Vietnamese 'thôi mà' Usage (Just / Only... After All)
'thôi mà' softens the tone, expresses coaxing, reassurance, or means 'it's just... after all'.
Quick explanation
Quick explanation
'thôi mà' softens the tone, expresses coaxing, reassurance, or means 'it's just... after all'.
English meanings
- just
- only... after all
Grammar pattern
Examples
1
Tôi nói đùa thôi mà.
I'm just joking.
2
Đừng giận nữa, chuyện nhỏ thôi mà.
Don't be angry, it's just a small matter.
How to use it
'thôi mà' combines the limiting/ending sense of 'thôi' and the tone particle 'mà', often used in requests, reassurance, or excuses.
- Colloquial.
- Often used for reassurance or excuses.
- Not used in formal contexts.
Compared with English
Compared with English
Similar to English particles like 'just', 'only', or 'after all' used to soften tone; it is not a word-for-word translation.
Common mistakes
Tôi thôi mà nói đùa.
Tôi nói đùa thôi mà.
'thôi mà' is placed after the content being limited or softened.
Báo cáo này sai thôi mà.
Báo cáo này có lỗi nhỏ.
'thôi mà' should not be used to downplay issues in formal contexts.
Commonly confused grammar
Practice
Multiple choice
Which sentence correctly uses 'thôi mà'?
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Multiple choice
Which sentence correctly uses 'thôi mà'?
- Tôi nói đùa thôi mà.
- Tôi thôi mà nói đùa.
- Báo cáo này sai thôi mà.
Answer: Tôi nói đùa thôi mà.
Explanation: It is colloquial.
Fill in the blank
Fill in the blank: Tôi nói đùa ____.
Show answer
Fill in the blank
Fill in the blank: Tôi nói đùa ____.
Answer: Tôi nói đùa thôi mà.
Explanation: It is colloquial.
English to Vietnamese
Translate "I'm just joking." into Vietnamese.
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English to Vietnamese
Translate "I'm just joking." into Vietnamese.
Answer: Tôi nói đùa thôi mà.
Explanation: Use thôi mà in the same structure as the example.
True or false
Is this sentence correct? 'Tôi thôi mà nói đùa.'
Show answer
True or false
Is this sentence correct? 'Tôi thôi mà nói đùa.'
Answer: False
Explanation: 'thôi mà' is placed after the content being limited or softened.
Correction
Correct this sentence: 'Tôi thôi mà nói đùa.'
Show answer
Correction
Correct this sentence: 'Tôi thôi mà nói đùa.'
Answer: Tôi nói đùa thôi mà.
Explanation: 'thôi mà' is placed after the content being limited or softened.