Essential Vietnamese Phrases for Visitors
Forty phrases that get you 80% of daily situations — hello, ordering, prices, directions, polite refusal.
You will get by in Vietnamese cities with English, gestures, and Google Translate. But a few phrases — even badly pronounced — change how people respond to you. They signal effort.
Greetings and basics
| Vietnamese | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Xin chào | Hello (formal) |
| Chào anh / chị / em | Hello (using kinship pronoun for older man / older woman / younger person) |
| Tạm biệt | Goodbye |
| Cảm ơn | Thank you |
| Không có gì | You're welcome |
| Xin lỗi | Sorry / excuse me |
| Vâng / dạ | Yes (north / south) |
| Không | No |
| Bạn khỏe không? | How are you? |
| Tôi khỏe | I'm well |
Numbers (1–10)
một, hai, ba, bốn, năm, sáu, bảy, tám, chín, mười
Useful pattern: numbers above ten just compound — mười một (11), mười hai (12), hai mươi (20), hai mươi mốt (21).
Money and prices
| Vietnamese | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Bao nhiêu tiền? | How much? |
| Mắc quá / đắt quá | Too expensive (south / north) |
| Có giảm giá không? | Can you give a discount? |
| Tính tiền | The bill, please |
| Nghìn | Thousand (đồng) |
| Triệu | Million (đồng) |
Tip: Vietnamese prices drop the đồng in speech. "Năm mươi" (50) usually means 50,000 đồng — năm chục in informal speech.
Eating
| Vietnamese | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Tôi ăn chay | I'm vegetarian |
| Không cay | Not spicy |
| Không đường | No sugar |
| Không đá | No ice |
| Một bát phở bò | One bowl of beef phở |
| Một ly cà phê sữa đá | One iced coffee with milk |
| Ngon quá | Very tasty |
| No rồi | I'm full |
| Vô! / Yô! | Cheers! |
Directions
| Vietnamese | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Ở đâu? | Where? |
| Bên trái / bên phải | Left / right |
| Đi thẳng | Go straight |
| Gần đây | Nearby |
| Xa | Far |
| Đường | Road / street |
| Bệnh viện | Hospital |
| Nhà hàng | Restaurant |
| Khách sạn | Hotel |
| Sân bay | Airport |
Polite refusal
A lot of street-side selling in Vietnam responds to engagement. A confident, smiling Không, cảm ơn (No, thank you) — repeated if needed — is more effective than ignoring. Walking past with a small wave and cảm ơn is what locals do.
Emergencies
| Vietnamese | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Cứu tôi với! | Help! |
| Cảnh sát | Police |
| Cấp cứu | Emergency / ambulance |
| Tôi bị mất... | I lost... |
| Tôi cần bác sĩ | I need a doctor |
| Gọi xe cứu thương | Call an ambulance |
National emergency numbers: 113 (police), 114 (fire), 115 (ambulance).
What people say to you
A few phrases you'll hear pointed at you, useful to recognise:
- Em ơi! / Anh ơi! / Chị ơi! — "Hey [younger/older man/older woman]!" — used to get attention politely. Not rude.
- Đi đâu? — "Where are you going?" Common greeting from drivers and shopkeepers; the answer can be a destination or just a smile.
- Mua đi mua đi — "Buy buy" — market sellers urging.
- Ăn cơm chưa? — "Have you eaten rice yet?" — a friendly check-in, like "how are you." The polite answer is usually Ăn rồi (already eaten).