मतलब
Apologizing for not arriving on time.
सांस्कृतिक पृष्ठभूमि
People are generally more relaxed about time, but the word 'trễ' is strictly used. Apologies are often followed by a joke or an invitation to start the meal/drink. Punctuality is often viewed slightly more formally in business. The word 'muộn' is the standard. An apology might be more understated. If you are the leader or the oldest person, people will wait for you without complaint, but you should still offer a brief 'Xin lỗi' to show you value their time. Younger generations use 'Sorry' (English word) frequently in texting and casual speech, often mixed with Vietnamese.
The 'Hand on Chest' Gesture
When saying 'Xin lỗi', a slight nod and placing your right hand over your heart makes the apology feel 10x more sincere in Vietnamese culture.
Don't just say 'Sorry'
While young people use it, saying 'Sorry' in English to an older person can seem lazy or disrespectful. Stick to Vietnamese.
मतलब
Apologizing for not arriving on time.
The 'Hand on Chest' Gesture
When saying 'Xin lỗi', a slight nod and placing your right hand over your heart makes the apology feel 10x more sincere in Vietnamese culture.
Don't just say 'Sorry'
While young people use it, saying 'Sorry' in English to an older person can seem lazy or disrespectful. Stick to Vietnamese.
The Traffic Excuse
In Vietnam, 'Kẹt xe' (traffic jam) is the universal 'get out of jail free' card for being late. Even if it wasn't the main reason, mentioning it helps save face.
खुद को परखो
Fill in the correct pronoun for a student speaking to a teacher.
Thưa thầy, ___ xin lỗi ___ vào trễ ạ.
In a school setting, students use 'em' to refer to themselves when speaking to a teacher.
Which sentence is the most natural way to apologize to a friend in Saigon?
Choose the best option:
'Trễ' is Southern (Saigon), and 'mình' + 'nha' is perfect for friends.
Match the situation with the correct phrase.
Match the following:
Each phrase matches its specific social context perfectly.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Sao bạn đến muộn vậy? B: Xin lỗi bạn, ___________.
Giving a reason like 'the road was crowded' (đường đông quá) is the most natural follow-up to an apology.
🎉 स्कोर: /4
विज़ुअल लर्निंग टूल्स
Pronoun Choice for Apologizing
Formal/Neutral
- • Tôi
To Elders
- • Con
- • Cháu
To Seniors/Teachers
- • Em
To Friends
- • Mình
- • Tớ
अभ्यास बैंक
4 अभ्यासThưa thầy, ___ xin lỗi ___ vào trễ ạ.
In a school setting, students use 'em' to refer to themselves when speaking to a teacher.
Choose the best option:
'Trễ' is Southern (Saigon), and 'mình' + 'nha' is perfect for friends.
बाईं ओर के प्रत्येक आइटम को दाईं ओर के उसके जोड़े से मिलाएं:
Each phrase matches its specific social context perfectly.
A: Sao bạn đến muộn vậy? B: Xin lỗi bạn, ___________.
Giving a reason like 'the road was crowded' (đường đông quá) is the most natural follow-up to an apology.
🎉 स्कोर: /4
अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल
10 सवालYes, 'Xin lỗi' on its own is perfectly fine and very common. Adding 'tôi trễ' just specifies why you are apologizing.
No. 'Tôi' is safe for strangers of equal age, but use 'Em' for teachers/bosses and 'Con' for elders.
They mean the same thing. 'Trễ' is Southern, 'Muộn' is Northern. Use the one that matches your location.
You say 'Tôi trễ 10 phút'. Just add the number and 'phút' (minutes) at the end.
Use 'Trễ chuyến bay'. For example: 'Tôi bị trễ chuyến bay' (I missed/was late for my flight).
It depends. For social gatherings, 15-30 mins is often tolerated. For business, it is increasingly seen as unprofessional.
The most common reply is 'Không sao' (No problem) or 'Không có gì' (It's nothing).
Yes! If you want to get past someone in a crowd, you can say 'Xin lỗi' or 'Làm ơn cho qua'.
The word 'nha' is a sentence-final particle that makes the sentence sound softer, friendlier, and more Southern.
Yes, 'chậm trễ' is used in formal documents and announcements.
संबंधित मुहावरे
Làm phiền
similarTo bother / To disturb
Đúng giờ
contrastOn time / Punctual
Thông cảm
builds onTo sympathize / To understand
Chậm trễ
specialized formDelay (noun/adj)
