, in Northern and Southern wording.

Source: https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/hoi-ask/ · Updated 2026-10-31

**hỏi**: ask · hỏi tone

Level: A1 (our estimate)

Typed without accents: hoi

## 1. ask (verb)

To ask a question; to ask for something, say *xin*.

- Em muốn hỏi cô một câu. — I'd like to ask you a question.
- Saigon: Ba mẹ hỏi em có khỏe không. | Hà Nội: Bố mẹ hỏi em có khỏe không. — My parents asked if I was well.

Level: A1

## 2. hỏi tone (noun)

hỏi tone, dipping tone

Marked with a small hook above the vowel, as in *hỏi*. In Saigon it sounds the same as the *ngã* tone, so the two are learnt as spelling.

- Khỏe là dấu hỏi hay dấu ngã? — Is khỏe written with hỏi or ngã?
- Ở Sài Gòn, hỏi và ngã nghe như nhau. — In Saigon, hỏi and ngã sound the same.

Level: A1

Previous: [học viên](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/hoc-vien/)
Next: [hỏi thăm](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/hoi-tham/)

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