Enhance your travel experience in Vietnam by learning some simple Vietnamese phrases to better connect with native people. You do not need to be fluent or obtain an advanced level to communicate with Vietnamese people. Just be confident and practice these common phrases. You will be surprised by how fun it is to talk with locals.
Now let’s dive in with 20 useful Vietnamese phrases for newcomers to Vietnam
- Xin chà o! (Hello, Hi)
Start a conversation by simply greeting them with a smile. “Xin chà o†is equivalent to Hello or Hi in English. To sound more native, you can add the pronoun referring to the person you are talking to after the word “chà o.†For example, say “Chà o anh†or “Chà o chị.â€
- Tên tôi là … (My name is …)
This is the common introduction phrase about your name. You can also say “Tôi là †and add your name afterward. This means “I am”.
- Bạn tên là gì? (What’s your name?)
Do you want to get to know people? Ask for their names when talking to them. One fun fact is approximately 39% of Vietnamese family names are Nguyen. Even if you want to be polite and only say their last name, it is impossible to know who you are talking to. Therefore, Vietnamese people always say only their first name.
- Bạn có nói tiếng Anh không? (Do you speak English?)
When you feel like you are more comfortable switching to English, ask this question. Let them know you want to continue the conversation in English to avoid misunderstanding.
- Bạn nhắc lại được không? (Can you repeat?)
If the other person is talking too fast or you might not catch all of what they are saying, request them to repeat – “nhắc lại”.
- Có/Không (Yes/No)
It is necessary to know Yes and No in Vietnamese. If you agree with what they are asking, say “Có” with a nod. If you don’t agree, say “No” and shake your head. You can also do some intense hand waving.
- Cảm ơn! (Thank you)
Vietnamese are very friendly. They will invite you to try food or drinks, sometimes when you are just strangers. So it is common to hear people say “Cảm Æ¡n” – thank you. If you want to intensify it, you can say “Cảm Æ¡n rất nhiá»u”, which means “Thank you very much”.
- Xin lá»—i! (Sorry)
When you need to apologize to someone, use the Vietnamese phrase “Xin lá»—i” or “Tôi xin lá»—i”. It also means “Excuse me”.
- Tôi không hiểu. (I don’t understand)
Vietnamese people talk very fast, so make sure you stop them and say “Tôi không hiểu” to indicate that you need them to slow down or repeat.
- Bạn có khoẻ không? (How are you?)
It literally means “Are you healthy?â€. This Vietnamese phrase is commonly used if you have not seen someone for a long time. If you see your Vietnamese friends or family everyday, it is unlikely that you see them asking you this question.
- Tạm biệt! (Goodbye)
“Tạm biệt†is the most popular way to say goodbye to someone. However, the majority of young people in Vietnam would say “bye-bye” with a wave.
- Cái nà y bao nhiêu tiá»n? (How much is it?)
When you shop, especially in markets, use this question and point at the product to ask for the price. “Cái nà y” means “this”, and “Cái kia” means “that”, so based on how far the item is from you, you can use between the two words. You can learn some more Vietnamese phrases for shopping here.
- Äắt quá! (So expensive!)
Shopping in Vietnam is so much fun, especially if you want to buy things in the market, bargaining is a must. This Vietnamese phrase would make the sellers feel funny and give you a more reasonable price.
- Không cần túi. (No plastic bag needed)
Helping Vietnam to reduce the use of plastic bags by asking for no bag when you go shopping (if you can carry it in your personal bag).
- Em Æ¡i! (Excuse me!)
This phrase is used when you want to get someone’s attention and is mostly used in restaurants if you are trying to call the waiter. Be careful as it’s for a person who is younger than you, so it might be disrespectful if you call an older man/woman like that.
- Cho tôi … (Can you give me …?)
Again, this Vietnamese phrase is commonly found in contexts where you order food or drinks. If you want to ask the waiter to give you the menu, you can say “Cho tôi cái menu.â€, or when you order food or drinks, you can say “Cho tôi má»™t cà phê sữa”, which means “Can I have a milk coffee?â€.
- Cho tôi/anh/chị tÃnh tiá»n. (Can I have the check?)
“TÃnh tiá»n†is to sum up the bill, which means you want to pay the bill. If you want to tell the waiter from afar, you can add “Em Æ¡i” in the beginning. “Em Æ¡i, cho anh tÃnh tiá»n.†If you are a man, you can call yourself “anh”, and “chị” if you are a woman. “Tôi†is a more neutral noun, indicating yourself as the same age as the person you are talking to.
- Ãt cay. (Less spicy)
If you are not a spicy lover, well, you’ve got to be careful when eating out in Vietnam. Some dishes might be a bit overwhelming to first-timers. Vietnamese love spicy food. If you think that the dish you are ordering contains chilly, say “Ãt cay”, which is “Less spicy.” Use the Vietnamese phrase “Không cay” if you don’t want any spicy flavor.
- Rất ngon! (Very tasty)
Vietnamese cuisine is well-known worldwide, and if you feel it, say “Rất on” when you eat something delicious. Vietnamese people would appreciate it a lot, as culinary culture plays an important role in our lives.
- Tôi yêu Việt Nam! (I love Vietnam)
You can’t forget to show your love for our country. If the sights, the food, the culture, the people, etc. make you feel like you want to go back, don’t be hesitant to say you love Vietnam. This should be the top Vietnamese phrase you have on your list.
If you are looking for a reliable private Vietnamese language school in Hanoi that offers personalized, consider Let’s Speak Vietnamese
- Our lessons are designed to help you learn Vietnamese quickly and efficiently.
- Our experienced teachers work with you to create a customized learning plan that meets your specific needs and goals.
- Our timetables are flexible. They can be tailored to your schedule. This makes it easy to fit language learning into your busy life.
- You can find Vietnamese language courses online or in person, one-on-one or in group.