chứ

Vietnamese

Alternative forms

• chớ
• chứ bộ, chớ bộ

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [t͡ɕɨ˧˦]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [t͡ɕɨ˨˩˦]
• (Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA^(key): [cɨ˦˥]

Particle

chứ

1. emphasizes that what comes before this particle is very likely, and what comes after it is very not; if what comes after is an interrogative word or phrase, implies that you highly doubt there is any alternative to what comes before

   Nó thà chết chứ không khai.

   He'd rather die than admit it, I'm telling you.

   Chứ mày nghĩ tao lên trường làm gì ?

   Wait, what'd you think I went to the school for?

   Chứ theo ông thì tôi phải làm thế nào ?

   What do you think I should've done then?

   Chứ sao !

   Of course! What else could it be then?

   Thằng Tú vứt chứ ai vào đây ! Nó suốt ngày chê cái ghế làm xấu mặt tiền nhà mình.

   Of course Tú threw it away, who else then? He always complained how that chair was an eyesore in front of our house.

2. at the end of a question, hints that you think what you have said before this particle is true, although you still want to confirm it

   Ông già mày còn sống đấy chứ ?

   Your old man's still alive, yes?

3. at the end of a statement, affirms what comes before this particle and hints that you think your conversation partner was too clueless about it

   Có thế chứ ! Đàn ông đàn ang phải biết làm việc nặng.

   That's what I'm talkin' about! You're a man, you're supposed to be able to handle heavy jobs like this.

   Khẽ chứ ! Cu Tí đang ngủ !

   Quiet! Baby Tí's sleeping!

   Người ta cũng biết tiếng Anh chứ bộ !

   In case you didn't know, I do speak some English!

Synonyms

• (at the end of a question): phải không, đúng không