vài ba

vài ba

Vài ba người bạn đang ngồi nói chuyện trong công viên.

Definition
  1. Indefinite quantifier:
    • A few, several, a couple of: Used to indicate a small, indefinite number of things or people, typically more than two but not many. It conveys an approximate, non-specific quantity.
Usage Examples
  • Indefinite quantifier:
    • Tôi sẽ mua vài ba quyển sách. (I will buy a few books.)
    • Có vài ba người đang đợi bên ngoài. (There are a few people waiting outside.)
    • Anh ấy nghỉ vài ba ngày. (He took a couple of days off.)
Advanced Usage
  • The phrase is often used to soften a statement, making a quantity sound modest or approximate rather than precise.
    • Chúng tôi chỉ có vài ba ý kiến nhỏ. (We only have a couple of small suggestions.)
Variants and Related Words

  • Vài (indefinite quantifier): A few, several. Often interchangeable with "vài ba," though "vài ba" can slightly emphasize the "small number" aspect.

    • Tôi gặp vài người bạn. (I met a few friends.)

  • Dăm ba (indefinite quantifier): Another colloquial term for a small, indefinite number, similar in meaning and usage to "vài ba."

    • Chuyện dăm ba câu chuyện. (Just a couple of stories.)
Synonyms
  • A few: A small number of.
  • Several: More than two but not many.
  • A couple of: Two or a small number.
Notes on Usage
  • "Vài ba" is a fixed, idiomatic quantifier. It is considered more colloquial than the single word "vài."
  • It is never used for precise counting and always implies an estimate.
  • It typically precedes a countable noun and is followed by a classifier (e.g., người, cái bánh).