Significado
Stating that one has no free time today
Contexto cultural
Being 'busy' is often used as a polite 'buffer' to avoid direct confrontation or saying 'no' directly, which is considered harsh in Vietnamese culture. In big cities, 'Hôm nay tôi bận' is frequently used to describe the 'hustle' of work life. It's common to see people working in cafes while saying this on the phone. When talking to parents, you must replace 'tôi' with 'con'. Saying 'tôi' to your mother is extremely disrespectful. In business, saying you are busy should be followed by a specific time when you will be free to show professionalism.
Add 'rồi' for natural flow
Adding 'rồi' (already) at the end—'Hôm nay tôi bận rồi'—makes you sound much more like a native speaker.
Watch the tone!
Saying 'bẩn' (dirty) instead of 'bận' (busy) is a classic foreigner mistake that will make locals laugh.
Significado
Stating that one has no free time today
Add 'rồi' for natural flow
Adding 'rồi' (already) at the end—'Hôm nay tôi bận rồi'—makes you sound much more like a native speaker.
Watch the tone!
Saying 'bẩn' (dirty) instead of 'bận' (busy) is a classic foreigner mistake that will make locals laugh.
The 'Soft' Refusal
If you want to be extra polite, say: 'Tiếc quá, hôm nay tôi bận mất rồi' (So sad, I'm busy today already).
Don't just say 'I'm busy'
In Vietnam, it's polite to give a vague reason, like 'bận việc gia đình' (busy with family stuff).
Ponte a prueba
Fill in the missing word to say 'Today I am very busy'.
Hôm nay tôi bận ___.
'Quá' is an intensifier placed after the adjective to mean 'very'.
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
Select the correct way to say 'I am busy'.
Vietnamese does not use 'là' (to be) before adjectives.
Complete the dialogue with a polite refusal.
A: Tối nay đi xem phim không? B: Xin lỗi, ___.
'Hôm nay tôi bận rồi' is the most natural and polite way to decline.
Match the phrase to the correct situation.
Situation: You are talking to your boss.
Using 'Dạ', 'em' (instead of 'tôi'), and 'ạ' shows proper respect to a superior.
🎉 Puntuación: /4
Ayudas visuales
Banco de ejercicios
4 ejerciciosHôm nay tôi bận ___.
'Quá' is an intensifier placed after the adjective to mean 'very'.
Select the correct way to say 'I am busy'.
Vietnamese does not use 'là' (to be) before adjectives.
A: Tối nay đi xem phim không? B: Xin lỗi, ___.
'Hôm nay tôi bận rồi' is the most natural and polite way to decline.
Situation: You are talking to your boss.
Using 'Dạ', 'em' (instead of 'tôi'), and 'ạ' shows proper respect to a superior.
🎉 Puntuación: /4
Preguntas frecuentes
10 preguntasYes, but 'Hôm nay tôi bận' is more common as it sets the timeframe first.
No, 'tôi' is neutral. Use 'em' for elders/bosses and 'mình' for friends to be more natural.
'Bận' is a simple state, while 'bận rộn' implies a lot of activity or a busy atmosphere.
Add 'quá' or 'lắm' at the end: 'Tôi bận quá'.
Yes, but in formal emails, use 'Tôi có việc bận' or 'Tôi bận việc riêng'.
In Vietnamese, adjectives function like verbs. They don't need a linking verb.
Say 'Bạn có bận không?'
It's a colloquial way to say you're busy with many small, annoying tasks.
Not if you say it politely with 'xin lỗi' or 'tiếc quá'.
Say 'Tôi bận chăm con'.
Frases relacionadas
Tôi đang bận
similarI am currently busy
Tôi rảnh
contrastI am free
Bận rộn
specialized formBusy and bustling
Việc riêng
builds onPrivate business
Kẹt xe
similarStuck in traffic
