AdvancedUnit 516 min

Tục ngữ

Ten proverbs everyone’s mother says

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Vietnamese conversation runs on proverbs. Deploy one correctly and the room goes quiet with respect.

01

Vocabulary

tục ngữ
proverb
ca dao
folk verse
ăn quả nhớ kẻ trồng cây
When eating fruit, remember who planted the tree
có công mài sắt, có ngày nên kim
Grind iron long enough and it becomes a needle
lá lành đùm lá rách
The whole leaf wraps the torn one
đi một ngày đàng, học một sàng khôn
A day of travel, a basket of wisdom

02

Phrases

Uống nước nhớ nguồn.
When drinking water, remember the source.
Gratitude to ancestors and community. Say it at Tết.
Gần mực thì đen, gần đèn thì sáng.
Near ink you turn black, near a lamp you turn bright.
Choose your friends. Every mother’s favorite.

03

Tips

Proverbs come in matched halves. Say the first half and let an elder finish it.
Use “lá lành đùm lá rách” when talking about the community. It is why this site exists.