# sợ meaning in Vietnamese: to be afraid (of) (A1)

> sợ means “to be afraid (of), to be scared (of)” in Vietnamese. Examples with audio.

Source: https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/so-be-afraid/ · Updated 2026-10-18

**sợ**: be afraid

Level: A1 (our estimate)

Typed without accents: so

## 1. be afraid (verb)

to be afraid (of), to be scared (of)

No word for "of": *sợ chó*, afraid of dogs. Before a sentence it softens bad news: *Em sợ là không kịp.*

- Con sợ ma. — I'm scared of ghosts.
- Em sợ đi máy bay. — I'm afraid of flying.

Previous: [sống](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/song-live/)
Next: [sớm](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/som-early/)

---

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