"Bao nhiêu?": how to ask the price in Vietnamese

Bao nhiêu? means "how much?" or "how many?" in Vietnamese. To ask a price, point at the item and say "Cái này bao nhiêu tiền?" ("How much is this?"), or simply "Bao nhiêu?" in a busy market.

Breaking it down

• Bao nhiêu ("bow nyew," with the second word rising slightly in pitch): how much, how many.
• Tiền ("tee-en"): money.
• Cái này ("kai nay"): this one, this thing.

So "Cái này bao nhiêu tiền?" is literally "This thing, how much money?" In practice, people often drop parts of it. "Bao nhiêu?" alone, with a gesture, is perfectly normal.

Other ways to ask the price

• Bao nhiêu tiền một cái? ("How much for one?")
• Một ký bao nhiêu? ("How much per kilo?") Common at fruit and vegetable stalls.
• Tổng cộng bao nhiêu? ("How much in total?")
• Tính tiền. ("The bill, please.") Not a question, but you will want it at restaurants.

"Bao nhiêu" for quantities

Outside shopping, bao nhiêu asks about amounts:

• Bạn bao nhiêu tuổi? ("How old are you?") For adults or when the number might be large.
• Có bao nhiêu người? ("How many people are there?")

For small numbers, Vietnamese often uses mấy instead. "Em mấy tuổi?" is how you would ask a child's age, because the answer is expected to be under ten or so. Using bao nhiêu with adults and mấy with kids is a handy rule of thumb.

Understanding the answer

Prices in Vietnam are in đồng, and the numbers get big fast, so you will mainly hear thousands. The key words:

• Nghìn (Northern) / ngàn (Southern): thousand.
• Trăm: hundred. Hai trăm nghìn is two hundred thousand.
• Triệu: million.
• Rưỡi: "and a half." Một trăm rưỡi can mean one hundred and fifty (thousand), depending on context.

Vendors often skip the word "nghìn" because everyone knows the price is in thousands. "Ba mươi" (thirty) at a food stall usually means thirty thousand đồng. In writing, you may see "30k" for the same thing.

Numbers are also where pronunciation trips people up. If you don't catch the answer, say "Viết giúp em được không?" ("Could you write it down for me?"). Many vendors will happily type it on a phone or calculator. Our guide to được không explains that request pattern.

Saying it's too expensive

• Đắt quá! (Northern) / Mắc quá! (Southern): "Too expensive!"
• Rẻ hơn được không? ("Can it be cheaper?")
• Bớt chút đi. ("Knock a little off.") Common in the South.
• ... được không? Add a price: "Năm mươi được không?" ("Would fifty work?")

Bargaining politely

Bargaining is normal at many markets and with some street vendors, but not everywhere. Supermarkets, chain stores and places with printed prices are usually fixed-price. A few tips:

• Smile and keep it light. Bargaining is a conversation, not a fight.
• Know when to stop. If the vendor won't move, a friendly "Thôi, cảm ơn" and walking on is fine.
• Don't haggle over tiny amounts at a food stall; it can come across as rude.
• Agree, then pay. Once you have offered a price and it is accepted, it is polite to buy.

Useful phrases for paying

• Có tiền lẻ không? ("Do you have small change?")
• Trả bằng thẻ được không? ("Can I pay by card?")
• Chuyển khoản được không? ("Can I pay by bank transfer?") QR payments are common in Vietnamese cities.
• Cảm ơn! ("Thanks!") See how to say thank you in Vietnamese.

Practice dialogue

• You: Cái này bao nhiêu tiền?
• Vendor: Một trăm hai.
• You: Mắc quá! Một trăm được không?
• Vendor: Thôi, một trăm mốt.
• You: Được, cảm ơn!

Here một trăm hai means 120,000 đồng and một trăm mốt means 110,000. Shortcuts like these are common in speech.

Quick memory tip

Learn "Bao nhiêu?" plus the numbers one to ten, then the words mươi (tens), trăm and nghìn/ngàn. That small set covers nearly every price you will hear.

Before your next trip to a Vietnamese market or grocery store, practice saying prices out loud in thousands until "ba mươi nghìn" feels natural.