Compliments in Vietnamese: 50+ Essential Phrases for Every Situation

Ever wondered how to compliment someone in Vietnamese? There are plenty of compliments in Vietnamese to get the attention of someone you like or to praise the cook after a delicious meal.

If you have just started learning basic Vietnamese phrases, it may be hard to compliment someone naturally with correct pronunciation. Don't worry as we have compiled the list of common Vietnamese compliments so that you can use them to compliment someone or recognize that you're being complimented.

How do you say "compliment" in Vietnamese

The word "compliment" in Vietnamese is khen (verb) or lời khen (noun). For a more formal or emphatic term, you can use khen ngợi (to praise, to speak highly of).

Example:

• Mọi người khen Ngọc Anh có nụ cười đẹp. (Everyone compliments Ngọc Anh on her beautiful smile.)

• Bài thuyết trình của anh ấy nhận được rất nhiều lời khen từ ban giám khảo. (His presentation received a lot of praise from the judges.)

• Bài báo khen ngợi những đóng góp của ông ấy. (The article praised his contributions.)

There are several phrases pairing with "khen" and synonyms of "khen" that you can choose one, depending on the context.

• khen thưởng: to give an award

• ca ngợi: to praise highly (often in songs, poems, etc.)

• tán dương: to acclaim

• khen lấy khen để: (idiom) to praise profusely or excessively

Common compliments in Vietnamese

How to compliment a girl in Vietnamese

How to compliment a Vietnamese woman? Complimenting someone's appearance is not uncommon in Vietnamese. These phrases are suited to complimenting a Vietnamese woman, with a lightly flirty tone.

Vietnamese	Pronunciation	English
Em đẹp lắm		You are beautiful
Hôm nay em thật xinh		You look so pretty today
Em có nụ cười thật ấm áp		You have a warm smile
Em có đôi mắt thật đẹp		You have beautiful eyes
Em thật tốt bụng		You are very kind
Em thật kiên nhẫn		You are very patient
Em nhìn trẻ thật đấy		You look so young
Em thật thông minh		You are very smart
Em thật rạng rỡ		You look so gorgeous
Chiếc đầm đó rất hợp với em		That dress looks great on you
Em là một người thật đặc biệt		You are a very special person

>>> Read more on Charming Ways to Say "My Love" in Vietnamese

How to compliment a guy in Vietnamese

To compliment a Vietnamese guy, first you need to change the pronouns to "anh" (meaning older brother).

Vietnamese	Pronunciation	English
Anh thật bảnh trai		You look very handsome
Anh thật lịch lãm		You are so stylish
Anh mặc đồ có gu đấy		You have great taste in how you dress
Anh thật tốt bụng		You are very kind
Màu đó rất hợp với anh		That color looks great on you
Kiểu tóc đó rất hợp với anh		That haircut looks great on you
Bộ vest đó rất vừa vặn với anh		That suit fits you perfectly
Anh vạm vỡ thật đấy		You have a great build
Anh thật hào phóng		You are very generous

Compliments in Vietnamese about food

Food compliments are a significant part of Vietnamese social life, particularly when invited to someone’s home or at a restaurant. They show your appreciation of the food and the people who have prepared it for you.

Vietnamese	Pronunciation	English
Ngon quá		This tastes great/ Very good
Trông thật hấp dẫn		It looks delicious
Món này ngon như nhà hàng nấu vậy!		This tastes like it came from a restaurant!
Bạn là một đầu bếp tuyệt vời		You're a fantastic cook
Ngon chảy nước miếng		It's mouth-watering
Ngon tuyệt đỉnh		It's out-of-this-world
Thơm nức mũi		It's aromatic

Compliments for achievements and work

When acknowledging a colleague’s contribution, or when closing a project, you can give them some compliments in Vietnamese to make them feel happy and appreciated.

Vietnamese	Pronunciation	English
Làm tốt lắm		Very good/ Great job
Rất hân hạnh được làm việc cùng bạn		It's a pleasure working with you
Rất chuyên nghiệp		Very professional
Tinh thần làm việc của bạn rất đáng ngưỡng mộ		I really admire your work ethic
Bạn xử lý tình huống đó rất tốt		You handled that situation so well
Nỗ lực và công sức của bạn đã được đền đáp xứng đáng		Your hard work and dedication have truly paid off

Phrases for complimenting kids

Compliments for kids can start with "You look so cute in that dress!" or "You look so handsome!" Besides, there are plenty of ways to compliment on their kindness and effort too.

Vietnamese	Pronunciation	English
Con đáng yêu quá		What a cutie
Con mặc chiếc đầm đó thật dễ thương		You look so cute in that dress
Con đẹp trai quá		You look so handsome
Con giỏi quá		You are so smart
Con thật tốt bụng và tử tế		You're so helpful and kind
Con thật ngoan ngoãn		You're so well-behaved
Con là một đứa trẻ tuyệt vời – bố mẹ hẳn rất tự hào về con		You're a wonderful kid – your parents must be very proud

A cultural note

In Vietnamese, it's common to give compliments to kids, but there's a belief that you should add the phrase "trộm vía" (like touch wood in English) before or after the compliment for babies or young children. This will ward off bad luck or envy.

How to compliment someone's clothes, hair, or personal style

In Vietnamese, there are many natural ways to give a compliment on someone’s clothes, hair, or personal style. Learn some useful phrases and expressions you can use to give compliments naturally.

Vietnamese	Pronunciation	English
Bộ đồ của bạn trông thật tuyệt		Your outfit looks great
Bạn trông thật trang nhã		You look so elegant
Bạn có mái tóc rất đẹp		You have very nice hair
Mình thích mái tóc mới của bạn rồi đó		I like your new haircut
Mình thích phong cách của bạn đấy		I like your style
Bạn có phong cách hay đấy		You have great taste
Bạn trông có cá tính đấy		You look really cool

Romantic compliments in Vietnamese

Everyone loves getting a compliment, and so does your special someone. Don't say "I love you" all the time as some sweet compliments can carry much more weight. Whether you’re flirting with someone new, expressing your feelings, or simply making your partner smile, the right words can make a sweet moment even more special.

Vietnamese	Pronunciation	English
Em chính là gu của anh (speaking to a girl) / Anh chính là gu của em (speaking to a guy)		You're my type
Em làm anh rất hạnh phúc / Anh làm em rất hạnh phúc		You make me so happy
Em làm anh phát điên lên được / Anh làm em phát điên lên được		You drive me crazy
Em là điều tuyệt nhất đến với anh / Anh là điều tuyệt nhất đến với em		You're the best thing that's happened to me
Anh rất thích ở cạnh em / Em rất thích ở cạnh anh		I love being with you
Ở em có điều gì đó hấp dẫn anh / Ở anh có điều gì đó hấp dẫn em		There’s something about you that fascinates me
Anh không thể ngừng nghĩ về em / Em không thể ngừng nghĩ về em		I can't stop thinking about you

>>> Read more on Charming Ways to Say "My Love" in Vietnamese

How to respond to compliments in Vietnamese

It can completely make someone's day when you compliment them, just as receiving one can brighten yours. But don't you know that finding a good response to the compliments is also an art? You can simply say "Cảm ơn" or use some other expressions to show shyness.

Vietnamese	Pronunciation	English
Cảm ơn		Thank you
Bạn thật tử tế		That's very kind of you
Mình rất vui vì bạn nghĩ vậy		I'm glad you think so
Không có gì đâu		It’s not such a big deal
Thật ngại quá		I'm blushing

Cultural norms and etiquette for compliments in Vietnamese

When complimenting someone you don't know well, it's important to be polite and somewhat reserved. Vietnamese may not give out personal compliments to strangers freely, so focus on the appropriate context. Here are some key cultural insights on compliments in Vietnamese:

• Sincerity and modesty: Compliments should be sincere and not overly exaggerated. Lavish praise or flattery can come off as insincere or even sarcastic.

• Receiving compliments: When receiving praise, Vietnamese people often deflect or modestly downplay the compliment rather than accepting it directly. It's common to respond like "It's not a big deal," or "Not at all, I'm still quite bad."

• Appearance and observations: It's completely normal for locals, especially older generations, to make remarks about your appearance, body shape, or outfit. These remarks are typically shared in good spirits, not to pry into your private life. However, this may feel overly direct to someone.

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You have learned the most common compliments in Vietnamese, how to compliment a girl or a guy, how to appreciate the food and many praising words that can be used in many situations. Don't forget to take a quick look at the six Vietnamese tones to avoid embarassing pronunciation.