ông

Meanings

Highlighted words are what Saigon and Hà Nội say differently.

1. you or I

   pronoun

   A man your grandparents' age: you call him ông and yourself con (in Hà Nội cháu), and he calls himself ông.

   Before a name, ông is also Mr.: ông Nam.

   • Saigon

     Dạ, con chào ông.

     Hà Nội

     Cháu chào ông ạ.

     Hello. (to a man your grandfather's age)

   • Saigon

     Ông mua kem cho con nè.

     Hà Nội

     Ông mua kem cho cháu này.

     I bought you an ice cream. (a grandfather to a child)

   A1Grammar: You and I are family words: anh, chị, em, cô, chú, ba / mẹ and con, thầy / cô and em

2. grandfather

   noun

   grandfather, grandpa

   Your father's father is ông nội, your mother's father ông ngoại.

   • Ông tôi thích uống trà.

     My grandfather likes drinking tea.

   • Tôi thương ông lắm.

     I love my grandpa very much.

   A1

3. you (friends)

   pronoun

   you

   Saigon friends of the same age say tui for I, ông to a man and bà to a woman. Familiar, but not rude.

   • Saigon

     Tối nay ông rảnh không?

     Hà Nội

     Tối nay cậu rảnh không?

     Are you free tonight? (to a male friend)

   • Saigon

     Ông nói đúng đó.

     Hà Nội

     Cậu nói đúng đấy.

     You're right. (to a male friend)

   Also: bà.

   In Hà Nội you say cậu.

   A1Saigon onlycasualfamiliarto recognizeGrammar: Casual I and you between friends: tui – ông / bà, tao – mày, tớ – cậu