50+ Basic Vietnamese Phrases for Beginners (with Pronunciation)
50+ essential Vietnamese phrases for travel and daily life, greetings, food, directions, emergencies, each with pronunciation and meaning.
Quick answer
The five phrases to learn first: Xin chào (hello), Cảm ơn (thank you), Dạ (polite yes), Bao nhiêu? (how much?), and Tôi không hiểu (I don't understand). Master these and you can handle most everyday interactions in Vietnam.
You don't need fluency to get by in Vietnamese, a few dozen phrases go a long way. Here are 50+ of the most useful, grouped by situation, each with a rough pronunciation.
Greetings & politeness
| Vietnamese | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Xin chào | sin chow | Hello |
| Tạm biệt | tam bee-et | Goodbye |
| Cảm ơn | gam un | Thank you |
| Không có gì | khong gaw zee | You're welcome |
| Xin lỗi | sin loy | Sorry / excuse me |
| Dạ / Vâng | ya / vung | Yes (polite) |
| Không | khong | No |
For the full system behind "hello," see Vietnamese greetings.
At a restaurant
| Vietnamese | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Cho tôi… | chaw toy | I'll have… |
| Bao nhiêu? | bow nyew | How much? |
| Ngon quá! | ngon kwa | So delicious! |
| Không cay | khong kai | Not spicy |
| Tôi ăn chay | toy an chai | I'm vegetarian |
| Tính tiền | ting tee-en | The bill, please |
To actually read the menu, see Vietnamese food words.
Directions & transport
| Vietnamese | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Ở đâu? | uh dow | Where? |
| Nhà vệ sinh ở đâu? | nya vey sing uh dow | Where's the toilet? |
| Bên trái / Bên phải | ben chai / ben fai | Left / Right |
| Đi thẳng | dee thang | Go straight |
| Dừng lại | zung lai | Stop |
Shopping & money
| Vietnamese | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Bao nhiêu tiền? | bow nyew tee-en | How much money? |
| Đắt quá | dat kwa | Too expensive |
| Giảm giá được không? | zam za duok khong | Can you lower the price? |
Numbers make these far more useful, see numbers in Vietnamese.
Emergencies
| Vietnamese | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Cứu tôi! | kuu toy | Help me! |
| Tôi bị lạc | toy bee lak | I'm lost |
| Gọi bác sĩ | goy bak see | Call a doctor |
| Tôi cần giúp đỡ | toy gun zup duh | I need help |
| Bệnh viện | benh vee-en | Hospital |
| Cảnh sát | kanh sat | Police |
| Tôi bị bệnh | toy bee benh | I'm sick |
Small talk
| Vietnamese | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Bạn khỏe không? | ban kwe khong | How are you? |
| Tôi tên là… | toy ten la | My name is… |
| Tôi không hiểu | toy khong hee-u | I don't understand |
| Bạn nói tiếng Anh không? | ban noy tee-eng anh khong | Do you speak English? |
Getting by
| Vietnamese | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Làm ơn | lam un | Please |
| Có | gaw | Yes / there is |
| Được | duok | OK / can do |
| Tôi hiểu | toy hee-u | I understand |
| Nói lại được không? | noy lai duok khong | Can you repeat? |
| Nói chậm hơn | noy cham hun | Please speak slower |
| Bạn tên gì? | ban ten zee | What's your name? |
| Tôi đến từ… | toy den tu | I'm from… |
Time & small talk
| Vietnamese | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Hôm nay | hom nay | Today |
| Ngày mai | ngai mai | Tomorrow |
| Hôm qua | hom kwa | Yesterday |
| Bây giờ | bay zuh | Now |
| Mấy giờ rồi? | may zuh zoy | What time is it? |
Hotel & essentials
| Vietnamese | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Tôi muốn… | toy muon | I want… |
| Khách sạn | khak san | Hotel |
| Phòng | fong | Room |
| Nước | nuok | Water |
| Wifi ở đâu? | wifi uh dow | Where's the wifi? |
| Cái này bao nhiêu? | kai nai bow nyew | How much is this? |
A note on pronouns
You'll notice Vietnamese rarely uses a single neutral "you." Greetings and address change based on the other person's age and gender, a quirk worth learning early. The greetings guide breaks it down.
Sources
- Vietnamese vocabulary and phrases verified against standard references including Wiktionary for spelling, diacritics, and meaning. Pronunciations are rough English approximations.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most useful Vietnamese phrases?
The essentials are Xin chào (hello), Cảm ơn (thank you), Dạ (polite yes), Bao nhiêu? (how much?), and Tôi không hiểu (I don't understand). These five cover a huge share of daily interactions.
How do you say hello and thank you in Vietnamese?
Hello is 'Xin chào' (sin chow) and thank you is 'Cảm ơn' (gam un). Add 'ạ' at the end to sound more polite to older people.
Is 'dạ' important in Vietnamese?
Yes. 'Dạ' is a polite particle that softens and shows respect, especially toward older people. Starting a reply with 'Dạ' instantly makes you sound more natural and courteous.
What phrases do I need for travel in Vietnam?
Greetings, 'Bao nhiêu?' (how much?), 'Cho tôi…' (I'll have…), 'Nhà vệ sinh ở đâu?' (where's the toilet?), and 'Không cay' (not spicy) cover most traveler situations.