Learn Hardcore Vietnamese: Tôi muốn ăn.

Tôi is pronounced with a flat, mid-level tone. The ô vowel is pronounced like the "o" sound in "go," but a bit shorter, and the t at the start is an unaspirated "t."

Why is Tôi used here instead of other Vietnamese pronouns like mình or em?

Tôi is a neutral, formal way to say "I." Other pronouns like mình, em, or anh can be used in more casual or intimate contexts, or to indicate relative age or familiarity.

How do I pronounce muốn and ăn?

muốn uses a rising-falling tone (the "sắc" tone). It starts mid-to-high and dips slightly at the end. The uố combination is like "u-oh" merged together. For ăn, the ă is a short "ah" sound, pronounced with the flat mid-level "ngang" tone, and the n is an unreleased final consonant in the back of your mouth.

Can I add an object after ăn?

Yes. You can say Tôi muốn ăn phở (I want to eat phở) or Tôi muốn ăn bánh mì (I want to eat bánh mì). Adding an object clarifies what you want to eat.

Is Tôi muốn ăn considered polite?