Introduction

While achieving fluency in Vietnamese isn't necessary, learning a handful of essential phrases can significantly enhance your travel experience in Vietnam. This small effort can improve your safety and foster positive interactions with locals, enriching your understanding and appreciation of the country's culture.

Origins and Intonation

Vietnamese, the national language spoken by almost the entire population, showcases significant variations in pronunciation, vocabulary, and tones across its Northern, Central, and Southern dialects. Subtle differences are also noticeable between cities and their neighboring villages. During centuries of Chinese occupation, Vietnamese adopted Chinese characters. By the 13th century, they developed their own script variant, Nom. In the 17th century, the language was Romanized into Quoc Ngu by missionaries led by French Jesuit Alexandre de Rhodes. Initially used by the Catholic Church and colonial authorities, this script gradually expanded in use, ultimately replacing older forms by the 20th century.

Vietnamese frequently uses compound words, but individual word segments remain monosyllabic unless borrowed. Each syllable can be pronounced with one of six tones (five in Central and Southern dialects), conveying different meanings. Five diacritics and one tone mark these tones when the word has no accents. For instance, "bo" can mean "children's toilet," "father," "lover," "tight," "impolite," or "government ministry." While tone is important, context is equally crucial. With patience, most meanings can be understood even if the tone isn't perfect. Interestingly, tones disappear in Vietnamese music, yet context keeps the meaning clear.

Vietnamese is relatively simple in that it lacks conjugations or tenses, uses five modifiers for tense, has no gendered nouns, and employs a universal modifier ("cac") for numerical nouns. To balance this simplicity, Vietnamese uses numerous pronouns and titles reflecting family relationships. For instance, a man might be addressed as a young, middle-aged, or older "uncle," "brother," "friend," or even a "grandfather," depending on age and formality.

New learners often wonder which dialect to learn. Ideally, one should focus on the dialect of the region they plan to visit most. Beginners are often encouraged to learn the Hanoi accent of the Northern dialect, as it is considered the standard.

Phonetics

The Vietnamese alphabet consists of 29 letters, excluding the English letters f, j, w, and z. Most consonants are pronounced similarly to their English counterparts, with some exceptions: 'c' can sound like 'g' or 'k', and 'ch' at the end of a word sounds like 'k'. The letter 'd' with a crossbar is pronounced like the English 'd', but without it, it sounds like 'z' in the north and 'y' in the south. The letter 'g' usually has a hard sound like in English, but when followed by 'i', it resembles 'z' in the north and 'y' in the south. Words starting with 'ng' or 'ngh' sound like 'ng' in "long." However, when ending in 'ng', they sound like 'm'. The combination 'nh' is pronounced like 'ny', as in "canyon." Similar to English, 'ph' sounds like 'f'. In the south, 'r' is pronounced as in English, but in the north, it sounds like 'z'. 'Th' at the beginning of a word sounds like a strongly aspirated 't', while 'tr' typically sounds like 'ch' but can also resemble a hard 'tr'. Lastly, 'x' is always pronounced like the letter 's'.

Vowels are more complex, with 12 vowels in the alphabet, each modifiable by five diacritic marks to change the tone. Vowels often appear in combinations of up to three letters per word, creating new sound variations. Despite this complexity, Vietnamese pronunciation remains consistent within each regional dialect. Once a pattern is learned, it can generally be applied consistently.

Five of the six tones correspond to specific diacritic marks above or below the key vowel in each word. The mid tone does not have an associated diacritic mark:

• Mid Tone: Voiced at the speaker’s normal, even pitch.
• Low Falling Tone: Pitched slightly lower than the mid tone and falls lower.
• High Rising Tone: Pitched slightly higher than the mid tone and rises sharply.
• Low Dipping-Rising Tone: Pitched lower than the mid tone, dips, and then rises.
• High Breaking-Rising Tone: Pitched slightly higher than the mid tone, dips, and then rises sharply.
• Low Falling Constricted Tone: Pitched lower than the mid tone, drops lower, and then stops abruptly.

Basic words

Greetings and Politeness:

• Hello: xin chào [sin tɕaw]
• Goodbye: tạm biệt [tam bijət]
• Good morning: Chào buổi sáng (chow bwowee sang)
• Good afternoon: Chào buổi chiều (chow bwowee chyew)
• Good evening: Chào buổi tối (chow bwowee toy)
• I'm good: Tôi khỏe (toy khuh)
• Thank you: Cảm ơn (kahm uhn)
• Please: Xin vui lòng (sin vooee long)
• Yes: vang (north), da (south) [vaŋ], [ja]
• No: không [kɔŋ]
• Excuse me / Sorry: Xin lỗi (sin loy)
• How are you? : bạn có khỏe không? [ban ko xɤ kɔŋ]
• Thank you : cảm ơn [kam ɤn]
• Thank you very much : cảm ơn rất nhiều [kam ɤn rat ɲiw]
• Sorry/Excuse me: xin lỗi [sin lɔj]

Basic Phrases:

• Yesterday: hôm qua [hom wa]
• Today: hôm nay [hom naj]
• Tomorrow: ngày mai [ŋaj maj]
• My name is…: tên tôi là… [ten toj la]
• What is your name?: Bạn tên là gì? (buhn ten la gee?)
• My name is [Your Name]: Tôi tên là [Your Name] (toy ten la [Your Name])
• I don't understand: Tôi không hiểu (toy khuhng hyeoo)
• Can you help me?: bạn có thể giúp tôi được không? [ban ko te zup toi dɤk kɔŋ]
• I need [something]: Tôi cần [something] (toy kuhn [something])
• How much is this?: Cái này bao nhiêu tiền? (kaai nay baow nyew teeuhn?)
• Where is the restroom?: Nhà vệ sinh ở đâu? (nya veh sin uh daow?)
• I'm lost: Tôi bị lạc đường (toy bee lahk doouhng)
• Can you recommend a good restaurant?: Bạn có thể gợi ý một nhà hàng ngon không? (buhn koh tê gợi ih mût nya hahng nguhn khuhng?)
• Water: Nước (nwuhk)
• Food: Đồ ăn (doh uhn)
• Delicious: Ngon (nguhn)
• I'm a tourist: Tôi là khách du lịch (toy la kahch doo leek)
• Help!: Cứu (kew)
• No problem/you’re welcome: không có gì [kɔŋ ko zi]
• Do you speak English?: bạn có nói được tiếng Anh không? [ban ko nɔj dɤk tjeŋ ʔan kɔŋ]
• I don’t understand: tôi không hiểu [toi kɔŋ hjɛw]

Numbers:

• 0: không [kɔŋ]
• 1: một [mət]
• 2: hai [hai]
• 3: ba [ba]
• 4: bốn [bɔn]
• 5: năm [nam]
• 6: sau [saw]
• 7: bảy [bai]
• 8: tám [tam]
• 9: chín [cin]
• 10: mười [muj]
• 11: mười một [muj mət]
• 15: mười năm [muj nam]
• 20: hai mươi (north), hai chục (south) [hai mwɔj], [hai tʰʊk]
• 50: năm mươi (north), năm chục (south) [nam mwɔj], [nam tʰʊk]
• 100: một trăm [mot tɕam]
• 1000: một nghìn (north), một ngàn (south) [mot ŋin], [mot ŋan]
• 1,000,000: một triệu [mot triəw]

Days of the week

• Monday: thứ hai [tʰu haj]
• Tuesday: thứ ba [tʰu ba]
• Wednesday: thứ tư [tʰu tɨ]
• Thursday: thứ năm [tʰu nam]
• Friday: thứ sáu [tʰu saw]
• Saturday: thứ bảy [tʰu baj]
• Sunday: chủ nhật [cuh nit]

Directions:

• Left: Bên trái (buhn trai)
• Right: Bên phải (buhn fai)
• Straight ahead: Thẳng (tahng)
• North: Bắc (bahk)
• South: Nam (nahm)
• East: Đông (dohng)
• West: Tây (tay)
• Go: đi [ji]
• Come: đến [dɛn]
• Where: ở đâu [o ʔaʊ]
• Right: bên phải [bɛn fai]
• Left: bên trái [bɛn trai]
• Turn: rẽ (north), quẹo (south) [re], [kweo]
• Straight ahead: phía trước [fiə truək]
• Stop here: ngừng ở đây (north), dừng tại đây (south) [ŋuŋ ʔo ʔaj], [zum taj ʔaj]
• Fast: nhanh [ɲan]
• Slow: chậm [cəm]
• How do I get to… the bus stop?: Tôi đi đến… trạm xe buýt… như thế nào? [toi ji ðɛn trɛn sɛ bujt ðəʔ ŋaːʊ]
• Can you show me on the map where I am?: Bạn có thể chỉ cho tôi biết tôi đang ở đâu trên bản đồ không? [ban ko tɛ ji tʰɔj toi bijət toi ɗaŋ ʔəʊ ʔaʊ trɛn bən do koŋ]
• Where’s the… tour office?: Văn phòng du lịch… ở đâu? [van fɔŋ ɗu lik ʔo ʔaʊ]

Travel

• Hotel: khách sạn [xaːk sən]
• Street: đường [ɗuəŋ]
• Lane: đường nhỏ, con hẻm [ɗuəŋ ɲɔ], [kɔn hem]
• Bridge: cái cầu [kai kaw]
• Police station: đồn cảnh sát [ɗɔn kəŋ sat]
• Ferry: phà [fa]
• Aeroplane: máy bay [maj baj]
• Taxi: tắc xi [taxi]
• Train: tàu lửa (north), xe lửa (south) [taw lɨə], [se lɨə]
• Bus: xe buýt [se but]
• Cable car: cáp treo [kap treo]
• Rickshaw: xích lô [siʔ lo]
• Pier: bến tàu [bɛn taw]
• Bus station: nơi đỗ xe [nɤj ɗɔ sɛ]
• Train station: nhà ga [ɲa ga]

Shopping:

• How much does this cost?: Cái này bao nhiêu tiền? (kaai nay baow nyew teeuhn?)
• How much?: Bao nhiêu? [bao ɲiw]
• Too expensive: Quá đắt (kwah daht)
• Expensive: rất đắt [zat dat]
• Do you have a cheaper price?: Bạn có giá nào rẻ hơn không? [ban ko zə nai re hɔŋ koŋ]
• Can you lower the price?: Bạn có thể giảm giá không? (buhn koh tê zem zah khuhng?)
• I'll take it: Tôi sẽ mua nó (toy seel moouh naw)
• Do you accept credit cards?: Bạn có chấp nhận thẻ tín dụng không? (buhn koh chap nyen tê tin duwng khuhng?)
• Can I try it on?: Tôi có thể thử nó không? [toi ko te tʰu no koŋ]
• Too big: rất rộng [zat rɔŋ]
• Too small: rất chật [zat chat]
• I’ll take it: Tôi sẽ mua nó. [toi sɛ mua no]
• I don’t like it: Tôi không thích nó. [toi kɔŋ tiəʔ no]
• Do you have another color?: Bạn có màu nào khác không? [ban ko maw naʊ kʰak koŋ]

Colour

• White: màu trắng [maʊ traŋ]
• Black: màu đen [maʊ dɛn]
• Red: màu đỏ [maʊ ɗəw]
• Yellow: màu vàng [maʊ vaŋ]
• Blue: màu xanh nước biển [maʊ saŋ naʊk bieŋ]
• Green: màu xanh lá cây [maʊ saŋ laː kaj]
• Orange: màu cam [maʊ kam]

Eating out

• May I have the menu, please?: Làm ơn cho tôi cái thực đơn? [lam ən tʃo toi kai tʰut ðɔn]
• Nothing too spicy, please: Làm ơn mọi thứ không quá cay [lam ən məji θu koŋ wa kai]
• I’m vegetarian: tôi ăn chay [toi ən caj]
• Hot (heat hot): nóng [noŋ]
• Hot (spicy): cay [kai]
• Cold: lạnh [ləŋ]
• Sweet: ngọt [ŋɔt]
• Sour: chua [cua]
• Delicious: ngon [ŋon]
• Water: nước [nuək]
• Coffee: cà phê [ka fe]

Accommodation

• The air conditioning doesn’t work: Máy điều hòa không hoạt động. [maj jɛw hɔa kɔŋ hoət ɗɔŋ]
• The light doesn’t work: Đèn không sáng. [ɗɛn kɔŋ saŋ]
• There’s no hot water: Ở đây không có nước nóng. [o ʔaj kɔŋ ko nɨək noŋ]
• Do you have… toilet paper?: Bạn có… giấy vệ sinh… không? [ban ko… jəj və sjŋ… kɔŋ]

Emergencies:

• Help!: Cứu (kew)
• I need a doctor: Tôi cần gặp bác sĩ (toy kuhn gap bahk see)
• I've lost my passport: Tôi đã mất hộ chiếu (toy daa maht huh cheeow)
• Call the police: Gọi cảnh sát (goy keng saht)

Other handy phrases:

•  Can I hire a… bicycle?: Tôi có thể thuê… xe đạp… không? [tɔ̂i kɔ̌ tê θwê... sɛ̂ zɛ̌ dap... kʰɔŋ?]
• Do you accept credit cards?: Bạn thanh toán bằng thẻ tín dụng? [bạn tʰan tʰôan ba̱ŋ tʰɛ̉ tɨn ɗɨ̌ŋ?]
• Where’s the… toilet?: Nhà vệ sinh… ở đâu? [ɲâ vɛ̂ˀ siŋ... ə ɗâw?]
• I do not feel well: Tôi cảm thấy không khỏe lắm. [tɔ̂i kǎm tʰại kʰɔ̌ŋ khwê lǎm.]
• Can you get me a doctor?: Bạn có thể gọi bác sĩ cho tôi không? [bạn ko tê ɣɔ̌i bak sǐ ʧô tɔ̂i kʰɔ̌ŋ?]
• Is it safe to swim here?: Nơi đây bơi có an toàn không? [nɤi zâj bɤ̄j koʔ ǎn tōˀŋ kʰɔ̌ŋ?]
• Is it all right to take pictures?: Tôi có thể chụp hình không? [tɔ̂i ko tê tɕup hɨŋ kʰɔ̌ŋ?]

Glossary of terms:

•  Foreigner: Người nước ngoài [ŋwə̂j nɨək nɡɔ̌wəj]
•  Map: Bản đồ [ba̱n zɔ̂]
•  Ticket: Vé [vě]
•  Museum: Bảo tàng [ɓǎw tǎˀŋ]
•  Market: Chợ [tɕɔ̌]
•  Holiday: Kỳ nghỉ (Vacation), Ngày lễ (Festival) [kɨ nɤ̂ˀj, ŋǎj lɛ̂ˀ]
•  Pagoda: Chùa (Temple) [tɕwà]
•  Tomb: Lăng mộ [lǎwŋ mǒ]
•  Church: Nhà thờ [ɲâ thơ]
•  Buddhist: Người theo đạo Phật [ŋwə̂j tʰɛ̂w ɗǎw fə̌t]
•  Catholic: Người theo đạo Thiên Chúa [ŋwə̂j tʰɛ̂w ɗǎw tjɛ̂n tɕwǎˀ]
•  Protestant: Người theo đạo Tin Lành [ŋwə̂j tʰɛ̂w ɗǎw tjn lǎˀ]
•  Restaurant: Nhà hàng [ɲâ häːŋ]
•  Toilet: Nhà vệ sinh [ɲâ vɛ̂ˀ siŋ]
•  Ship/Boat: Tàu/Thuyền [taw/θwɨ̌ən]
•  Motorbike taxi: Xe ôm [sɛ̌ ʔɔm]
•  Beach: Bãi biển [ɓāj biên]
•  Island: Đảo [ɗâw]
•  City: Thành phố [tʰâwŋ fǒ]
•  Village: Làng/Xã [lǎwŋ/sã]
•  Cave: Thung lũng [tʰuŋ lǔːŋ]
•  Mountain: Núi [nwiː]
•  River: Sông [səwŋ]
•  Waterfall: Thác nước [tʰǎk nɨək]
•  Clinic: Trạm xá [ʧǎm saː]
•  Pharmacy: Nhà thuốc [ɲâ tʰwə̂wʔ]

Remember to speak slowly and clearly, as pronunciation can be challenging in Vietnamese. Locals will appreciate your efforts to learn their language, even if it's just a few basic phrases.

In Vietnam, especially in rural areas, English fluency varies. Knowing basic Vietnamese phrases can help you communicate effectively, ask for directions, and interact with locals, enhancing your travel experience. This effort shows respect for the culture and can lead to more positive interactions and a warmer reception, mastering common Vietnamese phrases can greatly enhance your experience, making it more authentic and enjoyable. Enjoy your journey through Vietnam, enriched by a deeper connection with its people and traditions!