Vietnamese Grammar Bank
HOW TO SAY OR IN VIETNAMESE
Choices are part of daily life conversations, such as “would you like to stay home or go for a walk?”
We teach you how to give options and choices by saying “or” in Vietnamese.
USING HOẶC
In Vietnamese you will use the word “hoặc” to give more than two options in a sentence.
It can be used with nouns, verbs and adjectives.
PATTERN
N1/ V1/ A1 + hoặc + N2/ V2/ A2 (+ hoặc + N3/ V3/ A3)
| Trái cam hoặc trái táo | Orange or Apple |
| Cái bàn hoặc cái ghế | Table or chair |
View More Examples:
| Đi học hoặc đi du lịch | Going to school or traveling |
| Ăn cơm hoặc uống nước | Eating rice or drinking water |
| Đẹp hoặc xấu hoặc lạ | Pretty or ugly or weird |
| Ngon hoặc dở | Delicious or nasty |
USING HAY
Another way to say “or” in Vietnamese is with the word hay. Just as before, it is used between nouns, verbs and adjectives.
The two words hay and hoặc can be use interchangeably and equally in any situation.
PATTERN
N1/ V1/ A1 + hay + N2/ V2/ A2 (+ hay + N3/ V3/ A3)
| Ba hay Mẹ | Dad or mom |
| Con gái hay con trai | Girl or boy? |
View More Examples:
| Làm việc hay học bài | Work or Study? |
| Ngủ hay ăn | Sleep or Eat? |
| Vui hay buồn | Happy or Sad? |
| Cứng hay mềm | Tough or soft? |
HOẶC & HAY IN QUESTIONS
Now that we know how to use or in Vietnamese, let’s see how to use hoặc and hay in questions:
| Em muốn ăn táo hay ăn cam? | Do you want to eat apples or eat oranges? |
| Em yêu ai, ba hay mẹ? | Who do you love, dad or mom? |
| Em học giỏi môn nào, Toán hay Văn? | Which subject are you good at, Maths or Literature? |
| Chị muốn kem vị gì, cam hoặc bưởi? | Which ice cream flavor do you want, orange or grapefruit? |
| Chị muốn xem phim nào, Marvel hoặc Inside out? | Which movie do you want to watch, Marvel or Inside out? |
| Cuối tuần chị đi đâu, Việt Nam hoặc Mỹ? | Where do you want to go at the weekend, Vietnam or America? |
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SIMILAR RESOURCES
Download the free Mandarin eBook for a guide packed with all the LTL resources available online!
Want to learn more? Check out these other free resources:
• Learn how to say Or in Mandarin
• Learn how to say Or in Korean
FAQs
How to say or in Vietnamese?
Or in Vietnamese can be expressed by using the words hoặc and hay.
How to use hoặc in Vietnamese?
In Vietnamese you will use the word “hoặc” to give more than two options in a sentence.
N1/ V1/ A1 + hoặc + N2/ V2/ A2 (+ hoặc + N3/ V3/ A3)
Cái bàn hoặc cái ghế
Table or chair
Đi học hoặc đi du lịch
Going to school or traveling
How to use hay in Vietnamese?
Another way to say “or” in Vietnamese is with the word hay. It is used between nouns, verbs and adjectives.
The two words hay and hoặc can be use interchangeably and equally in any situation.
N1/ V1/ A1 + hay + N2/ V2/ A2 (+ hay + N3/ V3/ A3)
Con gái hay con trai
Girl or boy?
Làm việc hay học bài
Work or Study?
How to say with in Vietnamese?
With in Vietnamese can be said by using multiple words.
The most common sentence structures are:
Subject 1 + Verb + với + Subject 2
Tôi về nhà với mẹ tôi. I come home with my mother
someone, something “with” something:
Subject 1 + Verb + cùng + Subject 2
Tôi về nhà cùng mẹ tôi. I come home with my mother
Subject 1 + với (with) + Subject 2 + verb + cùng nhau (together)
Tôi với mẹ về nhà cùng nhau. I come home together with my mom
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Learn more about how to say with in Vietnamese here.
Where to find more lessons like this?
Check out our Vietnamese Grammar Bank, where you will find free lessons for levels A1 to B1.
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MORE FREE LESSONS
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Basic comparisons in Vietnamese
Subject 1 + Adjective + hơn + Subject 2 -
Vietnamese command form
Verb + đi! / nào! -
Conditional sentences in Vietnamese
Nếu (if) + if-clause A, thì (so) + main clause -
Perception verbs in Vietnamese
Subject + thấy + noun -
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Một số + noun -
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Subject + vừa + action 1 + vừa + action 2 -
Measurements in Vietnamese
Bao lâu? / Bao nhiêu + time measurement -
Adjective Comparisons in Vietnamese
Subject 1 + adjective + chẳng kém gì + Subject 2 -
How to say "with" in Vietnamese
Subject 1 + Verb + với + Subject 2 -
How to say "or" in Vietnamese
N1/ V1/ A1 + hoặc + N2/ V2/ A2 -
How to say "almost" in Vietnamese
Subject + hầu như + verb -
How to say 'if' in Vietnamese
Nếu/ Nếu như + Clause 1, Clause 2 -
How to say "together" in Vietnamese
Subject + “cùng” + (Person if specified) + Verb -
How to say "in order to" in Vietnamese
Subject + để + Verb -
How to say "this" and "that" in Vietnamese
Cái này + (là) + Noun/ Adjective/Verb/Clause -
How to say "after all" in Vietnamese
Cuối cùng, Subject + Verb -
How to say "moreover" in Vietnamese
Clause 1. Hơn nữa, Clause 2. -
How to say "until" in Vietnamese
Clause 1 + cho đến khi + Clause 2 -
"Must" & "have to" in Vietnamese
Subject + phải + verb -
How to say "used to" in Vietnamese
Subject + từng/đã từng + verb -
"To try something" in Vietnamese
Thử + Verb -
"The more...the more" in Vietnamese
Càng + [Verb], Càng + [Verb] -
Making suggestions in Vietnamese
Clause, nhé! -
Expressing intentions in Vietnamese
Subject + định + verb -
Expressing surprise in Vietnamese
Thật à? + Clause -
Expressing regret in Vietnamese
Thật tiếc là + clause -
Expressing hope in Vietnamese
Subject + hy vọng + clause -
Probability in Vietnamese
Subject + có thể + Verb -
Purpose of action in Vietnamese
Subject + Verb + để + Purpose Clause -
Expressing potential in Vietnamese
Subject + có thể + Verb -
Expressing contrast in Vietnamese
Tuy + clause, nhưng + contrast clause -
Giving advice in Vietnamese
Subject 1 + nghĩ + Subject 2 + nên + verb/adjective -
How to order food in Vietnamese
Cho + 1st pronoun + counter + name of the dish or drink -
Adjective Clause with "Đến mức" in Vietnamese
Subject + adjective + đến mức + clause