Some Basic Vietnamese Words And Phrases For Travelers Coming To Vietnam

Vietnam is a very hospitable and friendly country which always welcomes foreign travelers no matter what are their nationalities. Despite the popularity of English among countries, learning some Vietnamese phrases or words can help you to avoid some language issues during your trip, since not every Vietnamese can totally understand English. We have listed below some of popular words that can be useful for you.

Daily Conversation

Vietnamese people love talking about all things happen around them. Hence, you can start a conversation to Vietnamese people easily. Showing a friendly smile and polite gestures, you would have a chance to make more Vietnamese friends, who can have your back whenever you need them. Below are some of the most basic phrases and sentences you may encounter in Vietnamese’s daily conversions.

Asking direction

Saigon streets are like a labyrinth which can puzzle any first-time visitors. Taxis or motorbike taxis are certainly the ones who know the city like the back of their hand, it would be interesting if you can find the way to get to the destination by asking them. In addition, navigation skills are a must when you travel  a hustle and bustle city like Ho Chi Minh City. But the issue can be resolved by some simple words above.

Shopping & Haggle

When you go shopping at flea markets of tourist attractions, it will require a lot of patience to negotiate with the vendors. It has become an art of haggle when you hunt on good prices. Since the price are occasionally marked up much higher than its real value, you can use some Vietnamese words to deal with them, and your shopping sprees will be free and easy then.

Dining and ordering food

Food is the soul of Vietnamese culture. In fact, Vietnamese cuisine delivers unimaginable flavors and essences into their dishes. If you are on a tight budget, then street food is an ideal option since it is surprisingly cheap and offers an authentic taste of local cuisine. Unfortunately, not any Vietnamese waiter and waitress serving at street vendors can speak English fluently.

Numbers in Vietnamese

It is vital to know how to pronounce numbers in Vietnamese, since this will help you a lot to get used to Vietnam Dong, which is the official currency in Vietnam. Luckily, Vietnamese numbers are quite easy to learn once you understand its structure, because they are not too different from English numbers.

Days of the week

This is exactly the same as the numbers in Vietnamese once you have known how to count. This is because the days are named after numbers in ascending order starting from number 2 (hai), except for Sunday though.

Time