Tướng nói.

Here, tướng most likely means general in the military sense.

A useful warning: tướng can mean other things in other contexts, such as appearance, looks, or physiognomy. So learners should not assume it always means the rank general.

In this sentence, context is what tells you which meaning is intended.

Because it is the first word of the sentence.

So capitalization here does not automatically mean it is a proper name. Vietnamese also capitalizes the first word of a sentence just like English.

That means Tướng nói. could be read as:

• general + speak/say, if tướng is a common noun
• or possibly a name/title, if the wider context supports that

You need context to know for sure.

Vietnamese does not use articles like English the and a/an.

A bare noun like tướng can stand on its own if the context already makes the reference clear. English usually forces you to choose between a general and the general, but Vietnamese often leaves that to context.

If a speaker wants to make the noun phrase fuller, they might say things like:

• vị tướng
• ông tướng
• tướng đó

But the short form tướng is still possible.

Yes, this sentence follows a basic subject + verb order:

• Tướng = subject
• nói = verb

So structurally it is very straightforward for an English speaker.

It can mean either, depending on context.

• If something follows, nói can mean say:
  Tướng nói ...
• If no object or quote is given, it can feel more like speak or simply talk.

So in a very short sentence like Tướng nói., English may choose different verbs depending on the situation.

Vietnamese verbs do not change form for tense the way English verbs do.

The verb nói stays nói whether the action is past, present, or future. Time is usually understood from:

• context
• time words
• aspect markers such as đã, đang, sẽ

For example:

• Tướng đã nói. = past
• Tướng đang nói. = in progress
• Tướng sẽ nói. = future

Without those, the sentence is neutral and context does the work.

It is grammatically complete, but it is very short and context-dependent.

By itself, it can sound a bit abrupt, like:

• a line in a story
• a stage direction
• the beginning of a quotation

For example, it would feel very natural before reported speech:

• Tướng nói: ...

So yes, it is complete, but in real usage it often invites more information.

Vietnamese often leaves out information that is obvious from context.

With nói, the speaker does not always need to include:

• what was said
• who was spoken to
• the topic

Those can be added if needed:

• Tướng nói với lính. = the general spoke to the soldiers
• Tướng nói rằng... = the general said that...
• Tướng nói về kế hoạch. = the general spoke about the plan

But if the missing information is already understood, Vietnamese can leave it out.

The main thing to notice is that both syllables have the sắc tone, which is a rising tone.

Very roughly:

• tướng: starts with t, has the vowel ươ, and ends in -ng
• nói: roughly like noy with a rising tone

A few pronunciation points:

• Do not ignore the tones. They matter.
• The ươ in tướng is not an easy English vowel, so it is better to learn it from native audio than rely on an English-style approximation.
• The ng ending should be fully pronounced.

Yes, very often.

Depending on style and context, a speaker might say:

• Vị tướng nói.
• Ông tướng nói.
• Tướng ấy nói.
• Ngài tướng nói. in a more formal or dramatic style

The bare form Tướng nói. is possible, but fuller versions may sound more natural when the speaker wants to be clearer or more specific.