Yes, no and the essentials in Vietnamese
The small words that carry half of every conversation, and the ones that rescue it. Play the ten Vietnamese words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 10 Vietnamese phrases in this lesson
- Vângvuhng
- Yes
- Khôngkhong
- No
- ĐượcDUH-uhk
- Okay
- Tôi không hiểutoy khong HYEW
- I don't understand
- Bạn có nói tiếng Anh không?bahn koh noy tyeng AHN khong
- Do you speak English?
- Bạn nói lại được không?bahn noy LAI duhk khong
- Can you repeat that?
- Nói chậm lại giúp tôinoy chuhm LAI zoop toy
- Slowly, please
- Cái này là gì?KAI nay la ZEE
- What is this?
- Tôi cần...toy KUHN
- I need...
- Bạn giúp tôi được không?bahn ZOOP toy duhk khong
- Can you help me?
The polite yes in the North. Southerners say "dạ" (yah), which also works as a respectful "yes, I am listening". "Có" (koh) answers questions about having or doing something.
Also the word that turns a sentence into a question when tacked on at the end: "có nước không?" (is there water?). "Không cần" (khong KUHN), no need, is the polite way to turn down a vendor.
Được means can, may or okay depending on context. "Được rồi" (DUH-uhk zoy) is okay, done. Young people also simply say "ok".
Hiểu means understand. This usually switches the conversation to English in tourist areas or to slower Vietnamese with gestures elsewhere.
Bạn is friend or you, tiếng Anh is the English language. Question formation is simple: có before the verb, không at the end. Many young urban Vietnamese speak some English.
Literally "can you say again?". Lại means again and turns up everywhere: "gặp lại" (meet again), "quay lại" (come back).
Literally "speak slower, help me". Tones carry meaning in Vietnamese, so slowing down makes a real difference for a learner.
Point at anything on a menu or a market stall. The answer is often a dish name you can then order with "cho tôi".
"Tôi cần một chiếc taxi" (I need a taxi). Cần means need, and "không cần" (no need) is its handy opposite.
Polite enough for strangers. Vietnamese people tend to help readily and may walk you to where you are going.