nên
Each syllable carries one of six tones; the mark on the vowel tells you which. How the six tones sound →
nên means should; so; therefore.
Meanings of nên in English
Verb
- should; ought to (the speaker intends for the subject to execute the sentence predicate)
- to develop into; to change into
- in the negative to be auspicious
- Cầm cây đũa vẫy vẫy trước mặt người ta vậy là không nên!You shouldn't wave around a single chopstick in front of someone else like that.
Conjunction
- therefore; so
Words with nên
Example sentences with nên
- Đáng lẽ ra tôi nên ở nhà. I should've stayed home.
- Có lẽ bạn nên hỏi anh ấy. Maybe you should ask him.
- Lẽ ra tôi nên đi ngủ sớm. I should have gone to bed early.
- Tôi lẽ ra nên đi ngủ sớm. I should have gone to bed early.
- Bò hầm nên tinh tế và dày. Beef stew should be nice and thick.
- Tốt hơn bạn nên mở rèm ra. You'd better open up the curtains.
- Nên có một dịch vụ xe buýt. There ought to be a better bus service.
- Cô ấy đã không nói nên lời. Words failed her.
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, nên could be written as 年, 𢧚, 𫻽, 𱚑. Today Vietnamese is written only in the Latin alphabet.
Usage note: nên
nên has two very common meanings: "should" and "so, therefore".
- Should (before a verb): Anh nên nghỉ ngơi. — You should rest. Có nên mua không? — Should I buy it?
- So, therefore (joining clauses): Trời mưa nên tôi ở nhà. — It rained, so I stayed home.
The second use often pairs with vì (because): Vì mệt nên tôi ngủ sớm. — Because I was tired, I went to bed early. English uses only one of "because" and "so"; Vietnamese happily uses both together.
Advice scale: nên (should) · phải (must) · cần (need to). Negative advice: không nên = shouldn't: Không nên uống nước máy. — You shouldn't drink tap water.
✗ Vì trời mưa, vì vậy tôi ở nhà. (double connector feels clumsy) → ✓ Vì trời mưa nên tôi ở nhà.
Etymology
Cognate with Muong Bi điênh.
Frequently asked questions
What does nên mean in English?
nên (verb) means "should; so; therefore".
How do you pronounce nên?
IPA: Hanoi [nen˧˧]; Saigon [nəːn˧˧]. Tones: nên — level tone (ngang).