Useful Vietnamese words and phrases

The Vietnamese language is a very difficult one to learn. Being a tonal language, with regional variations, it is nigh on impossible for a short-term traveller to get their mouth and tongue around some of the pronunciations (so it is very easy to say something impolite or inappropriate, or very funny). The Vietnamese language has 6 tones, which means that a word can be said 6 ways and have 6 different meanings!

There are also regional variations, to confuse matters further, so what you learn as polite in Saigon may be quite the opposite in Hanoi. In the 17th century, Alexander de Rhodes (Jesuit scholar and missionary) introduced the Romanized script, which was used by the ‘educated’ elite. It was not until 1954 (when Uncle Ho governed North Vietnam) that this Romanized script became the official written script for all the Vietnamese.

Today, English is the most popular second language in Vietnam, so there is bound to be someone around who can help you. Some people also speak French, while others speak Russian, but these are becoming less common. Having said how difficult it is to learn Vietnamese, don’t be put off, have a go, but also be prepared to receive a few laughs at your attempts. Below is a list of often used or useful words and phrases.