kể
Each syllable carries one of six tones; the mark on the vowel tells you which. How the six tones sound →
kể means to tell.
Meanings of kể in English
Verb
- to tell
Words with kể
Example sentences with kể
- Tôi biết ơn không sao kể hết. I can't tell you how grateful I am.
- Tôi muốn kể về tình yêu của tôi. I want to speak about my love.
- Hãy kể cho tôi một câu chuyện ma. Please tell me a ghost story.
- Anh kể tôi nghe chuyện đời của mình. He told me his life's story.
- Tom không hay kể chuyện gia đình mình. Tom doesn't talk much about his family.
- Câu truyện này được kể bằng tiếng Pháp. That story is in French.
- Thể hiện, đừng chỉ kể. Show, don't tell.
- Hãy kể, đừng thể hiện. Tell, don't show.
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, kể could be written as 𠸥, 𧦕. Today Vietnamese is written only in the Latin alphabet.
Usage note: kể
kể means "to tell, recount" — a story, an event, an experience.
- Kể cho tôi nghe về chuyến đi đi! — Tell me about the trip!
- Bà kể chuyện cổ tích cho cháu. — Grandma tells the children fairy tales.
- Anh ấy kể là đã gặp chị. — He mentioned that he had met you.
The pattern kể cho [person] nghe — literally "tell for someone to hear" — is very common and natural.
Compare: nói (say/speak) — a general verb; kể — tell a series of events; bảo — tell someone (to do something).
Other meanings:
- Count, include: kể cả — including: Năm người, kể cả tôi. — Five people, including me.
- kể từ — since: kể từ hôm đó — since that day
- không đáng kể — insignificant, not worth mentioning
Etymology
Non-Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese 計 (SV: kế).
Frequently asked questions
What does kể mean in English?
kể (verb) means "to tell".
How do you pronounce kể?
IPA: Hanoi [ke˧˩]; Saigon [kej˨˩˦]. Tones: kể — dipping tone (hỏi).