To say basic words in Vietnamese, it is helpful to learn the pronunciation of the Vietnamese alphabet, which consists of 29 letters. Once you familiarize yourself with the alphabet, you can start practicing common words and phrases by listening to native speakers and repeating after them.
To say basic words in Vietnamese, it is helpful to learn the pronunciation of the Vietnamese alphabet, which consists of 29 letters. Once you familiarize yourself with the alphabet, you can start practicing common words and phrases by listening to native speakers and repeating after them.
Vietnamese is a tonal language, which means that the meaning of a word can change based on the tone used. There are six different tones in Vietnamese, known as level, rising, falling, falling-rising, nasal, and entering tones. It is important to pay attention to these tones while learning and speaking Vietnamese to ensure proper communication.
Here is a table showcasing the Vietnamese alphabet and their corresponding pronunciations:
Alphabet Pronunciation
A ah
Ă uh
 aa
B bee
C see
D dee
Đ d-ee
E eh
Ê eh
G zee
H haa
I ee
K kay
L ell
M emm
N enn
O oh
Ô ow
Ơ uh
P pee
Q koo
R rrr
S ess
T tee
U oo
Ư uu
V vee
X icks
Y eee
Along with learning the alphabet, getting familiar with basic Vietnamese words is essential. Here are some common words and phrases in Vietnamese:
- Xin chào – Hello
- Cảm ơn – Thank you
- Xin lỗi – Excuse me
- Tôi là – I am
- Đâu là – Where is
- Bạn có thể nói chậm hơn được không? – Can you speak slower, please?
As Mark Twain once said, “Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.” So, take the leap to learn a new language like Vietnamese and immerse yourself in its rich culture and history.
Interesting facts about the Vietnamese language:
- Vietnamese doesn’t have articles like “a” or “the,” making it different from many other languages.
- Unlike English, Vietnamese is written in a modified Latin alphabet known as Quốc Ngữ.
- Vietnamese language has borrowed many words from other languages such as Chinese, French, and English.
- Vietnamese is the official language of Vietnam and is spoken by over 90 million people worldwide.
- The Vietnamese writing system is based on syllables, with each syllable representing a word or part of a word.
Learning a new language can be challenging, but with dedication and practice, you can enhance your communication skills and broaden your cultural understanding. So, embrace the journey of learning Vietnamese and discover the beauty of this fascinating language.
See a video about the subject.
The video “20 Vietnamese Words for Everyday Life – Basic Vocabulary #1” introduces viewers to 20 common Vietnamese words and phrases. The instructor emphasizes the importance of reviewing previous lessons and offers additional resources for learning. Some of the phrases covered include basic greetings like “hello” and “good night,” expressions of gratitude, and words for describing things like “good” and “pretty.” Each phrase is accompanied by its pronunciation and examples of usage.
See more responses
The most common Vietnamese phrases and greetings
- Good morning! — Chào chị!
- Good afternoon! — Chào buổi chiều!
- Good evening! — Chào buổi tối!
- Good night! — Chúc ngủ ngon!
- Hello! — Xin chào!
- How are you? — Khỏe không?
- Very good, thank you. — Được rồi, cảm ơn cô.
- What is your name? — Tên bạn là gì?
Here are a few that we think every traveler visiting Vietnam should know:
- Dạ (zah) – Yes.
- Không (kaung) – No.
- Cảm ơn (cam uhn) – Thank you.
- Không, cảm ơn (kaung cam uhn) – No, thank you.
Hello (politely) = Xin chào (Sin chow) How are you doing? = Bạn khoẻ không? (Ban Kwe Khom) Thank you = Cảm on (kahm uhn) Sorry = Xin lỗi (Sin Loy) No Problem = Không có gì (Khong koh zi) Goodbye = Tạm biệt (Tarm Byeet) No, Thank You! = Không!
Thank you: Cảm ơn bạn (gahm un ban) Please: Làm ơn (lam uhhn) You’re welcome: Không có gì (khome co xi) How are you? = Bạn khỏe không? (ban kwe khome?) I’m fine, thank you! = Tôi khỏe, cám ơn! (thoy kwe cam on)
Chào. (jow) Hello. (on the phone) Á-lô. (AH-loh) How are you? (Are you healthy?) Khỏe không? (kweah kohng?) Fine, thank you.
Common Vietnamese phrases and greetings
- 1. Xin chào (Sin chow) – Hello Image credit: @sknutson
- 2. Cho tôi hỏi (Cho toy hoi) – Excuse me/May I ask
- 3. Dạ/Không (Dza/Kong) – Yes/No
You will probably be interested
- Use repetition: reading, writing and speaking words over and over again.
- Associate words with drawings, pictures and funny scenes.
- Try to use the language routinely in the context of daily life.
- Reading as much as possible, especially the newspaper, helps you to remember words.
Vietnamese, the national language, is spoken by nearly the entire population.
- Decide on the dialect to learn at the beginning.
- Focus on tones.
- Learn the vowels.
- Get a good teacher to correct your pronunciation.
- Listen a lot to improve your pronunciation.
- Don’t be afraid to make mistakes.
- Know that it can be frustrating and do not give up.