phải không?

Right? (Tag Question)

Level 1

[Statement] + , + phải không?

How It Works

In Vietnamese, when you want to confirm something you believe is true, you add phải không? to the end of a statement. It translates to 'right?', 'isn't it?', or 'don't you?' in English. In written Vietnamese, a comma is frequently placed before the phrase.

Unlike standard Yes-No Question patterns which are neutral, phải không? shows that you already have an assumption. You are just asking the listener to agree with you.

Structure:

  • [Any complete sentence] + (,) phải không?

Alternatively, you can use the structure Is It True That ...?. This can be formed as Có phải + [statement] + không? or [Subject] + có phải + [predicate] + không?. This translates closer to 'Is it true that...?' and feels slightly more formal or emphatic. Note that when using this structure with a noun predicate, the linking verb là is required (e.g., Bạn có phải là giáo viên không?). Be careful when using có phải directly before a verb: because Must / Have To also means 'must' or 'have to', a sentence like Bạn có phải đi làm không? can mean 'Is it true that you are going to work?' OR 'Do you have to go to work?'.

It is highly versatile and can follow sentences ending in nouns, verbs, or adjectives. In spoken Vietnamese, especially in the South, you will often hear it pronounced as phải hông or phải hôn. Additionally, Phải không? and Đúng không? can be used entirely on their own as standalone questions in conversation to react to someone else's statement, similar to 'Right?' in English.

How to answer:

  • To agree: Reply with Phải, Đúng, or Đúng rồi (often preceded by Dạ or Vâng). It is also very common to answer by simply repeating the main verb or adjective of the sentence (e.g., Đi). However, you cannot repeat a noun to answer (e.g., answering Giáo viên to Bạn là giáo viên phải không? is unnatural). In those cases, you must use Phải, Đúng, or Dạ phải. Note that if the statement is negative (e.g., 'You don't like it, right?'), agreeing with the statement means saying Đúng rồi or Phải. For English speakers, this can feel like saying 'Yes' to mean 'No, I don't'.
  • To disagree: Reply with Không or Không phải, or use Không + the main verb or adjective (e.g., Không đi).

Note: You can also use đúng không? in the exact same way. They are completely interchangeable, though đúng không? is slightly more colloquial.

Examples (4)

  1. Hôm nay trời nóng, phải không?

    It's hot today, isn't it?

    Word by Word: Today sky hot, right?

    Attaching to an adjective to confirm an observation about the weather.

  2. Bạn là sinh viên, phải không?

    You're a student, right?

    Word by Word: Friend be student, right?

    Attaching to a noun phrase to confirm someone's identity or occupation.

  3. Hôm qua anh không đi làm, phải không?

    You didn't go to work yesterday, did you?

    Word by Word: Yesterday older brother not go work, right?

    It can also be attached to a negative statement to confirm a suspicion.

  4. Chị thích ăn phở, phải không?

    You like eating pho, right?

    Word by Word: Older sister like eat pho, right?

    Attaching to a verb phrase to confirm a preference you suspect the person has.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'phải không?' for neutral questions where you don't know the answer.

    Bạn thích uống cà phê, phải không? (When asking a stranger out of the blue)
    Bạn có thích uống cà phê không?

    If you genuinely don't know the answer, use the standard Yes-No Question structure. Only use phải không? when you already suspect they like coffee and want confirmation.

  • Thinking you must always add 'là' after 'có phải'.

    Bạn có phải giáo viên không?
    Bạn có phải là giáo viên không?

    This sentence is correct and common; là is optional in có phải ... không? with a noun. The version with là sounds a little fuller and more careful.

How It Connects

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phải không?Level 1Right? (Tag Question)

Learn This First

The tag question 'phải không?' is a contraction of the 'có phải ... không?' structure. To use it correctly, learners should understand how 'phải' functions as a marker of truth/correctness and how basic yes-no questions are structured and answered in Vietnamese.

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phải không