Learn Hardcore Vietnamese: Mặc dù món này rất ngon nhưng thời gian phục vụ rất chậm. - Although this dish is very delicious, the service time is very slow.

“Mặc dù” introduces a concessive clause (“although…”), and “nhưng” introduces the main clause that contrasts with it (“but…”). Together they form a correlative pair:

Mặc dù món này rất ngon → Concession (“Although this dish is very delicious…”)
nhưng thời gian phục vụ rất chậm → Resulting contrast (“…but the serving time is very slow.”)

Can you drop nhưng after mặc dù and still be correct?

Yes, especially in more formal or written Vietnamese you can say:
“Mặc dù món này rất ngon, thời gian phục vụ rất chậm.”
However, in speech or informal writing Vietnamese speakers often keep nhưng (or nhưng mà) to signal the contrast more clearly.

Is mặc dù the same as dù or tuy? When would you use each?

All three can introduce concessive clauses, but:

mặc dù … nhưng … – slightly more formal, often in writing.
dù … nhưng … – more colloquial, very common in everyday speech.
tuy … nhưng … – neutral register, almost interchangeable with dù.
Example:
“Dù món này rất ngon nhưng…”
“Tuy món này rất ngon nhưng…”

Where should commas go in this kind of sentence?

Vietnamese punctuation is flexible, but a comma often appears after the concessive clause:
“Mặc dù món này rất ngon, nhưng thời gian phục vụ rất chậm.”
You may also omit the comma in casual contexts, especially if you speak quickly.

What does món này refer to? Could I say món ăn này instead?

món is a classifier for dishes or courses in a meal.
món này = “this dish.”
You can also say món ăn này, which is slightly more explicit (“this food/dish”), but most natives drop ăn when the context (e.g., at a restaurant) is clear.

What exactly is thời gian phục vụ and is it a fixed phrase?

thời gian = “time,” “duration.”
phục vụ = “to serve” or “service.”
Put together, thời gian phục vụ means “service time” or “the time it takes to serve.” It’s a common collocation in restaurant or customer‐service contexts.

Why does the sentence use rất chậm instead of alternatives like quá chậm or chậm lắm?

All three intensify chậm (“slow”), but they differ in tone:

rất chậm – neutral, straightforward (“very slow”).
quá chậm – stronger, slightly negative/emotional (“too slow”).
chậm lắm – conversational, colloquial (“so slow!”).
Here the speaker likely wants a polite, balanced comment.

Can you replace nhưng with nhưng mà? What’s the difference?

Yes. nhưng mà is more conversational and adds a bit more emphasis or softens the contrast:

“Mặc dù món này rất ngon, nhưng mà thời gian phục vụ rất chậm.”
It doesn’t change the core meaning but sounds friendlier or more informal.