# nay meaning in Vietnamese: this (A1)

> nay means “this” in Vietnamese. It can also mean today. Examples with audio, in Northern and Southern wording.

Source: https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/nay-now/ · Updated 2026-10-31

**nay**: time of day · today

Level: A1 (our estimate)

## 1. time of day (pronoun)

this

Goes after a part of the day: *sáng nay*, this morning; *tối nay*, tonight. After most other time words 'this' is *này* (*tuần này*, this week), but this year is *năm nay*.

- Tối nay anh đi đâu? — Where are you going tonight?
- Saigon: Sáng nay tui uống hai ly cà phê. | Hà Nội: Sáng nay tôi uống hai cốc cà phê. — I had two coffees this morning.

Level: A1

Grammar: [này or nay in time words: tuần này, năm nay](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/nay-vs-nay/)

## 2. today (noun)

Casual Saigon speech, short for *hôm nay*, which is the word everywhere.

- Saigon: Nay em rảnh không? | Hà Nội: Hôm nay em rảnh không? — Are you free today?
- Saigon: Nay quán đông quá. | Hà Nội: Hôm nay quán đông quá. — The place is so busy today.

Said everywhere: [hôm nay](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/hom-nay/#lx_hom_nay).

Level: A1 · Saigon only · casual · to recognize

Previous: [nào](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/nao-which/)
Next: [này](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/nay-this/)

---

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