Blue Jellyfish Press. Learn Vietnamese. Tieng viet. Free learning page. The bare necessities, essential phrases, minimum. Beginners. For travellers. For tourists.

Essential Vietnamese Phrases
Sometimes you don't have time to learn long lists of words and phrases.
All you want to know are the bare essentials for communicating to get
what you need, or where you need to go.
Here are the bare minimum of Vietnamese words and phrases you need
to know to survive.
Learn the Top 10 Phrases if you only have time for the barest minimum.
If you need or want more, then take a look at the Top 20 Phrases,
Top 30 Phrases and the Extra Phrases.

Here are ten easy phrases to get you started ...
The Top 10 ...
(N) = Northern Vietnamese
(S) = Southern Vietnamese
Please see the notes on the terms for "you"* below
to replace the word bạn (friend) if appropriate.

Chào bạn.
Hello.
Tạm biệt.
Goodbye.
Bạn có nói được tiếng Anh không?
Do you speak English?
Tôi không hiểu.
I don't understand.
Chút ít.
A little.
Vâng (N) / Dạ (S). Không.
Yes. No.
Giá bao nhiêu?
How much is it?
Đắt quá. Được rồi.
Too expensive. OK.
Làm ơn.
Vui lòng.
Xin.
Please.
Cảm ơn (rất nhiều).
Cám ơn (rất nhiều). (Less formal)
Thank you (very much).

Here are ten more phrases that will help you
make new friends and ask for directions.
The Top 20 ...

Bạn tên là gì?
What is your name?
Tôi tên là ...
My name is ...
Bạn khỏe không?
How are you?
Khỏe. Bạn thì sao?
Fine. And you?
... ở đâu?
Where is ...?
Phòng vệ sinh ở đâu? Nam/Nữ
Nhà vệ sinh ở đâu? Nam/Nữ
Where is the toilet? Men/Women
Xin lỗi.
Sorry. Excuse me.
Không sao.
Không hề gì.
No problem.
Tôi muốn ...
I want ...
Tôi không muốn ...
I don't want ...

Here are another ten phrases to help you make a
little more conversation and to get around.
The Top 30 ...

Bạn từ đâu đến?
Where are you from?
Tôi đến từ nước Úc.*
I am from Australia.
Làm ơn tính tiền.
The bill, please.
Tôi bị lạc đường.
I'm lost.
Đừng lại! Chờ chút!
Stop! Wait!
Ở đâu, ở đó.
Here, there.
Tắc-xi. Khách san. Sân bay. Trạm.
Taxi. Hotel. Airport. Station.
Tôi thích ...
I like ...
Tôi không thích ...
I don't like ...
một, hai, ba, bốn, năm.
one, two , three, four, five.
sá, bảy, tám, chín, mười.
six, seven, eight, nine, ten.
*Or choose your country:
nước Mỹ - America
nước Canađa - Canada
nước Anh - England
nước Ai-len - Ireland
nước Niu-Zi-Lân - New Zealand

Here are some extra words and phrases you might find useful,
especially if you have dietary needs or allergies.
Useful extras ...

Chúc sức khỏe!
Cạn chén! (N)
Cạn ly! (S)
Cheers!
tốt / xấu
good / bad
lớn / nhỏ
big / small
gần / xa
near / far
ít / nhiều
less / more
khác / đủ
another one / enough
Tôi ăn chay.
I am vegetarian.
Tôi không ăn thịt.
I don't eat meat.
... thịt gà.
... chicken.
... cá.
... fish.
Tôi bị dị ứng với các loại hạt.
I am allergic to nuts.
... lạc (N) / đậu phộng (S).
... peanuts.
... cá.
... fish.
... hải sản.
... seafood.
... trứng.
... eggs.
*Words for "you":
Bạn means "friend" and is not often used. It is more usual to use these words:
Ông to a much older man, or to be formal (= grandfather).
OR Mr/Sir. (formal/general)
Bà to a much older woman, or to be formal. (= grandmother)
OR Mrs/Madam. (formal/general)
Bác to an older man or woman, less formal. (= senior aunt/uncle)
Chú to a man of an older generation, less formal. (= younger uncle)
Cô to a woman of an older generation, less formal. (= younger aunt)
OR Miss/Madam. (formal/general)
Anh to a man of your same generation. (= older brother)
Chị to a woman of your same generation. (= older sister)
Em to a young man or woman, very informal. (= younger sibling)
Con to a child. (= child)
These words can also refer to yourself, "I/me", instead of the general word tôi.