hãy
Hanoi [haj˦ˀ˥]Huế [haj˧˨]Saigon [ha(ː)j˨˩˦] browser voice
Each syllable carries one of six tones; the mark on the vowel tells you which. How the six tones sound →
hãy means (urges an action: let's, please).
Meanings of hãy in English
Adverb
- do; let's (mild imperative sentence-initial particle)
- Hãy cho biết ...Tell me ...
Adverb
- still; yet
- hãy còn trẻstill young
Example sentences with hãy
- Ông hãy lên xe buýt số 5. You should take the number 5 bus.
- Xin hãy thử số khác đi ạ. Try another number, please.
- Hãy rẽ trái ở góc phố tới. Turn left at the next corner.
- Hãy gọi tôi bất cứ lúc nào. Call me anytime.
- Hãy chờ đến khi anh ta đến. Let's wait till he comes.
- Hãy tìm một bàn ở gần cuối. Let's sit at one of the tables near the back.
- Hãy bắt đầu ở dòng kế cuối. Let's start at the second-to-last line.
- Hãy đi và chơi đá banh nào. Let's go and play football.
Bilingual example sentences from Tatoeba (tatoeba.org, CC BY 2.0 FR).
Historical script (chữ Nôm / Hán)
Before the Latin alphabet (chữ Quốc ngữ) became standard, hãy could be written as 唉. Today Vietnamese is written only in the Latin alphabet.
Etymology
Possibly borrowed from Mandarin 還／还 (hái, “still; yet”).
Frequently asked questions
What does hãy mean in English?
hãy (adverb) means "(urges an action: let's, please)".
How do you pronounce hãy?
IPA: Hanoi [haj˦ˀ˥]; Saigon [ha(ː)j˨˩˦]. Tones: hãy — creaky rising tone (ngã).