How to say thank you in Vietnamese: "cảm ơn" and beyond

The Vietnamese word for thank you is cảm ơn (roughly "gahm uhn"), also spelled cám ơn, especially in the South. To sound natural, add the person's pronoun, as in cảm ơn anh or cảm ơn chị, and add ạ at the end when thanking someone older.

Here is how to say thanks in different situations, from a quick casual "thanks" to a heartfelt, formal one.

How do you pronounce cảm ơn?

• cảm: the hỏi tone, which dips down and comes back up a little, like a questioning "gahm?"
• ơn: no tone mark, so it's level and mid-pitch, sounding like "uhn."

The "c" sounds like a hard "g" or "k" without a puff of air. In the South, you'll often hear cám ơn, with a rising sắc tone on the first syllable. Both spellings are widely used, and dictionaries list both.

Making it personal: thank you + pronoun

Vietnamese rarely leaves the "you" out. Adding the right pronoun is what turns a textbook phrase into a warm one.

• Cảm ơn anh. Thank you (to a man older than you or a male peer).
• Cảm ơn chị. Thank you (to an older woman).
• Cảm ơn em. Thank you (to someone younger, like a young server).
• Cảm ơn bạn. Thank you (to a friend or someone your age).
• Cảm ơn cô / chú. Thank you (to a woman or man around your parents' age).

Saying it more politely

With elders, teachers or anyone you want to show respect to, add ạ at the end. Many speakers also put themselves into the sentence.

• Cảm ơn bác ạ. Thank you, sir/ma'am (to someone older than your parents).
• Con cảm ơn mẹ ạ. Thank you, Mom. (Literally "Your child thanks you, Mom.")
• Cháu cảm ơn ông ạ. Thank you, Grandpa. (Or to an elderly man.)
• Xin cảm ơn. A formal "thank you," common in speeches, announcements and signs.

Saying it more strongly

• Cảm ơn nhiều. Thanks a lot.
• Cảm ơn rất nhiều. Thank you very much.
• Cảm ơn anh nhiều lắm. Thank you so much (to an older man), warm and sincere.
• Thật sự cảm ơn. Truly, thank you.
• Chân thành cảm ơn. Sincerely thank you. Formal, often written.

Casual thanks

Among friends, people keep it light:

• Cảm ơn nha! Thanks! (Southern feel)
• Cảm ơn nhé! Thanks! (Northern feel)
• Thanks! or Thank you! in English, common among younger people, especially in messages.

The softeners nha and nhé make it sound friendly rather than stiff. For more on those little words, see Vietnamese phrases: a beginner's guide to sounding friendly.

Thanking for something specific

Add vì ("because of" or "for") to explain what you're grateful for:

• Cảm ơn vì đã giúp em. Thanks for helping me.
• Cảm ơn vì bữa ăn. Thanks for the meal.
• Cảm ơn đã chờ. Thanks for waiting.

In casual speech, vì is often dropped, and đã (a past marker) may be too.

What do people say back?

The most common reply is không có gì ("It's nothing"). In the Center and South, you'll also hear không có chi. Other replies include có gì đâu (it's no big deal) and, politely, dạ, không có gì ạ. There's a full guide in how to say "you're welcome" in Vietnamese.

Do Vietnamese people say thank you as often as English speakers?

Not always in the same places. Among close family and friends, constant thank-yous can feel a bit formal, since helping each other is expected. People often show gratitude through actions, like returning a favor, sharing food or bringing a small gift. That said, thanking service staff, hosts and anyone who helps you is always welcome, and a sincere cảm ơn never goes wrong for a learner.

Thank you in writing

In messages, you might see shortcuts such as cảm ơn written without diacritics as "cam on." Some people also use English abbreviations. In emails and formal letters, Xin chân thành cảm ơn ("Sincerely thank you") is a common closing.

Quick guide

• Everyday: Cảm ơn anh/chị/em
• To elders: Cháu cảm ơn bác ạ
• Very grateful: Cảm ơn rất nhiều
• Casual: Cảm ơn nha / Cảm ơn nhé
• Formal: Xin cảm ơn or Chân thành cảm ơn

For the other polite essential, see how to say sorry in Vietnamese.

Next time someone helps you, say "Cảm ơn" plus their pronoun instead of "cảm ơn" alone, because that small addition is what Vietnamese ears notice most.