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<ownershipDocument>

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    <periodOfReport>2021-03-16</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001280263</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>AMBARELLA INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>AMBA</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001558686</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Wang Feng-Ming</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>3101 JAY STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SANTA CLARA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>95054</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>CEO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

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                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
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                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
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            <expirationDate>
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                <transactionPricePerShare>
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            </underlyingSecurity>
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                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
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        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
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                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
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            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>3592</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
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            <exerciseDate>
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            <expirationDate>
                <value>2023-03-15</value>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
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                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Ordinary Shares</value>
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    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Each restricted stock unit represents a contingent right to receive one share of Ambarella, Inc. Ordinary Shares.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Includes 238 shares acquired under the Company's employee stock purchase plan on March 15, 2021.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">On June 7, 2018, reporting person was granted an RSU award covering a target of 41,667 ordinary shares (the &quot;Target RSU Number&quot;), subject to satisfaction of predetermined, performance-based vesting criteria that could result in 0% to 200% of the Target RSU Number becoming eligible to vest, subject to certain adjustments.  On February 28, 2019, the Company's Board of Directors determined the performance criteria had been satisfied at a level that resulted in 200% of the Target RSU Number becoming eligible for time-based vesting. Pursuant to time-based vesting requirements, the award would vest on March 15, 2021, subject to possible adjustment based on a total stockholder return (&quot;TSR&quot;) performance metric for the period February 1, 2018 to January 31, 2021 (the &quot;TSR Period&quot;).  As a result of the Company's TSR performance over the TSR Period, the RSUs eligible to vest were reduced by 25% of the Target RSU Number.  A total of 72,917 ordinary shares were delivered to reporting person.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The restricted stock units vest at the rate of 1/12 per quarter commencing on June 15, 2018.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">The restricted stock units vest at the rate of 1/12 per quarter commencing on March 15, 2019.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">The restricted stock units vest at the rate of 1/12 per quarter commencing on March 15, 2020.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: /s/ Michael Morehead, Attorney-in-Fact For: Feng-Ming Wang</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2021-03-18</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
