Skip to main content
Grammar point
A1Very commonClassifiersNeutralBeginner

Vietnamese classifier món usage (dish/item)

món is commonly used for dishes and can also refer to certain items or gifts.

Quick explanation

Quick explanation

món is commonly used for dishes and can also refer to certain items or gifts.

English meanings

  • dish
  • item

Grammar pattern

number + món + food/item

Examples

1

Tôi thích món phở này.

I like this bowl of pho.

2

Cô ấy tặng tôi một món quà.

She gave me a gift.

How to use it

The most common use of món is to indicate a dish of food. It can also be used with words like quà (gift) or đồ (item) to mean a piece of a gift or an object.

  • Commonly used with dishes.
  • Can also be used with quà (gift) and đồ (item).
  • Do not completely interchange món with cái, which is another classifier.

Compared with English

Compared with English

In English, we say 'a dish of food' similar to món ăn; however, món đồ or món quà do not have a direct English equivalent as a classifier, but rather just 'an item' or 'a gift'.

Common mistakes

một cái phở

một món phở

For dishes, món is more natural than cái.

một món bàn

một cái bàn

For ordinary objects like tables, món is not used; cái is appropriate.

Commonly confused grammar

Practice

Multiple choice

Which sentence correctly uses món?

Show answer
  • Tôi thích món phở này.
  • một cái phở
  • một món bàn

Answer: Tôi thích món phở này.

Explanation: món is commonly used with dishes.

Fill in the blank

Fill in the blank: Tôi thích ____ phở này.

Show answer

Answer: Tôi thích món phở này.

Explanation: món is commonly used with dishes.

English to Vietnamese

Translate "I like this bowl of pho." into Vietnamese.

Show answer

Answer: Tôi thích món phở này.

Explanation: Use món in the same structure as the example.

True or false

món can replace all classifiers like the English 'a' or 'an'.

Show answer

Answer: False

Explanation: Vietnamese cái is very common, and many nouns have more natural or precise classifiers.

Correction

Correct this sentence: một cái phở

Show answer

Answer: một món phở

Explanation: For dishes, món is more natural.

Related grammar