Vietnamese is a beautiful language with unique sounds that can be difficult for learners to master. But hey, no worries! We’re here to help you learn greetings in Vietnamese so you can talk to native speakers and make new friends.
As you know, the Vietnamese language can be challenging to learn. It’s full of tones, has different writing systems, and relies heavily on context for meaning.
So, if you want to make a good impression on Vietnamese speakers, it’s important to know some basic greetings. Read more to find out how to greet people in Vietnam and learn some useful phrases that will help you get around.
Basics Of Vietnamese Greetings
Vietnamese greetings are relatively simple and direct. However, it can be tricky to know how to say “hello” in Vietnamese correctly since you must choose the correct pronoun. And the Vietnamese language has a lot of pronouns that can be used in different ways.
Xin chào is perhaps the most proper and courteous way to say “hello” in Vietnamese. It can be used to greet anybody. Moreover, chào sounds quite similar to the Italian salutation “ciao,” making it simple to recall. The emphasis on the word “chào” indicates that it should be spoken with a “falling tone.”
Now that we have chào at our disposal, it’s time to explore the crazy realm of pronouns briefly to learn Vietnamese thoroughly.
Using Vietnamese Pronouns
One of the most interesting things about the Vietnamese language is it doesn’t have a word equivalent for “you.” Though you’d believe it would be helpful to have it, the Vietnamese people live without it.
Alternatively, they use familial pronouns like “aunt,” “sister,” or “grandpa” to greet others and refer to themselves. These phrases don’t just pertain to their biological family. They like using them with everyone, including complete strangers.
This can be confusing for a foreigner from the western culture, who may not know how to respond.
But don’t worry! We’re here to help you with some handy translations.
Here are a few examples:
| English | Vietnamese | When To Use | Sound |
| Younger sibling | Em | When greeting a younger person or young people | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Em[/Speechword] |
| Friend | Bạn | When greeting close friends of the same age | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Bạn[/Speechword] |
| Older brother | Anh | When greeting a man who is quite older than you | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Anh[/Speechword] |
| Brother sister | Chị | When greeting a woman who is quite older than you | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Chị[/Speechword] |
| Uncle | Chú | When greeting an adult man | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Chú[/Speechword] |
| Aunt | Cô | When greeting an adult woman | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Cô[/Speechword] |
| Grandpa | ông | When greeting an elderly man or someone much older than you | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]ông[/Speechword] |
| Grandma | Bà | When greeting an elderly woman or someone much older than you | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Bà[/Speechword] |
Just as Vietnamese has no exact word for “you” that can be used in all situations, it also lacks a word for “I”. The word you use for “I” depends on who is speaking to you. If a person uses the same word for “you” that they use for themselves, then “I” and “you” are also interchangeable when referring to this individual.
This may sound complicated, but don’t worry. Most Vietnamese people won’t take offense if you use the wrong word. In fact, they might even be impressed that you’re trying to speak their language!
Greetings You Should Learn In Vietnamese
Learning to greet people in a new language can be one of the most intimidating parts of learning a new tongue. In Vietnamese, there are many different ways to say hello and goodbye, depending on the person’s gender, age, social status, and the time of day. Here are some of the most common Vietnamese greetings you should learn:
Hello
Vietnamese people use chào or xin chào to say hello. However, they never greet someone by saying just chào. There’s always a pronoun or noun added to it, like what we’ve learned earlier.
Once you’ve learned the right pronouns to address people in Vietnamese, all you have to do is add chào in front of their title to say hello.
Xin chào [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]xin chào[/Speechword]
For example:
| English | Vietnamese | Sound |
| Hello older brother | Chào anh | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Chào anh[/Speechword] |
| Hello older sister | Chào chị | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Chào chị[/Speechword] |
| Hello younger people | Chào em | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Chào em[/Speechword] |
| Hello uncle | Chào chú | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Chào chú[/Speechword] |
| Hello auntie | Chào cô | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Chào cô[/Speechword] |
| Hello grandfather | Chào ông | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Chào ông[/Speechword] |
| Hello grandmother | Chào bà | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Chào bà[/Speechword] |
| Hello close friend | Chào bạn | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Chào bạn[/Speechword] |
| Hello everyone | Chào cả nhà | [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Chào cả nhà[/Speechword] |
Xin chào is a polite greeting used in formal situations, especially when meeting complete strangers. For example, you can use it when greeting someone you don’t know very well, like a waiter or someone working at the reception desk of your hotel.
You can also greet someone with respect by saying, “Xin Chào,” if you do not remember how to say the appropriate pronoun.
Good Morning, Good Afternoon, And Good Evening
If you’re confused by the many pronouns in this language, here are some safer options:
- Chào buổi sáng means “good morning”
[Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]chào buổi sáng[/Speechword]
- Chào buổi chiều means “good afternoon”
[Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]chào buổi chiều[/Speechword]
- Chào buổi tối means “good evening”
[Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]chào buổi tối[/Speechword]
Although chào bạn is the more common greeting, these are still worth knowing.
How Are You?
In Vietnamese, the way to ask someone how they are is by saying “Khỏe không?” which literally means “Are you healthy?” You can also add a pronoun to be more polite. For example, you could ask an older man, “anh khỏe không?” or brother, are you healthy?
Khỏe không?
[Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Khỏe không?[/Speechword]
I Am Fine
In Vietnamese, there is no exact word that precisely corresponds to the English “yes.” To answer a question affirmatively, simply repeat the word from that question.
Hence, the positive reply to “khỏe không?” is simply khỏe! “(I’m) healthy.”
Không by itself just means “no.” So, if you’re feeling well, your reply might be: Không!
Khỏe!
[Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]khỏe![/Speechword]
Không!
[Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Không![/Speechword]
What Is Your Name
When meeting someone for the first time, learning their name is an important social gesture. “Name” in Vietnamese is tên. So, to ask for it say tên của bạn là gì?, or the simpler bạn tên gì?
When you have introduced yourselves and learned each other’s names, dropping the pronoun might be a good idea. In Vietnamese culture, it is considered polite to refer to yourself in the third person, even when this would sound odd if translated literally into English.
Tên của bạn là gì?
[Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Tên của bạn là gì?[/Speechword]
Bạn tên gì?
[Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Bạn tên gì?[/Speechword]
For Example:
Phưc: Phưc là ngừơi Việt. John là ngừơi Mỹ, phải không?
[Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Phưc là ngừơi Việt. John là ngừơi Mỹ, phải không?[/Speechword]
George: Không phãi, John là ngừơi Anh.
[Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Không phãi, John là ngừơi Anh.[/Speechword]
Translation:
Phưc: Phưc is Vietnamese. Is John American?
George: No, John is English.
Goodbye
We’ve learned to say “hello” in Vietnamese, but what about saying “goodbye”? Tạm biệt, which translates to “goodbye,” is the key term to grasp in this context.
Tạm sounds similar to tam, with a brief down-tone on the ạ. This indicates that the pitch is rapid and low, almost aggressive. Biệt has two double-syllables, similar to “bee-et,” but is spoken quickly.
The trick for English speakers whenever saying Tạm biệt is to avoid using a joyous high-pitch tone, as you would when saying goodbye to a friend. Doing so would erroneously alter the word’s meaning.
Tạm biệt [Speechword voice=”Vietnamese Male” isinline]Tạm biệt[/Speechword]
Ace Your Vietnamese Greetings With Ease
So there you have it, a quick rundown of some of the most important greetings in Vietnamese and how to use them correctly. Now that you’ve got a handle on the basics, it’s time to practice what you’ve learned.
Learn Vietnamese With The Ling App
It’s time to put all these new words and phrases into practice. But if you still need help with your pronunciation, we’ve got you covered.
Ling is an app that can help you learn Vietnamese from the ground up. With over 200 lessons, you’ll be able to master the basics of Vietnamese in no time.
Check out the Ling app at the Play Store or App Store. With Ling, you’ll learn to speak Vietnamese like a native. The app will teach you the basics of pronunciation and grammar in an easy-to-follow format that’s fun and engaging.
