# nghe meaning in Vietnamese: to listen (A1)

> nghe means “to listen, to hear” in Vietnamese. It can also mean friendly ending. Examples with audio, in Northern and Southern wording.

Source: https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/nghe-listen/ · Updated 2026-10-21

**nghe**: listen · friendly ending

Level: A1 (our estimate)

## 1. listen (verb)

to listen, to hear

*Nghe* covers both; *nghe thấy* stresses actually hearing.

- Em thích nghe nhạc. — I like listening to music.
- Chị nghe em nói không? — Can you hear me?

Level: A1

## 2. friendly ending (particle)

Southern, like *nha*: it ends a reminder, a promise or a goodbye and makes it friendly, like '…, OK?'. Casual speech also says *nghen*.

- Saigon: Ăn cơm rồi đi ngủ sớm nghe con. | Hà Nội: Ăn cơm rồi đi ngủ sớm nhé con. — Have your dinner and go to bed early, OK?
- Saigon: Tui về trước nghe. | Hà Nội: Tôi về trước nhé. — I'm heading off first, OK?

Also: [nha](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/nha-ok/#lx_nha).

In Hà Nội you say [nhé](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/nhe-ok/#s_nhe_ok).

Level: A2 · Saigon only · to recognize

Grammar: […, OK? (soft suggestion): nha / nhé](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/nhe-nha/)

Previous: [ngân hàng](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/ngan-hang/)
Next: [nghe nói](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/nghe-noi/)

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