Basics in Vietnamese phrasebook
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Common signs
- OPEN�
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- CLOSED�
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- ENTRANCE�
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- EXIT�
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- PUSH�
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- PULL�
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- TOILET�
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- MEN�
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- WOMEN�
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- FORBIDDEN�
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Hello.�
Chào. (jow)
Hello. (on the phone)�
Á-lô. (AH-loh)
How are you? (Are you healthy?)�
Khỏe không? (kweah kohng?)
Fine, thank you. (I am healthy, thank you.)�
Khoẻ, cảm ơn. (kweah, gam uhhn)
What is your name? (formal, to a man (forties or older, depending on the sensitivity of the person you address))�
Ông tên là gì? (ohng theyn la yi)
What is your name? (formal, to a woman (forties or older, depending on the sensitivity of the person you address))�
Bà tên là gì? (ba theyn la yi)
What is your name? (informal, to a male who is not quite middle-aged AND/OR is not significantly older than you)�
Anh tên là gì? (ayng theyn la yi) Anh is an umbrella term for any older male figure. It's literal meaning is "older brother".
What is your name? (informal and also flattering, to a female who is not quite middle-aged AND not significantly older than you)�
Cô tên là gì? (goh theyn la yi) There is a distinction between this and the last phrase, because in Vietnamese culture, one generally assumes that a woman, regardless of whether she looks middle-aged or not, is either not yet married, or does not yet have children, or is younger than she looks. Using "Cô" instead of "Bà" implies that you are giving her the benefit of your lack of knowledge about her. Thus, if she feels the need, she will (as a result of your flattery and politeness) correct you to use the mature "Bà" or the gender-disregarding term for an adult who is anywhere in their late thirties to fifties, "Bac" which is equivalent to "Sir" or "Madam". Some men and women prefer to be addressed as the polite and age-ambiguous "Bac" indefinitely, until they feel it is appropriate to be addressed in more mature terms.
My name is ______ .�
Tôi tên là ______ . (Thoye theyn la _____ .)
Please.�
Làm ơn. (lam uhhn)
Thank you.�
Cảm ơn. (gam uhhn)
You're welcome.�
Không sao đâu. (kohng sao doh)
Yes.�
Vâng (affirmative). (vuhng); Dạ (affirmative, respectful) (ya'a)�; Đúng (correct) (duhn)
No.�
Không. (kohng)
I'm sorry.�
Xin lỗi. (seen loh'EE)
Goodbye�
Chào. (jow), Tambiet
I can't speak Vietnamese [well].�
Tôi không biết nói tiếng Việt [giỏi lắm]. (thoy kohng bee-IT noh-Y thee-IHNG vee'it [yi-oh-i lahm])
Do you speak English?�
Biết nói tiếng Anh không? (bee-IT noh-Y thee-IHNG ayng kohng)
Is there someone here who speaks English?�
Có ai đây biết nói tiếng Anh không? (GAW ai dey bee-IT noh-Y thee-IHNG ayng kohng)
Help!�
Cứu (tôi) với! (gih-OO (thoy) vuh-y!) Thoi cang nguoi giup toi.
Look out!�
Cẩn thận! (guhn tuh'n!)
I don't understand.�
Tôi không hiểu. (thoy kohng hee-oh)
Where is the toilet?�
Cầu tiêu ở đâu? (goh thee-oh uh duh-oh) (this phrase may be considered impolite)
Be back soon�
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The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Vietnamese phrasebook
