# kêu meaning in Vietnamese: to order (A1)

> kêu means “to order” in Vietnamese. It can also mean call out, tell. Examples with audio, in Northern and Southern wording.

Source: https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/keu-order/ · Updated 2026-10-31

**kêu**: order · call out · tell

Level: A1 (our estimate)

Typed without accents: keu

## 1. order (verb)

Saigon's everyday word for ordering in a café or a restaurant; *gọi* works everywhere.

- Saigon: Em kêu hai ly cà phê nha. | Hà Nội: Em gọi hai cốc cà phê nhé. — I'll order two coffees, OK?
- Saigon: Anh kêu món chưa? | Hà Nội: Anh gọi món chưa? — Have you ordered yet?

Level: A1 · Saigon only

## 2. call out (verb)

to call, to call out

Calling out to someone, or calling them over. Hà Nội usually says *gọi*.

- Saigon: Má kêu con vô ăn cơm. | Hà Nội: Mẹ gọi con vào ăn cơm. — Mom's calling me in to eat.
- Saigon: Có người kêu em kìa. | Hà Nội: Có người gọi em kìa. — Someone's calling you.

Level: A2

## 3. tell (verb)

to tell, to say

Saigon's everyday word for telling someone to do something; Hà Nội says *bảo*. The person comes straight after it: *kêu em làm*.

- Saigon: Ba kêu em về nhà sớm. | Hà Nội: Bố bảo em về nhà sớm. — Dad told me to come home early.
- Saigon: Chị Lan kêu là mai chị bận. | Hà Nội: Chị Lan bảo là mai chị bận. — Lan says she's busy tomorrow.

Said everywhere: [bảo](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/bao-tell/#s_bao_tell_verb).

Level: A2 · Saigon only

Grammar: [Telling, making, asking someone to: kêu / bảo, bắt, nhờ + person + verb](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/causative-bao-bat/)

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