Vietnamese phrase guide

How to say I do not understand in Vietnamese

Tôi không hiểu means "I do not understand" in Vietnamese. Hear pronunciation, learn polite variants, examples, and common mistakes.

Quick answer

In one sentence

To say "I do not understand" in Vietnamese, say "Tôi không hiểu". It is neutral and learner-safe, and the variants below show how to use it naturally.

Easy pronunciation: toy khong hyew
Best use: Use this when someone speaks too fast or explains something you cannot follow.

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Tôi không hiểu

I do not understand

Literal meaning: I not understand

Easy pronunciation: toy khong hyew

Use this when someone speaks too fast or explains something you cannot follow.

Pronunciation breakdown

Tôi toi level Keep the voice steady and level. không khong level Keep the voice steady and level. hiểu hieu dipping Dip slightly, then recover.

Vietnamese spelling

Tôi → tờ ôi tôi

không → khờ ông không

hiểu → hờ iêu hiêu hỏi hiểu

Useful variants

Tôi chưa hiểu

I do not understand yet

Softer than không hiểu.

Tôi không hiểu tiếng Việt nhiều

I do not understand much Vietnamese

Useful for beginners.

Nói lại giúp tôi được không?

Can you repeat that for me?

Follow-up request.

Example sentences

Xin lỗi, tôi không hiểu.

Sorry, I do not understand.

Tôi chưa hiểu câu này.

I do not understand this sentence yet.

Common mistakes

Chưa hiểu sounds softer because it means not yet understand.
Không hiểu is direct but normal in learning situations.

FAQ

Should I use không or chưa?

Use chưa when you want to imply you may understand later. Use không for a simple negative.

Related phrase guides

Vietnamese conversation repair phrases Pair “I do not understand” with repeat, slow-down, and correction requests. Not yet in Vietnamese Use chưa to soften “I do not understand yet” and “not finished yet.”

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