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thì phải

Level ≈B1 (approx.) adverb Top 3,000 most common
Hanoi [tʰi˨˩ faːj˧˩]Huế [tʰɪj˦˩ faːj˧˨]Saigon [tʰɪj˨˩ faːj˨˩˦] browser voice
Syllables · tones
thìfallinghuyềnphảidippinghỏi

Each syllable carries one of six tones; the mark on the vowel tells you which. How the six tones sound →

Meanings of thì phải in English

Adverb

  1. colloquial Used to indicate one's decent affirmation, yet with a need to confirm further from their speaking partner: possibly
    • Bài toán này tớ gặp rồi thì phải, bạn có biết cách giải không?Perhaps, I had encountered such a problem like this and, do you know how to resolve it?

Example sentences with thì phải

  • Nhổ cỏ thì phải nhổ tận gốc. If you're going to pull weeds, pull them out by the roots.
  • Muốn chơi thì phải theo luật tao. It's my way or the highway.
  • Nhập gia thì phải tùy tục. Do in Rome as the Romans do.
  • Ít nhất thì phải nói "cảm ơn" chứ. At least say "thank you".
  • Bất kỳ ai đã hứa thì phải giữ lấy lời. Anyone who has made a promise should keep it.

Bilingual example sentences from Tatoeba (tatoeba.org, CC BY 2.0 FR).

Etymology

thì (“to result”) + phải (“accordingly”).

Frequently asked questions

How do you pronounce thì phải?

IPA: Hanoi [tʰi˨˩ faːj˧˩]; Saigon [tʰɪj˨˩ faːj˨˩˦]. Tones: thì — falling tone (huyền), phải — dipping tone (hỏi).

Meanings, pronunciation and etymology from English Wiktionary (wiktionary.org, via kaikki.org; CC BY-SA 4.0), reviewed and edited; example sentences from Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR). IPA shown for three accents: Hanoi (Northern), Huế (Central) and Saigon (Southern). The Listen button uses your browser's Vietnamese voice, for reference only. Levels are approximate, estimated from word frequency. Spotted a mistake? Let NgonNgu know.