When in Vietnam, although English is widely spoken, especially in the main tourist spots, it wouldn’t hurt to learn a few basic words to help you get by. Tom fondly recalls running out of petrol on his motorbike while they were in the middle of nowhere late at night. Luckily there was a guy passing through who spoke absolutely no English.
After 10 minutes of explaining and playing a one-sided game of charades, the guy rescued him by turning up with a small bottle of petrol.
Moral of the story-learn the basics and save yourself the awkwardness of putting your charades skills to a test.
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Vietnamese 101: The Basics
Remember to always be polite when asking for something. Vietnamese people are naturally quiet and polite so raising your voice or speaking in a boisterous tone might turn them away. Remember, a smile is your biggest asset, especially in a busy city like Hanoi. Use it when interacting with people!
Yes – vang (north), da (south)
No- khong
Thank you- Cám ơn
I’m sorry- Xin lỗi
Can you help me? Ban co the giup toi duoc khong?
No problem/you’re welcome Khong co gi
Do you speak English? Ban co noi duoc tieng Anh khong?
Where’s the… toilet? Nha ve sinh… o dau?
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Trending Tours in Vietnam
While in the country, there are loads of different tours that you can do so as to better understand this uniquely fabulous culture. Here are a few of our top recommendations.
- Hanoi Full Day City Tour
- Cooking Class in Local Villa
- Trang An Boat Tour & Bai Dinh Pagoda
- Halong Bay Day Private Tour with Anthony
Basic Greetings in Vietnamese
Master these words and you will surely be able to get a grin from any local. Vietnamese people love talking to foreigners and we’ve found them to be very welcoming, despite what other people say.
Hello– Xin chào
Goodbye- Tạm biệt
How are you? Ban co khoe khong?
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Basic Vietnamese for Eating and Ordering Food
Alongside with Thai food, Vietnam is one of the highlights of any culinary street food experience in Southeast Asia. From steamy hot bowls of Pho to delightful rolls of fresh spring rolls. The food in Vietnam is high up on my list and is definitely worth exploring.
Nothing too spicy, please- Lam on moi thu khong qua cay
I’m vegetarian- Toi an chay
Hot (spicy)- Cay
How much? Bao nhieu?
Beer- Bia
Editor’s Note: Check out our post on What to Eat in Vietnam
Basic Vietnamese for Shopping
How much is it?- Bao nhiêu tiền?
It is too expensive- Mắc quá
Do you have something cheaper?- Bạn có cái nào rẻ hơn không?
Basic Vietnamese to Impress and Gain Street Cred
Một, hai, ba, Bốn, năm, sáu, Bảy, tám, chín, mừơi (one to ten)
trời ơi- (pronounced as choy oi) – Oh my god/ Oh sh*t!
Hey, friend- Này!, Ê!
I’m hungry/ thirsty- Tôi đói / khát
Can I have a beer please? – Cho tôi xin một vại bia được không
I like you- Tôi thích em
Would you marry me?- Em hãy cưới anh nhé? (to be followed by…)
I’m just kidding- Tôi chỉ đùa thôi
If you’re REALLY serious about learning Vietnamese, here are a few tips:
Practice Makes Perfect- Either you practice with local friends or you practice with people online, there is no better way than to learn a language than by interacting with native speakers. Listen to their diction and pronunciation and don’t be afraid to ask them questions. Most of them would be more than happy that you are taking the time to actually learn their language.
Get a teacher or enroll yourself in a program- Vietnamese isn’t as easy as English as certain words can look exactly alike but mean two different things depending on how it is pronounced. There are loads of online courses which offer you basic lessons, walking you through the proper pronunciation and grammatical lessons while still being very affordable.
Don’t be Afraid to look like a fool- In Ecuador, I spoke to everyone is Spanish…even if I barely knew any Spanish. I would go to the local markets, speak to the fruit and vegetable vendors, interact with the bus drivers speaking to them even if I knew I looked like a fool.
The good thing is, once you get past the whole “I’m too shy to try” phase, you will be more open to asking for help and learning from others. Learning a language is supposed to be a way for you to speak and understand more about another culture so don’t be too self-conscious. Chances are, they will laugh with you and not at you!
Looking for more articles on basic phrases? Check out our other guides
Transportation and Safety Around Vietnam
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Such a great cheatsheet. Just about anything I think you could need. I’ll have to save it for whenever I make my way there.
Knowing the word for beer is always very important 😉 Thank you for sharing!
Helpful article! Just knowing some of the basics can make a world of difference when you’re in a new country!
Great, helpful tips! We have been thinking about traveling to Vietnam soon, so this will really come in handy–thanks for sharing!
Love this! So helpful, thanks for sharing. Happy travels 🙂
I haven’t been to Vietnam yet but it’s on the list. It’s always important to learn a few phrases in the local language, so a guide like this is perfect!
Oh this is so useful! I’m always looking for posts like this before I go so I can at least learn a little bit and not feel like a total outsider when I get there. It’s so good to learn at least a little bit before you go.
This brought back great memories of my months traveling in Vietnam! My favorite phrase was always “thank you” which sounds and looks to me like “COME ON!” and always made me smile. 🙂 Thanks for these useful phrases.
Thanks for these – I totally agree that it’s always a good thing to learn the basics from the country you’re heading to. Not only does it save you from a jam when you run into the situation where you need help and they don’t speak your language, but even if they do and you’re in an everyday situation, I think it’s respectful to at least say hello and goodbye and thankyou in the native language of the country you’re in 🙂
Reminds me of the last time I was in Paris. My rusty high school French was all the family had for our trip together. Embarrassing but I’m glad that I put myself out there and people were (mostly) very kind.