# mắc meaning in Vietnamese: expensive (A1)

> mắc means “expensive” in Vietnamese. It can also mean get stuck. Examples with audio, in Northern and Southern wording.

Source: https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/mac-expensive/ · Updated 2026-10-18

**mắc**: expensive · get stuck

Level: A1 (our estimate)

Typed without accents: mac

## 1. expensive (adjective)

In Hà Nội: *đắt*.

- Saigon: Mắc quá, rẻ hơn được không chị? | Hà Nội: Đắt quá, rẻ hơn được không chị? — That's too expensive. Can you make it cheaper?
- Saigon: Ở Sài Gòn, nhà mắc lắm. | Hà Nội: Ở Sài Gòn, nhà đắt lắm. — In Saigon, housing is really expensive.

In Hà Nội you say [đắt](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/dat-expensive/#s_dat_expensive).

Level: A1 · Saigon only

## 2. get stuck (verb)

to get caught (in), to get stuck

Usually after *bị*: *bị mắc mưa*, to get caught in the rain.

- Hôm qua tui bị mắc mưa. — Yesterday I got caught in the rain.
- Saigon: Tui bị mắc xương cá. | Hà Nội: Tôi bị hóc xương cá. — I've got a fish bone stuck in my throat.

Previous: [máy tính](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/may-tinh/)
Next: [mặn](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/man-salty/)

---

Add to Vietnamese Buddy: https://app.vietnamesebuddy.com/waitlist?source=word%3Aw_mac_expensive
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.