Useful Phrases
When someone asks Khỏe không?: The tone of “How are you?”
Khỏe không? does not always request a detailed health report. Treat it as an everyday check-in and choose a short answer with khỏe, mệt, or bình thường.
Beginners who have heard Khỏe không? but do not know how much detail to give
You will learn to start with one state word—khỏe, mệt, or bình thường—without assuming a long medical report is required.
Choose one state word that fits today and add cảm ơn when appropriate.
A short question can still make you freeze
Someone you meet at school, near home, or outside a shop may say Khỏe không? Thinking word by word can make you feel that you must give a detailed account of your health.
The phrase does ask about how someone is, but in many everyday scenes it works like a light “How are you?” It can simply show care and open a conversation rather than demand a long report.
The depth of the question changes with the scene
With someone you have not seen for a while, Khỏe không? and a short answer may complete the exchange. If the person is genuinely concerned, more specific questions may follow. Start briefly and add detail only when the conversation calls for it.
This article covers short encounters at school, near home, and at a shop. Do not turn it into the claim that everyone in Vietnam always asks the same question; learn it as one common conversational opening.
Begin by choosing among three states
If you feel well, answer khỏe; if tired, mệt; if about the same as usual, bình thường. You do not need a large list of responses. Hear the question and return one state that is true for you.
Khỏe, cảm ơn. also thanks the person for asking. You do not have to say you are well every time. A brief honest answer is more useful than an automatic one.
Relationship can appear in address terms and ạ
Terms such as thầy, anh, and chị can also appear around a Khỏe không? exchange. When speaking to a teacher or older person, you may hear an address term or the respectful sentence-final ạ.
You do not need to analyze every form here. It is enough to notice that the question is not isolated: speakers may add forms that show who is talking to whom.
A short answer opens the next turn
Sometimes the exchange ends after one answer; sometimes it continues to today’s events or interests. If you receive the question and return one state, you have already joined the conversation.
With the audio, hear Khỏe không? and Khỏe, cảm ơn. as complete sound groups, then switch roles between the person asking and the person answering.
Listen to the phrases
Khỏe không?
Khỏe, cảm ơn.
Key point
Treat Khỏe không? first as a brief everyday check-in. Answer with khỏe, mệt, or bình thường, then add detail only if the conversation continues.
Try it
Choose which of khỏe, mệt, or bình thường fits you today, say the answer once, and then try it again with cảm ơn.