Dạ có, dạ hông

You’ll learn

• Understand what dạ really does — respect and warmth, not agreement
• Answer yes-no questions the polite way: Dạ có / Dạ hông
• Complain softly with hơi (máy lạnh hơi yếu) and agree with Dạ được
• Survive rent day: phòng, chủ nhà, tiền nhà, đóng tiền

The story

First morning of the month at the gate of Ben's phòng trọ in Phú Nhuận. Cô Tư the landlady collects rent with a smile, and Tí — the sixteen-year-old next door — has adopted Ben as his personal language project. This morning Ben answers one question a little too directly… and the temperature at the gate drops.