Vietnamese
Quick reference for basic Vietnamese phrases while traveling in Vietnam (May 2026).
The Basics
- Latin alphabet with diacritics — no characters to memorize.
- 6 tones — same syllable + different tone = different word. Get it wrong and you’ll order “horse pho” instead of “beef pho.”
- SVO word order like English. No verb conjugation, no plurals, no articles.
- Đ = “d.” Plain d = “z” (North) / “y” (South). They’re different letters!
- Pronouns depend on age/relationship — there is no neutral “you.”
The 6 Tones
| Mark | Name | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| (none) | ngang | flat, mid | ma (ghost) |
| à | huyền | low, falling | mà (but) |
| á | sắc | high, rising | má (mom) |
| ả | hỏi | dipping then rising | mả (tomb) |
| ã | ngã | broken/glottalized | mã (horse) |
| ạ | nặng | low, abrupt | mạ (rice seedling) |
Note
In the South (Saigon), hỏi and ngã merge — only 5 distinct tones in practice.
Pronouns (the most important thing)
There’s no neutral “you.” Pick based on the other person’s apparent age:
| Pronoun | Use for |
|---|---|
| anh | older male (default safe pick for men) |
| chị | older female (default safe pick for women) |
| em | younger person |
| bạn | peer/friend |
| tôi | I (formal/neutral) |
| cô / chú | middle-aged woman / man (40s–60s) |
| bà / ông | elderly woman / man |
Pronouns pair: if you call them anh, refer to yourself as em. When in doubt, anh / chị is polite.
Essentials
| Vietnamese | English |
|---|---|
| Xin chào | Hello |
| Cảm ơn | Thank you |
| Không có gì | You’re welcome |
| Xin lỗi | Sorry / Excuse me |
| Vâng / Dạ | Yes (vâng N, dạ S) |
| Không | No |
| Làm ơn | Please |
| Tạm biệt | Goodbye |
Note
Sprinkle dạ at the start of replies in the South — instantly more polite. Dạ, cảm ơn anh.
Numbers
| # | Vietnamese | # | Vietnamese |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | không | 6 | sáu |
| 1 | một | 7 | bảy |
| 2 | hai | 8 | tám |
| 3 | ba | 9 | chín |
| 4 | bốn | 10 | mười |
| 5 | năm | 100 | trăm |
| 1,000 | nghìn (N) / ngàn (S) |
Number quirks
- 15 = mười lăm (5 → lăm after 10)
- 21 = hai mươi mốt (10 → mươi, 1 → mốt after 20+)
Money: 1 USD ≈ 25,000 VND. Locals drop “thousand” — “năm chục” (fifty) usually means 50,000.
Survival Phrases
| Vietnamese | English |
|---|---|
| Bạn nói tiếng Anh không? | Do you speak English? |
| Tôi không hiểu. | I don’t understand. |
| Tôi không biết. | I don’t know. |
| Cái này là gì? | What is this? |
| Bao nhiêu? | How much? |
| Nhà vệ sinh ở đâu? | Where’s the bathroom? |
| Giúp tôi! | Help! |
Food & Ordering
| Vietnamese | English |
|---|---|
| Cho tôi ___. | I’d like ___. |
| Ngon quá! | Very delicious! |
| Không cay, làm ơn. | Not spicy, please. |
| Tính tiền, làm ơn. | The bill, please. |
| Tôi ăn chay. | I’m vegetarian. |
| Một ___ nữa. | One more ___. |
Common dishes: phở (noodle soup) · bánh mì (sandwich) · cơm tấm (broken rice) · bún chả (grilled pork & noodles) · gỏi cuốn (fresh spring rolls) · chả giò / nem rán (fried spring rolls) · bún bò Huế (spicy beef noodle).
Drinks: cà phê sữa đá (iced milk coffee) · trà đá (iced tea) · bia (beer) · nước (water) · nước mía (sugarcane juice).
Getting Around
| Vietnamese | English |
|---|---|
| Tôi muốn đi ___. | I want to go to ___. |
| Đi thẳng | Go straight |
| Rẽ trái / Quẹo trái (S) | Turn left |
| Rẽ phải / Quẹo phải (S) | Turn right |
| Dừng ở đây | Stop here |
Use Grab (rideshare app) — works for cars, motorbikes, and food delivery everywhere.
Shopping & Bargaining
| Vietnamese | English |
|---|---|
| Đắt quá! / Mắc quá! (S) | Too expensive! |
| Giảm giá đi! | Give me a discount! |
| Tôi lấy cái này. | I’ll take this. |
| Tôi xem thôi. | I’m just looking. |
Bargain at markets, NOT in malls/restaurants. Counter at ~50% of asking price, settle around 60–70%.
Things You’ll Hear Constantly
- Em ơi! / Anh ơi! / Chị ơi! — “Hey [pronoun]!” for hailing servers/strangers. The ơi is the universal “hey, you” particle.
- Trời ơi! — “Oh my god!” (lit. “oh sky!“)
- Được — “OK / can / fine,” extremely versatile
- Rồi — “already / done,” common sentence-ending
- Đi! — softens commands, Ăn đi! = “Eat up!”
Cultural Quick Hits
- Take off shoes entering homes/temples.
- Don’t stick chopsticks upright in rice (funeral connotation).
- Two-handed giving/receiving with elders is polite.
- Tap water is not safe — drink bottled (nước suối).
- Honking = “I exist,” not anger.
- Crossing streets: walk steady and predictable, don’t stop or run — bikes flow around you.