Bạn tên là gì? — Asking and giving names

What you will learn

This lesson gives you a simple way to ask someone’s name and introduce yourself. It also shows how the same sentence changes when Vietnamese speakers use relationship words instead of the textbook pair tôi / bạn.

1. The basic question

Bạn tên là gì? means “What is your name?”

The structure is simple:

• bạn — you, in a suitable context
• tên — name
• là — is / to be
• gì — what

For beginners, this sentence is easy to remember. In real life, the first word may change: Anh tên là gì?, Chị tên là gì?, Em tên là gì?

2. Give your name

Tôi tên là Anna. — My name is Anna.

You can also say:

• Mình tên là Minh. — I’m Minh, friendly/informal in suitable contexts.
• Em tên là Hoa. — I’m Hoa, when the speaker refers to themself as em.
• Cháu tên là Nam. — I’m Nam, when speaking respectfully to an older person in a context where cháu is suitable.

3. A short conversation

Mai: Chào bạn. Bạn tên là gì?

Alex: Mình tên là Alex. Còn bạn?

Mai: Mình tên là Mai.

Alex: Rất vui được gặp bạn.

Mai: Mình cũng vậy.

4. Còn bạn? — And you?

Còn bạn? is a very useful short expression meaning “And you?” The first word can change with the relationship:

• Còn anh? — And you? to anh
• Còn chị? — And you? to chị
• Còn em? — And you? to em

5. Natural speech can be shorter

Vietnamese often leaves out information that is already obvious. You may hear Tên gì? in informal situations. That does not mean you should use the shortest possible form everywhere. Beginners should first become comfortable with the fuller sentence.

6. Useful vocabulary

• tên — name
• là — be / is
• gì — what
• còn... — as for... / and...
• rất vui — very happy / pleased
• gặp — meet
• rất vui được gặp bạn — nice to meet you
• mình — self; can function as I/we/you depending on context

7. Culture and names

Vietnamese names are usually written with the family name first and the given name last, although actual name structures vary. In everyday conversation, people are commonly called by their given name rather than their family name.

For example, in Nguyễn Minh Anh, people may call the person Anh. But because Vietnamese given names can overlap with relationship words such as Anh, context is important.

8. Common beginner mistake

Do not assume that bạn is always the correct translation of “you”. It is useful, but Vietnamese often prefers a relationship word such as anh, chị, em, cô, chú.

Try it

1. Ask a person named Lan for her name using bạn.
2. Answer with your own name using tôi tên là...
3. Change the question from bạn to anh.
4. Practice the short follow-up Còn bạn?

Quick recap

... tên là gì? asks a name. ... tên là... gives a name. The grammar is easy; choosing the natural form of address is the part that makes the sentence sound Vietnamese.