thằng

Meaning

Highlighted words are what Saigon and Hà Nội say differently.

1. boys

   classifier

   A classifier for a boy or a man. With children it is affectionate (thằng nhỏ), but with adults it is very casual or looks down on him, so avoid it.

   • Saigon

     Thằng nhỏ đó ngoan lắm.

     Hà Nội

     Thằng bé đó ngoan lắm.

     That little boy is very good.

   • Thằng út nhà chị lên lớp hai rồi.

     My youngest boy is in second grade now.

   casualfamiliarto recognizeGrammar: Which classifier: cái for things, con for animals, người for people, and the common others