Southern Vietnamese
Request in Vietnamese: Cho Tôi, Giúp Tôi & Được Không
Learn how to make a request in Vietnamese with cho tôi, giúp tôi, được không, làm ơn, and practical ordering/help examples.
Quick answer
In one sentence
Cho tôi asks for things, giúp tôi asks for help, and được không turns a short Vietnamese request into a polite question.
- Learner problem: I know nouns but cannot ask for things politely.
- Pattern: Cho tôi + thing/action: Cho tôi menu.
Search intent guide
Request in Vietnamese: cho tôi, giúp tôi, được không
Request-focused queries need practical patterns, not literal please. Cho tôi asks for things, giúp tôi asks for help, and được không softens the request.
| Learner intent | Use this first | Why it matches |
|---|---|---|
| Ask for an item | Cho tôi menu | Cho tôi plus object is compact and natural. |
| Ask for help | Giúp tôi được không? | A clear help request with a polite question ending. |
| Order food or coffee | Cho tôi một ly cà phê | More natural than translating I want coffee word by word. |
Learner problem
I know nouns but cannot ask for things politely.
Pattern preview
Cho tôi + thing/action: Cho tôi menu.
The short version
Cho tôi, giúp tôi, and làm ơn turn phrase knowledge into real requests.
Pattern box
Cho tôi + thing/action: Cho tôi menu.
English trap
Do not make every request a long English-style sentence.
Right vs wrong examples
| Instead of this | Say this | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Copy the English structure word by word | Cho tôi menu | Use the Vietnamese pattern as a ready-made chunk. |
| Add extra grammar words because English needs them | Cho tôi một ly cà phê | Vietnamese often stays shorter than English. |
| Study the rule without a real situation | Cho tôi xem | Attach the rule to a cafe, taxi, hotel, market, or work sentence. |
Core examples
| Vietnamese | English | Practice note |
|---|---|---|
| Cho tôi menu | Please give me the menu | Cho tôi plus object. |
| Cho tôi một ly cà phê | Please give me one coffee | Cho tôi plus quantity. |
| Cho tôi xem | Let me see | Short practical request. |
| Cho tôi thử | Let me try | Useful in shops. |
| Giúp tôi được không? | Can you help me? | Giúp tôi asks for help. |
| Làm ơn nói chậm hơn | Please speak slower | Làm ơn softens the request. |
| Viết ra giúp tôi | Please write it down for me | Giúp tôi can follow the action. |
| Gọi cho tôi | Call me | Cho tôi can mean for me. |
| Gửi cho tôi | Send it to me | Messaging request. |
| Cho tôi đổi phòng | Please let me change rooms | Cho tôi plus action request. |
| Cho tôi hóa đơn | Please give me the receipt/invoice | Useful payment request. |
| Cho tôi xuống đây | Please let me off here | Taxi request. |
How to use it in real sentences
Use the examples as sentence patterns, not isolated vocabulary. Say the whole line first, then replace one small part such as the person, time, object, or place.
Substitution drill
| Base sentence | Change this | New sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Cho tôi menu | change the person or topic | Cho tôi một ly cà phê |
| Cho tôi một ly cà phê | change the time, place, or object | Cho tôi xem |
| Cho tôi xem | say it as a real request or answer | Cho tôi thử |
Real situation
Use this beginner foundation grammar when a real conversation forces you to speak quickly. Pick one sentence from the examples, imagine the situation, then change only one detail so the grammar becomes usable instead of abstract.
Southern Vietnamese note
Southern Vietnamese often prefers practical, context-rich examples. Learn the pattern through a line you might actually say.
Practice drill
- Read each Vietnamese sentence aloud.
- Replace one noun or time word.
- Listen to the slow audio, then say the new sentence twice.
- Cover the English and recall the Vietnamese from the situation.
- Save the examples you would actually use this week.
Common mistake
Do not make every request a long English-style sentence.
Next step
After this page, open the related practice or continue to the next grammar lesson: roi-chua.
Listen and practice examples
Play normal, slow, then change one word and say the sentence again.
12 examples
Cho tôi menu
Please give me the menu
Cho tôi plus object.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Vietnamese spelling
Cho→chờ o cho
tôi→tờ ôi tôi
menu→mờ enu menu
Cho tôi một ly cà phê
Please give me one coffee
Cho tôi plus quantity.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Vietnamese spelling
Cho→chờ o cho
tôi→tờ ôi tôi
một→mờ ôt môt nặng một
ly→lờ y ly
cà→cờ a ca huyền cà
phê→phờ ê phê
Cho tôi xem
Let me see
Short practical request.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Vietnamese spelling
Cho→chờ o cho
tôi→tờ ôi tôi
xem→xờ em xem
Cho tôi thử
Let me try
Useful in shops.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Vietnamese spelling
Cho→chờ o cho
tôi→tờ ôi tôi
thử→thờ ư thư hỏi thử
Giúp tôi được không?
Can you help me?
Giúp tôi asks for help.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Vietnamese spelling
Giúp→giờ up giup sắc Giúp
tôi→tờ ôi tôi
được→đờ ươc đươc nặng được
không→khờ ông không
Làm ơn nói chậm hơn
Please speak slower
Làm ơn softens the request.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Vietnamese spelling
Làm→lờ am lam huyền Làm
ơn→ơn
nói→nờ oi noi sắc nói
chậm→chờ âm châm nặng chậm
hơn→hờ ơn hơn
Viết ra giúp tôi
Please write it down for me
Giúp tôi can follow the action.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Vietnamese spelling
Viết→vờ iêt viêt sắc Viết
ra→rờ a ra
giúp→giờ up giup sắc giúp
tôi→tờ ôi tôi
Gọi cho tôi
Call me
Cho tôi can mean for me.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Vietnamese spelling
Gọi→gờ oi goi nặng Gọi
cho→chờ o cho
tôi→tờ ôi tôi
Gửi cho tôi
Send it to me
Messaging request.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Vietnamese spelling
Gửi→gờ ưi gưi hỏi Gửi
cho→chờ o cho
tôi→tờ ôi tôi
Cho tôi đổi phòng
Please let me change rooms
Cho tôi plus action request.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Vietnamese spelling
Cho→chờ o cho
tôi→tờ ôi tôi
đổi→đờ ôi đôi hỏi đổi
phòng→phờ ong phong huyền phòng
Cho tôi hóa đơn
Please give me the receipt/invoice
Useful payment request.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Vietnamese spelling
Cho→chờ o cho
tôi→tờ ôi tôi
hóa→hờ oa hoa sắc hóa
đơn→đờ ơn đơn
Cho tôi xuống đây
Please let me off here
Taxi request.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Vietnamese spelling
Cho→chờ o cho
tôi→tờ ôi tôi
xuống→xờ uông xuông sắc xuống
đây→đờ ây đây
Meaning check
Quick practice
Which option is the best way to practice vietnamese request patterns with cho tôi?
FAQ
How do you make a request in Vietnamese?
Use cho tôi plus the thing you want, giúp tôi for help, or add được không to make the request softer. Cho tôi menu means please give me the menu.
What does cho tôi mean?
Cho tôi means give me or let me, depending on context. It is a practical request pattern for ordering, shopping, asking to see something, or asking to try something.
How do you ask for help politely in Vietnamese?
Say Giúp tôi được không? or Anh/chị giúp tôi được không? The phrase được không makes the help request softer.
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