Vietnamese is a tonal language with six distinct tones, meaning the same syllable spoken with a different pitch carries a completely different meaning. This makes pronunciation the biggest challenge for visitors. Do not let that discourage you — Vietnamese people are patient with foreign attempts and genuinely appreciate the effort. English is growing among younger Vietnamese, particularly in cities, but remains uncommon in rural areas.
Greetings and Basics
| English | Vietnamese | Pronunciation |
|---|
| Hello | Xin chao | sin CHOW |
| Good morning | Chao buoi sang | chow buoy SAHNG |
| Goodbye | Tam biet | tahm bee-ET |
| Please | Xin | SIN |
| Thank you | Cam on | kahm UHN |
| Yes | Vang (formal) / Da | VAHNG / YAH |
| No | Khong | KOHM |
| Excuse me | Xin loi | sin LOY |
| Sorry | Xin loi | sin LOY |
| How are you? | Ban khoe khong? | bahn KWEH kohm |
Getting Around
| English | Vietnamese | Pronunciation |
|---|
| Where is…? | …o dau? | uh DOW |
| How much is it? | Bao nhieu tien? | bow nyew tee-EN |
| Left | Trai | CHAI |
| Right | Phai | FYE |
| Stop here | Dung o day | dung uh DAY |
| Taxi | Taxi | TAK-si |
| Bus station | Ben xe buyt | ben se BWEET |
| Airport | San bay | sahn BAY |
| I don’t understand | Toi khong hieu | toy kohm hee-OH |
| Too expensive | Dat qua | daht KWAH |
Food and Dining
| English | Vietnamese | Pronunciation |
|---|
| The menu, please | Xin cho menu | sin cho ME-nu |
| The bill, please | Tinh tien | tin tee-EN |
| Water | Nuoc | nook |
| Delicious | Ngon | NGON |
| Not spicy | Khong cay | kohm KAY |
| I am vegetarian | Toi an chay | toy ahn CHAY |
| Rice | Com | kuhm |
| Beer | Bia | BEE-ah |
| Coffee | Ca phe | kah FEH |
| Cheers! | Mot, hai, ba, yo! | moht, hai, bah, YO |
Numbers
| Number | Vietnamese | Pronunciation |
|---|
| 1 | Mot | MOHT |
| 2 | Hai | HAI |
| 3 | Ba | BAH |
| 4 | Bon | BOHN |
| 5 | Nam | NAHM |
| 6 | Sau | SOW |
| 7 | Bay | BAY |
| 8 | Tam | TAHM |
| 9 | Chin | CHIN |
| 10 | Muoi | MOO-oy |
Emergency Phrases
| English | Vietnamese | Pronunciation |
|---|
| Help! | Cuu toi! | KOO-oo toy |
| Hospital | Benh vien | ben vee-EN |
| Police | Cong an | kohng AHN |
| I need a doctor | Toi can bac si | toy kahn bahk SEE |
| Call an ambulance | Goi xe cap cuu | goy se kahp KOO-oo |
The biggest pronunciation tip for Vietnam is that tones matter more than consonants. A word spoken with the wrong tone will simply not be understood, no matter how clearly you articulate the letters. When in doubt, point at written Vietnamese on your phone — Vietnamese people read their own language far more easily than they decode foreign pronunciation. Also note that pronunciation differs between northern (Hanoi) and southern (Ho Chi Minh City) dialects — the phrases above use approximate sounds that work reasonably in both regions.
