What do you do when you go to a country where the people don’t speak English? Some people feel anxious when going on such trips, and we honestly can’t blame them. The idea can be terrifying, but not if you know conversational Vietnamese phrases when visiting Vietnam. In this post, you’ll learn some useful conversational Vietnamese phrases you can use when visiting the country!
Going to Vietnam without any knowledge of the native language can be quite a daunting task. Although some signs and menus in touristy areas may be in English, many locals outside of major cities may not be able to speak or understand English. This can make navigating transportation, ordering food, or even communicating basic needs difficult. While you do not have to understand all the grammatical rules and terms, memorizing at least the essential words and phrases can keep you from feeling isolated. To start, we rounded up below the 20+ best ones to remember.
Conversational Vietnamese Phrases
Learning conversational Vietnamese phrases can be a great way to connect with locals and immerse yourself in Vietnamese culture. Whether planning a trip to Vietnam or simply wanting to expand your language skills, a basic understanding of common Vietnamese phrases can be invaluable. Not only will it help you navigate daily interactions, but it will also show respect for the people and customs of Vietnam. From greetings to ordering food, mastering these phrases can enhance your travel experience and foster meaningful connections with locals.

Basic Greetings & Phrases In Vietnamese
Basic greetings and phrases are essential to any language-learning journey, and Vietnamese is no exception. In this section, we will explore a selection of basic greetings and phrases in Vietnamese that will help you to communicate confidently and show respect to the people and customs of Vietnam.
English | Vietnamese | Pronunciation |
Hello! | Xin chào | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]xin chao[/Speechword] |
What’s your name? | Tên bạn là gì? | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Tên bạn là gì?[/Speechword] |
How old are you? | Bạn bao nhiêu tuổi? | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Bạn bao nhiêu tuổi? [/Speechword] |
Thank you | Cảm ơn | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Cảm ơn [/Speechword] |
I’m sorry | Tôi xin lỗi | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Tôi xin lỗi[/Speechword] |
Excuse me | Xin lỗi cho tôi hỏi | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Xin lỗi cho tôi hỏi[/Speechword] |
You’re welcome | Không có gì | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Không có gì [/Speechword] |
How are you? | Khỏe không? | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Khỏe không? [/Speechword] |
Yes/No | Dạ/Không | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Dạ Không [/Speechword] |
How much? | Bao nhiêu? | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Bao nhiêu?[/Speechword] |
Please | Làm ơn | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Làm ơn[/Speechword] |
I don’t understand | Tôi không hiểu | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Tôi không hiểu [/Speechword] |
Can you help me? | Ban co the giup toi duoc khong? | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Ban co the giup toi duoc khong?[/Speechword] |
Can I get a discount? | Bạn có thể giảm giá? | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Bạn có thể giảm giá? [/Speechword] |
Goodbye | Tạm biệt | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline] Tạm biệt [/Speechword] |
See you again | Hẹn gặp lại | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Hẹn gặp lại[/Speechword] |
Vietnamese Phrases For Directions
Unsurprisingly, most travelers get lost on their way to their destination. Sometimes maps are just a little too complicated, or streets can be a confusing maze to people. But as always, it’s okay to ask instead of going in circles, don’t you think?
English | Vietnamese | Pronunciation |
Where’s the toilet? | Nhà vệ sinh ở đâu? | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Nhà vệ sinh ở đâu? [/Speechword] |
Turn left. | Rẽ trái | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Rẽ trái[/Speechword] |
Turn right. | Rẽ phải | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Rẽ phải[/Speechword] |
Where’s the train station? | Ga xe lửa đi lối nào? | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Ga xe lửa đi lối nào?[/Speechword] |
Where’s the airport? | Sân bay ở đâu | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Sân bay ở đâu[/Speechword] |
I’m looking for… | Tôi đang tìm… | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Tôi đang tìm… [/Speechword] |
Vietnamese Phrases For Restaurants/Stores
Did you know that Vietnam offers mouthwatering dishes that are so hard to say no to? Well, now you know. So, if it’s a part of your plan to grab something to eat in this country, you might want to check the list of conversational Vietnamese phrases below to help you order quickly.
English | Vietnamese | Pronunciation |
May I have the menu, please? | Cho tôi mượn menu? | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Cho tôi mượn menu? [/Speechword] |
What do you have/serve here? | Ở đây có món gì? | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Ở đây có món gì?[/Speechword] |
Can you recommend something delicious? | Em có thể giới thiệu món nào ngon được không? | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Em có thể giới thiệu món nào ngon được không? [/Speechword] |
No sugar. | Không đường | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Không đường[/Speechword] |
A little spicy. | Một chút cay | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Một chút cay[/Speechword] |
The food is delicious, thank you. | Đồ ăn rất ngon, cảm ơn em | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Đồ ăn rất ngon, cảm ơn em[/Speechword] |
May I have the bill? | Tôi có thể xem hóa đơn chứ? | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Tôi có thể xem hóa đơn chứ?[/Speechword] |
Let me book a table for… | Cho tôi đặt bàn lúc | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Cho tôi đặt bàn lúc [/Speechword] |
I want to cancel my reservation for today. | Tôi muốn huỷ đặt bàn hôm nay. | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Tôi muốn huỷ đặt bàn hôm nay.[/Speechword] |
My reservation is under (surname). | Dặt phòng của tôi là dưới | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Dặt phòng của tôi là dưới [/Speechword] |
Vietnamese Phrases For Emergencies
The worst scenario most travelers fear is experiencing emergencies in a foreign place. It can be stressful to deal with these things, especially if you don’t know anyone to ask for help. But instead of thinking of who, you may want to ask people for help to prevent stalling time. Here are some conversational Vietnamese phrases that can help you if you ever need assistance during your stay in Vietnam.
English | Vietnam | Pronunciation |
I need a mechanic. | Tôi cần một thợ cơ khí | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Tôi cần một thợ cơ khí [/Speechword] |
Call the police. | Gọi cảnh sát | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Gọi cảnh sát [/Speechword] |
Where’s the gas station? | Trạm gas ở đâu | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Trạm gas ở đâu [/Speechword] |
I need to see a physician. | Tôi cần gặp bác sĩ | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Tôi cần gặp bác sĩ [/Speechword] |
Vietnamese Numbers
Learning about these conversational phrases would be pretty incomplete if you don’t know their translation for numbers. So, here’s a brief lesson related to these basic Vietnamese numbers for you to quickly understand how they count from zero to ten.
English | Vietnamese | Pronunciation |
Zero | Số không | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Số không [/Speechword] |
One | Một | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Một [/Speechword] |
Two | Hai | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Hai [/Speechword] |
Three | Ba | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Ba [/Speechword] |
Four | Bốn | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Bốn[/Speechword] |
Five | Năm | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Năm[/Speechword] |
Six | Sáu | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Sáu[/Speechword] |
Seven | Bảy | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Bảy[/Speechword] |
Eight | Tám | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Tám[/Speechword] |
Nine | Chín | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Chín[/Speechword] |
Ten | Mười | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Mười[/Speechword] |

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Everyone has their ways of making a conversation with native speakers. Some may continue to speak English, while others try to practice basic conversational Vietnamese phrases commonly spoken in Vietnam. Whichever method it’s that you prefer, your effort is well appreciated!
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