Mastering Vietnamese Homophones: Bạn, Bàn, Bán, Bận, Bắn

The Vietnamese language can be tricky for learners, especially when it comes to homophones – words that sound the same but have different meanings and spellings. Today, we’ll tackle five common homophones that often cause confusion: bạn, bàn, bán, bận, bắn (pronounced roughly like “ban”, “bahn”, “bahn”, “ban”, “ban”).

Let’s break them down one by one

Bạn

This word means “friend” and is a common term used when addressing someone you know well, similar to “you” in English.

Pronunciation: The “ă” in bạn makes a short “a” sound, like the “a” in “cat.” The final “n” is pronounced with a slight nasal sound.

Example:

• Chào bạn! (Hello, friend!)

Bàn

This word has two main meanings:

Pronunciation: The “ă” in bàn makes a short “a” sound, similar to “ban.” The final “n” is pronounced with a slight nasal sound.

Example:

• Chúng ta đang ngồi quanh bàn ăn. (We are sitting around the dining table.)
• Chúng ta cần bàn về kế hoạch. (We need to discuss the plan.)

Bán

This word means “to sell” or “for sale.”

Pronunciation: The “ă” in bán makes a short “a” sound, similar to “ban.” The final “n” is pronounced with a slight nasal sound.

Example:

• Cửa hàng này bán sách. (This store sells books.)

Bận

This word means “busy” or “occupied.”

Pronunciation: The “ă” in bận makes a short “a” sound, similar to “ban.” The final “n” is pronounced with a slight nasal sound.

Example:

• Tôi rất bận hôm nay. (I am very busy today.)

Bắn

This word means “to shoot” or “to fire a gun.”

Pronunciation: The “ă” in bắn makes a short “a” sound, similar to “ban.” The final “n” is pronounced with a slight nasal sound.

Example:

• Không được bắn súng trong thành phố! (No shooting guns in the city!)

Table: Used to refer to a flat surface with legs for various purposes (dining table, coffee table, etc.).

Discuss: When used as a verb, it means “to discuss” or “to talk about something.”

Remember

The tone (pitch of your voice) doesn’t play a role in differentiating these words spoken in isolation. However, context and sentence structure often help clarify the intended meaning.

Do you have any other tricky Vietnamese homophones you’d like to share? Leave a comment below!

By Vietnameasy