Vietnamese, the official language of Vietnam, is spoken by over 75 million people worldwide. Learning some common words and phrases can enhance your interactions and understanding of Vietnamese culture, whether you are traveling, working or just exploring the language. This article will guide you through some essential words and phrases used in everyday Vietnamese conversations, helping you to communicate effectively with native speakers.

Greetings and Basic Courtesies

One of the first steps in learning any language is knowing how to greet and show basic politeness. In Vietnamese, greetings can vary depending on the time of day and the age of the person you are speaking to.

Xin chào (sin chow) – Hello! This is a general greeting that can be used at any time of day.
– Xin chào, bạn khỏe không? (Hello, how are you?)

Chào buổi sáng (chow bwee sang) – Good morning!
– Chào buổi sáng, cô ấy đã đến trường chưa? (Good morning, has she gone to school yet?)

Chào buổi tối (chow bwee toy) – Good evening!
– Chào buổi tối, hôm nay bạn thế nào? (Good evening, how are you today?)

Cảm ơn (gahm uhn) – Thank you.
– Bạn giúp tôi rất nhiều, cảm ơn bạn. (You help me a lot, thank you.)

Không có gì (khom co zee) – You’re welcome.
– Bạn không phải lo, không có gì. (Don’t worry, you’re welcome.)

Asking Questions

Asking questions is fundamental in everyday conversations. Here are some common question words in Vietnamese:

Ai (eye) – Who
– Ai là người này? (Who is this person?)

Cái gì (guy gee) – What
– Bạn đang làm cái gì vậy? (What are you doing?)

Khi nào (khee now) – When
– Chúng ta sẽ gặp nhau khi nào? (When will we meet?)

Ở đâu (uh yow) – Where
– Siêu thị ở đâu? (Where is the supermarket?)

Tại sao (tie sow) – Why
– Bạn tại sao lại khóc? (Why are you crying?)

Thế nào (teh now) – How
– Hôm nay bạn thấy thế nào? (How do you feel today?)

Navigating Directions

When traveling or moving around in Vietnam, understanding some directional words can be very helpful.

Trái (try) – Left
– Đi về phía trái. (Go to the left.)

Phải (fai) – Right
– Cửa hàng ở bên phải. (The store is on the right.)

Thẳng (thang) – Straight
– Cứ đi thẳng phía trước. (Just go straight ahead.)

Lên (len) – Up
– Văn phòng lên tầng hai. (The office is up on the second floor.)

Xuống (soong) – Down
– Hầm để xe xuống dưới. (The parking garage is down below.)

Ordering Food

Food is a huge part of Vietnamese culture. Here are some phrases that might come in handy when ordering food.

Tôi muốn (toy muuhn) – I would like
– Tôi muốn một phần phở, làm ơn. (I would like a bowl of pho, please.)

Cho tôi (cho toy) – Give me
– Cho tôi hai cốc cà phê. (Give me two cups of coffee.)

Không đường (khom doo-uhng) – No sugar
– Tôi muốn cà phê, không đường. (I want coffee, no sugar.)

Nhiều ớt (nyew ut) – More chili
– Làm ơn cho nhiều ớt trong món này. (Please put more chili in this dish.)

Hóa đơn (hwa don) – The bill
– Làm ơn cho tôi xem hóa đơn. (Please let me see the bill.)

By familiarizing yourself with these common Vietnamese words and phrases, you can start engaging in basic conversations and deepen your understanding and appreciation of the Vietnamese language and culture. Remember, practice makes perfect, so don’t hesitate to use these phrases as much as you can!