# Vietnamese: Sến



## Uyên Nganh

Hello everyone,
I'm Vietnamese and I know that everyone in Vietnam knows this word. But I have curious for a long time. How should we translate the word "sến", "sến súa" into English? 
Some of my friends said that the best translation for that world is "overly romantic" but it seems that they are still wavering about it. So what do you think?


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## Radioh

Hi, Uyên. Glad to see a Vietnamese here.
I agree that 'overly romantic' does not fully convey the meaning of 'sến súa'. Because, to me, 'sến' does not only mean 'romantic'. For example, 'mặc đồ sến súa', sến súa here means 'old-fashioned'. I would translate sến in the sense of romantic as 'old-fashionedly romantic'. 
R.


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## Uyên Nganh

Hi, Radioh.
Thank you very much for your answer, I think your answer is pretty accurate.
 I have just looked up the meaning in Wiktionary. They wrote: "Lãng mạn quá mức, ủy mị, sướt mướt.". So maybe it has another translation as "corny"?


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## Radioh

You're very welcome.


Uyên Nganh said:


> (...)
> I have just looked up the meaning in Wiktionary. They wrote: "Lãng mạn quá mức, ủy mị, sướt mướt.". So maybe it has another translation as "corny"?



mmm...I'm not sure 'corny' is an accurate  translation. It means 'boring', but sến does not(at least to me, but I haven't checked the dictionary.)
R.
Edit: I've just looked up the word in tudienlong. You are right about 'sến súa' implying 'ủy mị, sướt mướt'. Here are its definition and etymology.
http://tudienlong.com/search/?keyword=S%E1%BA%BFn


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## TeddyAllen

Usually, I use "cheesy" to express "sến súa".


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## Radioh

TeddyAllen said:


> Usually, I use "cheesy" to express "sến súa".



I think that there a (great) diffence in usage between the two words, teddy. In Vietnamese, people can be descibed as 'sến'. But English 'cheesy' is not normally applied to people.
R.


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## Balloonhmu

wow, i have looked for a thread about Vietnamese since yesterday. So happy to see your.
i often use "old-fashioned romantic" to express "sến".^^


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## Luxiaofeng

How about "maudlin" guys???

LXF


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## Balloonhmu

Luxiaofeng said:


> How about "maudlin" guys???
> 
> LXF


Well, i think that the word "maudlin" expresses highly sentimental and not in a positive way. "Sến" means someone or something is too too too... romantic and sweet that can make others get goosebumps.


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## blackcat23

Balloonhmu said:


> Well, i think that the word "maudlin" expresses highly sentimental and not in a positive way. "Sến" means someone or something is too too too... romantic and sweet that can make others get goosebumps.


I think too,


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## Wendy.ngo

As my looking up in google, it comes melodramatic for expressing "sến"


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