Vietnam, a country known for its rich culture and stunning landscapes, also has a fascinating linguistic landscape. Understanding the basics of the Vietnamese language can greatly enhance your travel experience. Here's a detailed guide on the language used in Vietnam, essential phrases to learn, and helpful tips and apps for tourists.

The Vietnamese Language

Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) is the official language of Vietnam, spoken by the majority of the population. It belongs to the Austroasiatic language family and uses the Latin alphabet with additional diacritical marks. The language has six tones, which can change the meaning of a word entirely, making pronunciation critical.

Basic Vietnamese Phrases for travellers

These are the basic Vietnamese phrases you will use to communicate with Vietnamese people. They won’t exactly help you have a deep and meaningful conversation, but they are the kinds of phrases that will allow you to be a good and polite guest in the country.

Hello/Hi — Xin chào – Sin chaw-oh

Goodbye — Tạm biệt – Dhamn biet

Thank you — Cảm ơn – Cam urn

Please/Please — Làm Ơn/Vui Lòng – Lam uhn/Voo Laow

Sorry — Xin lỗi – Sin lo-oy

I don’t understand — Tôi không hiểu – Toy hkong hi-ow

Do you speak English? — Bạn có nói tiếng anh không – Bahn co-noy tienc an-hkong

No problem — Không có gì – Hkong co-zee

How much? — Bao nhiêu – Ba-oh neo

Where? — Ở đâu – Oh dah-wo

Help! — Cứu! – Cay-yoo‍

Excuse me — Xin Lỗi **– sin loy‍

Yes — Da – yah‍

No — Không – comb‍

Beautiful — Đẹp – dep‍

I love Vietnam! — Tôi yêu Việt Nam! – toy ee-u vee-et nahm

Social Situations

Vietnamese people are generally quite social, with plenty of communal eating and drinking to indulge in during your travels. These useful Vietnamese phrases should win you some friends, and maybe even more

My name is… — Tên tôi là – Ten toy la

What’s your name? — Bạn tên là gì – Bahn tenh la zee

How are you? — Bạn khỏe không – Bahn hkoo-way hkong

I like your smile — Tôi thích nụ cười của bạn – Toy tick nuy coo-oy cuh-banh

Bottoms up/Down it/A hundred percent — Trăm phần trăm – Cham fan Cham

To flirt — Thả thính – Thah Tinh

One, two, three, go! (Used as one would say “cheers”) — Một, hai, ba, dô – Mut, hai, bah, dzo

Unfriendly — Chảnh chó – Chan shaw

I’m tipsy — Tôi đang say – Toy dang say

Let it be/no worries — Mặc kệ nó – Mack keh naow

Nice to meet you — Rất vui được gặp bạn – r-uht voo-yee d-uh-k g-uh-p ban

Eating Out

Eating your way through Vietnam is one of the best ways to experience the country. In the West our knowledge about dishes from this vast nation only really extends to bánh mì and phó, and while both these meals are staples and delicious, there’s plenty more of the culinary culture to explore. While eating out, try to use some of these phrases.

For me/May I have — Cho tôi – Choh toy

The bill — Tính tiền – Tdin tee-en

The menu — Thực đơn – Thook durn

Delicious! — Ngon lắm! – Nongh Lam‍

Wine — Rượu – ru-u‍

Beer — Bia – bee-uh‍

Coffee — Cà phê – cah-feh‍

Water please — Cho tôi nước, vui lòng – choh toy nook, voo-y lawng

Tips for Learning and Using Vietnamese

Practice Pronunciation

Given the tonal nature of Vietnamese, practice pronunciation diligently. Apps like Duolingo and Pimsleur can be very helpful.

Listen and Repeat

Listen to native speakers through videos, podcasts, or language learning apps, and try to repeat phrases to get the tones right.

Flashcards

Use flashcards to memorize basic phrases and numbers. Apps like Anki are excellent for creating and using digital flashcards.

Engage with Locals

Don’t be afraid to use the phrases you learn with locals. They often appreciate the effort and may help you improve your pronunciation.

Cultural Context

Understanding cultural context is important. For instance, polite forms of address and the use of titles show respect and understanding of social norms.

Language Learning Apps

Duolingo

Offers a fun, gamified way to learn basic Vietnamese phrases and vocabulary.

Google Translate

Handy for quick translations and understanding signs, menus, and conversations.

Conclusion

Learning some Vietnamese basics not only helps in navigating the country more smoothly but also shows respect for the local culture and can lead to more meaningful interactions. Whether you use apps or traditional methods, making an effort to speak the local language can enrich your travel experience in Vietnam.