In this lesson, I’m going to show you how you can text and understand the texts from the Vietnamese locals, by learning the most common text abbreviations.
Before we learn the specific text abbreviations, here are some general texting rules in Vietnamese that people like, and tend to use:
- write p - instead of b
- write k - instead of c
- write d - instead of gi
- write w - instead of qu
- write j or i - instead of y
Vietnamese text abbreviations about PEOPLE
Let's start with the most commonly used Vietnamese pronouns.
"a"
stands for: anh
meaning: I / You
-- someone old enough to be your older brother
"c"
stands for: chị
meaning: I / You
-- someone old enough to be your older sister
"e"
stands for: em
meaning: I / You
-- someone young enough to be your younger brother/sister
"b" or "bn"
stands for: bạn
meaning: You
-- refers to a same-age friend, or an unknown person on the internet
"t"
stands for: tao
meaning: I
-- used when talking to a same-age close friend
"m"
stands for: mày
meaning: You
-- used when talking to a same-age close friend
also stands for mình
meaning: I
-- used when talking to a same-age friend, or an unknown person on the internet
If you need to learn or review common personal pronouns in Vietnamese, here is a free lesson that you can read.
"ng"
stands for: người
meaning: people
"mn"
stands for: mọi người
meaning: everyone; everybody
Vietnamese text abbreviations about RELATIONSHIP
Here comes other common Vietnamese text slang couples use in their relationship.
"iu"
stands for: yêu
meaning: to love
"ct"
stands for: chia tay
meaning: to breakup
"ny"
stands for: người yêu
meaning: lover; boyfriend/girlfriend
"vk"
stands for: vợ
meaning: wife
"ck"
stands for: chồng / chuyển khoản
meaning: husband / to do bank transfer
"vc"
stands for: vợ chồng
meaning: wife and husband; married couple
"ox"
stands for: ông xã
meaning: hubby
"bx"
stands for: bà xã
meaning: wifey
Just so you know that the Vietnamese teens often call their boyfriend and girlfriend, husband and wife. That's why they use a lot of ck / vk / ox / bx in their texting.
Vietnamese text abbreviations about TIME
"h" or "g"
stands for: giờ
meaning: o'clock; hour
"ph"
stands for: phút
meaning: minutes
"bh" or "bjo"
stands for: bây giờ
meaning: now; nowadays
"hn" or "hnay"
stands for: hôm nay
meaning: today
"hqua"
stands for: hôm qua
meaning: yesterday
"htrc"
stands for: hôm trước
meaning: the other day; the previous day
Text Abbreviations that are VERBS
"nt"
stands for: nhắn tin
meaning: to text
"nc"
stands for: nói chuyện
meaning: to talk, to speak (have a conversation)
"mún"
stands for: muốn
meaning: to want
"bit" or "bik" (cute)
stands for: biết
meaning: to know
"cb"
stands for: chuẩn bị
meaning: to prepare
"nch"
stands for: nói chung
meaning: generally speaking; generally
Text Abbreviations that are NOUNS / ADJECTIVES
"dt" or "đt"
stands for: điện thoại
meaning: phone; cellphone
"bth"
stands for: bình thường
meaning: normal; normally
Text Abbreviations that are Question Words
"j"
stands for: gì
meaning: what
"bn" / "bao nhiu" (cute)
stands for: bao nhiêu
meaning: how much; how many
"ntn"
stands for: như thế nào
meaning: how
Other Common Vietnamese Text Abbreviations
k; ko; hok or hem
stands for: không
meaning: no; not (negation)
When people want to be a little cute towards close friends or family members, we would use the word hem for không.
“dc” or “đc”
stands for: “được”
meaning: can; able to; (passive voice)
"r" or "rùi"
stands for: “rồi”
meaning: already
"nhìu"
stands for: nhiều /
meaning: much; very much
"wá"
stands for: quá
meaning: too; sooo.. (exaggeration)
"cg"
stands for: cũng
meaning: also
"uk" or "uh" or ukm
stands for: ừ
meaning: yes; ok
-- used when talking to a younger person or a same-age friend
"G9"
stands for: ngủ ngon
meaning: goodnight
"hic"
stands for: crying sound
meaning: crying
"vn"
stands for: Việt Nam
meaning: Vietnam (country)
Vietnamese Cursing Words in Texting?
"vl" / "vcc" / "vcl"
stands for: vãi lồn / vãi cả chưởng / vãi cả lồn
meaning: wtf (for when being surprized)
"clgt?"
stands for: cái lồn gì thế?
meaning: wtf? (for when being confused or frustrated)
"đcm" / "dcm"
stands for: địt con mẹ / địt con mẹ mày
meaning: motherfucker
"cmnr"
stands for: chuẩn mẹ nó rồi
meaning: fucking true (for exaggeration)
Text Reading Challenge!
We have learned quite a few text abbreviations and slang words in Vietnamese.
Now it's the time to test your understanding of Vietnamese texting. Can you read what these texts say?
Message 1
A: Ê m! Mai đi chơi với t ko?
B: Hem đc! Mai t phải cb thi r
Message 2
A: E mới mua dt hả!? Bn tiền?
B: Dạ e mới mua hqua! 20tr :)
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