Common Vietnamese Phrases & Sentences in English
Learn and practice basic Vietnamese phrases and sentences translated to English that are useful for basic communication, such as for use when traveling, meeting some, asking questions and names. The Vietnamese language uses variations and tones so we make a best attempt to use words examples of English word that sounds similar to a particular Vietnamese word to help readers with pronunciations, though the similar sounding word in English probably doesn’t mean the Vietnamese word it is trying to imitate. When learning common phrases in Vietnamese, it’s also important to know that the Vietnamese language applies words that differentiate between age and gender, such as younger and older people as well as male or female. Basic but important examples include saying hello to a younger or older male or female. “Em” is a female or male that is younger, “Chị” is an older female, “Anh” is a slightly older male, “Chú”is a much older male, and “Co” is a much older female. So saying hello in Vietnamese would be Chao(Hello) Em/Chị/Anh/Chú/Co.
Vietnamese phrases for Greetings, Introductions and Common Responses
1. How to say “Hello” in Vietnamese
Answer: Chào (Pronounced: Chow)
2. How to say “How are you” in Vietnamese:
Answer: Khỏe không? (Pronounced: Kwea Cowng)
3. How to say “I am fine/good” in Vietnamese:
Answer: Khỏe. (Ponounced: kweah)
Tôi Khỏe, literally means “I am healthy”, but when answering to someone asking you how you are, you would usually just say “Khỏe”
4. How to say “Thank you” in Vietnamese
Answer: Cảm ơn (Pronounced: gam un)
5. How to ask “What is your name” in Vietnamese:
Answer: bạn tên gì (General use, “bạn” literally means friend in Vietnamese)
The answer can also depends on if you wish to be formally correct based each others age and gender as follows:
Answer: Anh tên gì (To a male that is the same age as you or a little older. Pronounced: Anh then yi).
Answer: Chị tên gì (To a female that is the same age as you or a little older. Pronounced: Gee then yi).
Answer: Em tên gì (To a male or female that is younger than you. Pronounced: Am then yi).
Answer: Chú tên gì (To a male that is much older than you, usually 15-20 years or more. Pronounced: Chiu then yi).
Answer: Co tên gì (To a female that is much older than you, usually 15-20 years or more. Pronounced: Co then yi).
6. How to say “My Name is” in Vietnamese:
Answer: Tôi tên là (General use, literally means “My name is”)
The answer can also depends on if you wish to be formally correct based each others age and gender as follows:
Answer: Anh tên là (Your Name) (To a male that is the same age as you or a little older. Pronounced: Anh then yi).
Answer: Cháo tên là (YOUR NAME) (To a male that is older than you, usually 15-20 years or more. Pronounced: Chiu then).
Answer: Chị tên là (YOUR NAME) (To a female that is the same age as you or a little older. Pronounced: Gee then yi).
Answer: Em tên là (YOUR NAME) (To a male or female that is younger than you. Pronounced: Am then).
Vietnamese phrases for handling with Misunderstandings and the language barrier
7. How to say “I don’t understand” in Vietnamese
Answer: Tôi không hiểu (Pronounced: toi kong hieu)
8. How to say “I don’t speak Vietnamese very well” in Vietnamese
Answer: Tôi không nói tiếng việt tốt lắm (Pronounced: toi kong noi teng viet thot lam)
9. How to say “Please speak slowly” in Vietnamese
Answer: xin nói chậm (Pronounced: sin noii cham)
10. How to say “I still don’t understand, please say that again” in Vietnamese
Answer: Tôi không hiểu, xin nói một lần nữa (Pronounced: toi kong hieu, sin noi mote lon nua)
11. How to say “May I ask” in Vietnamese
Answer: Xin hỏi (Pronounced: sin hoi)
Vietnamese phrases for asking to go eat, going out
12. How to say “Have you eaten yet?” in Vietnamese
Answer: bạn đã ăn chưa?
(Pronounced: ban da anh chu-ua)
13. How to ask “Want to go eat?”
Answer: muốn đi ăn không?
(Pronounced: muan di anh cong). Typically when you ask this, you add the word “no”(cong) at the end, implying “would you like to eat or no?”
14. How to ask “What do you like to eat?”
answer: bạn thích ăn gì?
(Pronounced: ban thit anh yi)
15. How to say “Go” in Vietnamese
Answer: Dee (Pronounced: Dee)
Miscellaneous Vietnamese Phrases
16. Question: How to say “I need to change clothes”
Answer: Tôi cần thay quần áo
17. Question: How to say “I need to go home”
Answer: Tôi cần phải về nhà
18. Question: How to say “I need to go now”
Answer: Tôi cần phải đi ngay bây giờ
19. Question: How to say “I need to practice my vietnamese”
Answer: Tôi cần phải thực hành tiếng Việt của tôi
20. Question: How to say “I only have 5 dollars”
Answer: tôi chỉ có 5 đô la
21. Question: How to say “I don’t have enough money”
Answer: Tôi không có đủ tiền
22. Question: How to say “I only want a snack”
Answer: Tôi chỉ muốn có một bữa ăn nhẹ
23. Question: How to say “I remember”
Answer: Tôi nhớ
24. Question: How to say “I speak a little vietnamese”
Answer: Tôi nói một chút tiếng Việt
25. Question: How to say “I speak two languages”
Answer: Tôi nói hai ngôn ngữ
26. Question: How to say “I still have a lot of things to buy”
Answer: Tôi vẫn còn có rất nhiều điều để mua
27. Question: How to say “I still have a lot to do”
Answer: Tôi vẫn còn có rất nhiều để làm
28. Question: How to say “I still have to brush my teeth and take a shower”
Answer: Tôi vẫn còn phải đánh răng và tắm
29. Question: How to say “I still haven’t decided”
Answer: tôi vẫn chưa quyết định
30. Question: How to say “I think I need to see a doctor”
Answer: Tôi nghĩ rằng tôi cần phải gặp bác sĩ
31. Question: How to say “I think it tastes good”
Answer: Tôi nghĩ này ngon