à
Each syllable carries one of six tones; the mark on the vowel tells you which. How the six tones sound →
à means (question particle showing surprise); oh.
Meanings of à in English
Particle
- Question particle.
- Thế à?Really?
- Cháu mới về à?So you've come back.
- Nhóm mày có bốn người thôi à?There's only four members in your group, isn't there?
- Denote surprise or a sudden recollection
- à quênoh I forgot
Interjection
- oh; I see
Verb
- rare to rush, to charge at the same time
Example sentences with à
- Cô ấy là em gái bạn à? Is she your sister?
- Anh đã đọc hết nó rồi à? Did you read it all?
- Chúng ta sẽ ở lại đây à? Will we stay here?
- À, bạn đã đến như đã hứa. Ah, you came as promised.
- Bạn đang đề cập đến tôi à? Are you referring to me?
- Mày gan lắm. Dám bơ tao à. You must have some nerve to ignore me.
- Bạn tự chụp bức ảnh này à? Did you take this picture yourself?
- Bạn đang dắt chó đi dạo à? Are you walking the dog?
Bilingual example sentences from Tatoeba (tatoeba.org, CC BY 2.0 FR).
Usage note: à
à at the end of a sentence makes it a question that checks something you have just learned or suspect. It often carries mild surprise.
- Anh là người Pháp à? — Oh, you're French?
- Hết vé rồi à? — The tickets are sold out?
- Thật à? — Really?
At the start of a sentence, à means "oh, by the way" or "ah, now I remember": À, tôi quên mất! — Oh, I forgot! À, ngày mai anh có rảnh không? — Oh, by the way, are you free tomorrow?
With elders, à on its own can feel too casual; a rising ạ is the polite version: Bác về quê ạ? — You're going back to your hometown?
Compare hả (more casual/abrupt) and không (a neutral yes/no question with no assumption).
Frequently asked questions
What does à mean in English?
à (particle) means "(question particle showing surprise); oh".
How do you pronounce à?
IPA: Hanoi [ʔaː˨˩]; Saigon [ʔaː˨˩]. Tones: à — falling tone (huyền).