hôm (“day”) + qua (“past”).
hôm qua
- yesterday
(Can we date this quote?), “Đi học [Going to School]”, Hoàng Minh Chính (lyrics), Bùi Đình Thảo (music):Hôm qua em tới trường,
Mẹ dắt tay từng bước ớ ơ.
Hôm nay mẹ lên nương,
Một mình em đến lớp.- Yesterday, as I was on my way to school
Mom was holding my hand the whole time.
Today, Mom goes to work on the terrace,
I go to school on my own.
- In fast and informal speech, hôm is often reduced to a barely audible syllabic nasal or completely ellipsed, so that only qua can be heard. Similar phenomenon can also be seen with hôm nay (“today”).