Definition

1. Interjection / Phrase:
   • Well, what then? / So what?: A common conversational phrase used to express indifference, a lack of concern about a stated fact or outcome, or to challenge the significance of what was just said.
   • And then what? / What happened next?: Used to ask for the continuation or consequence of a previously mentioned action or event, often with a tone of curiosity or impatience.

Usage Examples

• Expressing indifference:

  • Anh không thích tôi ư? Rồi sao? (You don't like me? So what?)
  • Nó sẽ tức giận đấy. – Rồi sao? Tôi không sợ. (He'll be angry. – So what? I'm not afraid.)

• Asking for continuation:

  • Tôi đã gửi email cho họ. – Rồi sao? Họ trả lời chưa? (I emailed them. – And then? Did they reply?)
  • Hôm qua tôi gặp Lan. – Rồi sao? Cô ấy nói gì? (I met Lan yesterday. – And then what? What did she say?)

Advanced Usage

• The phrase is often used rhetorically. When spoken with a flat or dismissive intonation, it strongly conveys the meaning "So what?" or "I don't care." When spoken with a rising, inquisitive intonation, it genuinely asks "What next?"

Variants and Related Words

• Thì sao?: A very close synonym, also meaning "So what?"

  • Tôi biết anh không đồng ý. Thì sao? (I know you disagree. So what?)

• Rồi sau đó?: A more neutral phrase meaning "And after that?" or "And then?"

  • Chúng tôi ăn tối, rồi sau đó đi xem phim. (We had dinner, and after that we went to see a movie.)

Synonyms

• So what?: Used to show something does not matter or cause concern.
• And then?: Used to ask about the next event in a sequence.
• What of it?: A more formal way to say "So what?"

Related Idioms

• While "rồi sao" itself is a common idiomatic phrase, it is a key component in longer conversational exchanges that express defiance or a demand for further information.

1. Well, what then?