Cho (Par)

Situations

S1: Nam and Bình have been drinking coffee. Nam wants to pay the bill (for both of them). He said:

Để tôi trả tiền cho.
(Let me pay the bill!)

In this situation, Nam used cho to suggest that he will pay the bill and hopes that Bình will agree with him.

S2: It is time to pay the house rent, but Hà is still waiting for her salary. Hà entreated her hostess:

Tôi chưa có lương. Xin chị thông cảm cho.
(I haven't received my salary yet. I beg your pardon.)

In this situation, Hà hoped that the hostess would sympathize with her. So she used cho.

S3: When seeing Lan with a very short skirt, her mother said:

Con mặc như thế người ta cười cho đấy!
(If you wear that, you will be laughed at!)

In this situation, Lan's mother wanted to warn Lan (the listener) that a bad thing could happen to her.

S4: Nam drives too fast. Hà says:

Đi chậm chậm thôi, cảnh sát phạt cho đây.
(Drive slowly or you will be fined.)

In this situation, Hà warns Nam of a bad thing that may happen: being fined by the police.

Definition

Cho, as a particle, is used to suggest or to express hope that the speaker wants to do something himself instead of the listener doing it (S1). It is also used to indicate an unfavorable consequence, caused by the listener himself, that may happen to him (S3, S4).

Combinations

• không X cho lắm: This construction is used to lighten a negative evaluation expressed by X. Cf:

[1a] Phim này không hay.
(This film is not exciting.)
[1b] Phim này không hay cho lắm.
(This film is not so exciting.)

This negative is lighter than in [1a].

Notes

• Cho2 is used in spoken language.
• Cho as used in S3 and S4 usually occurs after only some verbs like: mắng, chửi, đánh, đập, giết, cười... + cho.