Definition

1. Verb phrase:
   • To speak softly / to whisper: To talk using a very low volume of voice, often so that only people very close by can hear. It implies a deliberate reduction in sound to convey privacy, secrecy, or consideration for others.

Usage Examples

• Verb phrase:
  • Hai đứa trẻ nói nhỏ với nhau về bí mật. (The two children whispered to each other about a secret.)
  • Xin hãy nói nhỏ lại, em bé đang ngủ. (Please speak more softly, the baby is sleeping.)
  • Cô giáo nói nhỏ với tôi sau giờ học. (The teacher spoke softly to me after class.)

Advanced Usage

• The phrase can describe both the act of whispering secrets and the manner of speaking gently or quietly out of politeness or to avoid disturbance.
• It often carries a connotation of confidentiality or intimacy when used for conversations between two or a few people.

Variants and Related Words

• Thì thầm (v): to whisper, often with an even more secretive or intimate nuance than "nói nhỏ".
  • Họ thì thầm bàn kế hoạch. (They whispered to discuss the plan.)

Synonyms

• Whisper: to speak very softly using one's breath without vocal cords.
• Speak softly: to talk in a low voice.
• Murmur: to speak in a low, indistinct voice.

Related Idioms

• Nói nhỏ nói khẽ: to speak softly and gently. This idiom emphasizes being quiet and considerate.
  • Trong thư viện, mọi người đều nói nhỏ nói khẽ. (In the library, everyone speaks softly and quietly.)