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Learn How to Talk About Your Family in Vietnamese

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Did you know that only some reptiles and birds don’t parent their offspring? Except for crocodiles, all reptiles (and one family of bird species called megapodes) hatch from eggs and grow up alone, without any family.

The rest of us need family if we are to survive and thrive – humans and animals alike!

At VietnamesePod101, we know how important family is. Therefore, we take care to teach you all the important vocabulary and phrases pertaining to family.

Table of Contents

  1. Why Is It Important to Know Vietnamese Vocabulary about Family?
  2. Learn a New Culture? Learn its Family Vocab first
  3. How VietnamesePod101 Can Help You Learn Vietnamese Family Terms

Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Family Phrases in Vietnamese

1. Why Is It Important to Know Vietnamese Vocabulary about Family?

Lioness with Cub

Well, if you’re serious about studying any new language, then learning about the most important social unit in Vietnamese culture would be a crucial part of your education.

What is family, though? Strictly speaking, it’s a group of people who live together and are supposed to take care of one another. Some of them are genetically linked.

Family isn’t just about who we’re related to by blood, of course. It’s also one of the main influences in shaping every child’s life.

Family is Important for Children’s Healthy Development

Phrases Parents Say

Family is the single most important influence in a child’s life. Children depend on parents and family to protect them and provide for their needs from the day they were born.

Primary caregivers, which usually comprise parents and family, form a child’s first relationships. They are a child’s first teachers and are role models that show kids how to act and experience the world around them.

By nurturing and teaching children during their early years, families play an important role in making sure children are ready to learn when they enter school.

Families Can Take All Shapes and Sizes

However, the way families are put together is by no means standard.

Mom and Daughter

Single-parent and same-gender households have become a new norm the past few decades, and there’s no shame in this. When there is love, connection and proper care, a child can thrive anywhere.

Everyone also knows that sometimes friends can become like family and remain with us for life, because it’s all about human connection.

After all, we share many commonalities simply because we’re human, and we are programmed to connect with one another and belong to a group. This is very important for our well-being and survival.

It’s All About Feeling Connected

As John Northman, a psychologist from Buffalo, NY, told WebMD – feeling connected to others contributes to mental as well as physical health.

He pointed out that when people feel connected, they feel better physically, and they’re also less likely to feel depressed.

Couples Chatting

Or, if they do feel depressed, they’d be in a better position to get out of it when they feel they are connecting with others. This is because they would be psychologically supported too, Northman said.

There has even been some links drawn between addiction and feeling disconnected from others. According to an article in Psychology Today, research indicates that addiction is not solely a substance disorder, but also affected by people feeling insecurely attached to others.

It showed that securely attached individuals tend to feel comfortable in and enjoy life, while insecurely attached people typically struggle to fit in and connect.

2. Learn a New Culture? Learn its Family Vocab first

So, it’s clear that for most of us, family is our entry point into connection and belonging. This is true of every culture, so in every country, family takes prominence.

For this reason, VietnamesePod101 offers culturally-relevant lessons that will equip you well to understand families in Vietnam.

Here are some of the most important Vietnamese vocabulary and quotes about family and parenting!

A) Vietnamese Family Vocabulary

Let’s start with the basic vocabulary. Without this collection of words, you’ll have a hard time describing any member of your family at all.

Family Terms
Family
gia đình
Great grandfather
ông cụ
Mother
mẹ
Grandmother
Father
cha
Grandfather
ông
Wife
vợ
Grandchild
cháu
Husband
chồng
Granddaughter
cháu gái
Parent
cha mẹ
Grandson
cháu trai
Child
đứa trẻ
Aunt
cô, dì
Daughter
con gái
Uncle
chú
Sister
chị gái, em gái
Niece
cháu gái
Brother
anh, em trai
Nephew
cháu trai
Younger sister
em gái
Younger brother
em trai
Older brother
anh trai
Great grandmother
bà cụ
Cousin
anh chị em họ
Mother-in-law
mẹ vợ
Father-in-law
bố vợ
Sister-in-law
chị chồng, chị vợ
Brother-in-law
anh rể
Partner
vợ chồng

Family of Three

B) Quotes About Family

Vietnamese Family Quotes

One of the ways to improve your Vietnamese language skills is by memorizing quotes from books, or poems.

Either source some from Vietnamese literature, or make use of ours!

Bạn không chọn gia đình của mình. Gia đình là món quà của Chúa dành cho bạn cũng như bạn là món quà dành cho gia đình của bạn.

“You don’t choose your family. They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them.” – Desmond Tutu

Gia đình không phải là một thứ quan trọng mà là tất cả mọi thứ trên đời.

“Family is not an important thing. It’s everything.” – Michael J. Fox

Gia đình có nghĩa là không ai bị bỏ lại phía sau hoặc bị lãng quên.

“Family means no one gets left behind or forgotten.” – David Ogden Stiers

Gia đình tôi là sức mạnh và cũng là điểm yếu của tôi.

“My family is my strength and my weakness.” – Aishwarya Rai

Gia đình là một trong những kiệt tác của tự nhiên.

“The family is one of nature’s masterpieces.” – George Santayana

Khi khó khăn đến, gia đình sẽ là nơi hỗ trợ bạn.

“When trouble comes, it’s your family that supports you.” – Guy Lafleur

Gia đình là tế bào thiết yếu đầu tiên của xã hội loài người.

“The family is the first essential cell of human society.” – Pope John XXIII

Không có niềm vui cho tất cả mọi người trong một gia đình.

“There is no such thing as fun for the whole family.” – Jerry Seinfeld

Bạn phải bảo vệ danh dự của bạn. Và gia đình của bạn.

“You have to defend your honor. And your family.” – Suzanne Vega

Tất cả các gia đình hạnh phúc đều giống nhau; mỗi gia đình không hạnh phúc thì không hạnh phúc theo cách khác nhau.

“All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” – Leo Tolstoy

C) Test Your Knowledge!

Do you feel you have learned a lot in this blog? Let’s quickly test that!

In the table below, match the Vietnamese vocabulary on the left with the definition of the relative in the right column.

MY RELATIVES
Relative Name Definition
1. gia đình a. My male child
2. mẹ b. My older male sibling
3. cha c. My female sibling
4. vợ d. My child’s child
5. chồng e. My child’s female child
6. cha mẹ f. My female parent
7. đứa trẻ g. My grandparent’s mother
8. con gái h. Mother to one of my parents
9. con trai i. Relatives
10. chị gái, em gái j. My female child
11. anh, em trai k. My younger male sibling
12. em gái l. Male spouse
13. em trai m. The father of one of my parents
14. anh trai n. My child’s male child
15. bà cụ o. My children’s father or mother
16. ông cụ p. The sister of one of my parents
17. bà q. The brother of one of my parents
18. ông r. My male parent
19. cháu s. My sibling’s female child
20. cháu gái t. My sibling’s male child
21. cháu trai u. My male sibling
22. cô, dì v. My parents’ sibling’s child
23. Chú w. Female spouse
24. cháu gái x. The grandfather of one of my parents
25. cháu trai y. The person I am a parent to
26. anh chị em họ z. My younger female sibling

How did it go? Don’t worry if you had trouble with it – you’ll get there! With a bit of practice, and our help at VietnamesePod101, you’ll soon have these family terms under the belt.

Family Shopping

3. How VietnamesePod101 Can Help You Learn Vietnamese Family Terms

We hope that we helped you expand your family in Vietnamese vocabulary!

VietnamesePod101, with its innovative online learning system, stands out among online learning platforms to help you master Vietnamese easily.

Our lessons are tailored not only to increase your language skills, but to also inform you of Vietnamese culture, including the Vietnamese family structure.

When you sign up, you will get instant access to tools like:

1 – An extensive vocabulary list, regularly updated
2 – A new Vietnamese word to learn every day
3 – Quick access to the Vietnamese Key Phrase List
4 – A free Vietnamese online dictionary
5 – The excellent 100 Core Vietnamese Word List
6 – An almost limitless Lesson Library for learners of all levels

Further speed up your learning with the help of a personal tutor, who will first assess your current Vietnamese language abilities to personalize your training and tailor it to your needs.

Hard work always pays off, and to help you in this, VietnamesePod101 will be there every step of the way toward your Vietnamese mastery!

Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Family Phrases in Vietnamese

Answers: 1.i. 2.f. 3.r. 4.w. 5.l. 6.o. 7.y. 8.j. 9.a. 10.c. 11.u. 12.z. 13.k. 14.b. 15.g 16.x. 17.h. 18.m. 19.d. 20.e. 21.n. 22.p. 23.q. 24.s. 25.t. 26.v.

VietnamesePod101’s Essential Vietnamese Travel Phrase Guide

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Traveling to foreign countries is nearly always an exciting, enriching, and beneficial experience. Yet, some things can be real downers, such as boredom on a lengthy flight to Vietnam. Really, binge-watching onboard movies can only be interesting for so long! And jet lag – another huge downer. Did you know that jet lag is more severe when you travel from the West to the East?

Well, we won’t know how to beat that, but there are fortunately plenty of remedies around to investigate.

To beat flight boredom, though, we may have the answer for you at VietnamesePod101! Why don’t you take the time to study Vietnamese travel phrases? We make this super easy and fun, with great downloadables, like our PDF Cheat Sheets. Quickly memorize these, and impress your Vietnamese friends or travel guide with your flawless Vietnamese!

Table of Contents

  1. Importance Of Learning Travel Phrases
  2. 13 Must-Have Travel Phrases and Words
  3. Good-To-Have Travel Phrases
  4. Ways To Improve Communication in a Foreign Country
  5. VietnamesePod101 Can Help You Master Travel Phrases Easily and Effortlessly!

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1. Importance Of Learning Travel Phrases

Impressing Vietnamese people or your travel partners will be the least of the benefits you reap from learning these helpful phrases. These are greater ones:

1) Eliminate Travel Frustration: First of all, you’ll be able to cut out a good chunk of travel frustration and inconvenience due to language barriers.

Know how to pronounce and use at least the basic Vietnamese phrases, and then just look foreign. This should go a long way to help you get by and win you friends, because locals would be more inclined to help someone who took the trouble to learn a smidgen of their language.

Injured Woman In An Ambulance

2) Emergency Readiness: In case of an emergency, you will be able to get help a lot quicker if you know how to ask for what in Vietnamese. Imagine miming to a doctor or nurse that you have a sore ear but that you’re allergic to penicillin. Not so easy, right?

Rather, you should know basic emergency travel phrases, especially if you suffer from a serious condition. Also, information about life-threatening allergies you have should always be on your person in the language of the country you’re visiting.

3) Sight-Seeing Readiness: Hopefully, you also travel to learn more about a country’s culture. Visiting the main tourist sites in Vietnam will be more interesting if you know how to ask pertinent questions in Vietnamese.

In this blog, we’ll also be giving you important travel phrases to consider – from the 13 essential must-have phrases to ones that are just generally useful and good to know.

Let’s get cracking!

2. 13 Must-Have Travel Phrases and Words

Preparing to Travel

Seasoned explorers of multiple countries will tell you that certain words and phrases are absolute must-knows in anyone’s travel vocabulary. Learning from them, we collated some of the most essential ones here for you.

If you know these travel phrases and words by heart in Vietnamese, you will be much better equipped for your visit than most of your movie-binging travel mates.

1) Cảm ơn (Thank you)

As a tourist, you will be relying on the kindness of strangers to get by. Repay them with a small acknowledgment of their friendly generosity – know how to say “thank you” in Vietnamese.

2) Bạn có nói tiếng Anh không? (Do you speak English?)

While it may be a bit of a cop-out, sometimes you just can’t figure out how to communicate. Maybe you’re blanking on one specific word you need, maybe they’re speaking with a heavy accent, or maybe it’s just really late and you really want to get to the hotel. In that case, try asking if they speak English, and hopefully you can make things a little bit simpler for yourself.

Don’t abuse this phrase, though! If you just try to get by without learning any of the local language, not only will you not learn anything – you’ll be out of luck if they can’t speak English!

Man Greeting Someone

3) Có chuyến xe buýt nào từ sân bay vào thành phố không? (Is there a bus from the airport to the city?)

Public transit is usually cheaper, if slower, than taking a taxi or rideshare. Use this phrase to see if you can get where you’re going when you’re strapped for cash, or just when you’d like to take the scenic route into town!

4) Đây có đúng là chuyến xe buýt đến sân bay không? (Is this the right bus for the airport?)

Likewise, if you’re the kind of person who can get themselves moving early (or maybe you just have a late flight), maybe you want to take the bus to the airport rather than taking a cab. If that’s the case, you’ll want to be sure you’re actually heading the right way! You wouldn’t want to end up at a lookout point half an hour away, watching your flight take off in the distance, would you?

5) Xin lỗi, cho tôi hỏi, giá vé là bao nhiêu? (Excuse me, what’s the fare?)

If you are paying for a cab, you’ll want to know how much. Most legal taxis will have meters, but when dealing with a currency you’re not familiar with, it can be worth asking just to double check that you’re paying the right amount – especially if the currency has cents.

6) Tôi đã đặt trước (I have a reservation)

This one you can expect to use at least a few times throughout your trip, unless you’re the kind of person who travels by the seat of their pants and just goes to whatever hotel, motel, or hostel has rooms available.

7) Bạn có phòng trống nào vào đêm nay không? (Do you have any vacancies tonight?)

If that’s the case, you’ll definitely be using this phrase instead. Quite possibly a lot, depending on how lucky you are!

Couple with a Map

8 ) Làm ơn cho hỏi, ga tàu ở đâu? (Where is the train station?)

If you’re in a country with an expansive commuter rail system (or maybe just a fan of other types of locomotives), you may want to know where the closest station is. Just don’t go looking for pennies on the rails!

9) Tôi bị dị ứng với đậu phộng (I am allergic to peanuts)

Replace “peanuts” with whatever the word for your allergen may be. If your allergy is serious, you probably already know the importance of stating this very clearly in Vietnamese.

If the condition is life-threatening, be sure to have a letter or prescription from a medical professional in Vietnamese on your person at all times. Consider getting a medical alert bracelet specially made in Vietnamese if your stay will be longer than a month or so.

Person Declining Meat

10) Bạn có bán đồ ăn chay không? (Do you have any vegetarian dishes?)

If you dislike eating certain things, or you have certain dietary restrictions, it would be best if you knew how to convey this clearly in Vietnamese.

Remember, though, that saying “I’m vegan” or “I’m diabetic” may not be enough to get you what you want. The rules for veganism and vegetarianism are not standard everywhere in the world. Also, your patron might not understand what “diabetic” means. If you have a medical condition, it would be best to research some in-depth vocabulary beforehand.

11) Tôi có thể lấy một cái bản đồ không? (Could I get a map?)

Planning on exploring your destination? Hopelessly lost? Maybe just an amateur cartographer? No matter the reason, this phrase is sure to come in handy. That said, you’re more likely to get use out of it at some sort of tourist or travel center than you are asking a random passerby on the street.

12) Cái này giá bao nhiêu? (How much is this?)

Even if you’re not a big shopper, you’re probably going to need this phrase at some point. Knowing how to count in Vietnamese will, of course, help a lot with purchases too.

13) Bạn có nhận thanh toán bằng thẻ tín dụng không? (Do you take credit card?)

This is another travel phrase that will smooth your monetary transactions considerably.

Man Giving Credit Card to a Clerk

3. Good-To-Have Travel Phrases

Travel Verbs

Unlike the previous phrases, these are not really essential so much as they are useful. Yet, knowing these will still smooth over some bumps on your journey, more than just knowing the crucial phrases would.

1) Ở đây có Wi-Fi miễn phí không? (Is the Wi-Fi free?)

If you’re abroad, your normal cellular plans probably won’t have any service, and you’ll be totally reliant on publically available Wi-Fi while you’re out and about. Just ask a server, clerk, or attendant, and they’ll be happy to let you know. Just make sure you’re paying attention when they tell you the password!

2) Bạn có thể chụp một bức ảnh cho tôi được không? (Could you take a picture of me please?)

What would a trip be with no photos to commemorate the event? Just be sure to ask this of someone who actually looks like they’d be willing to, unless you’re willing to risk being given the cold shoulder or worse. If you’re at a tourist attraction, you’ll find that most people are more than happy to take one for you, so long as you take one of them as well!

3) Bạn có gợi ý nào không? (Do you have any recommendations?)

Eating alone in a restaurant? Or going out with new Vietnamese friends or business colleagues? Let them help you decide what to have.

4) Tôi muốn có một chỗ ngồi không hút thuốc (I’d like to have a non-smoking seat, please)

Though smoking has gone out of fashion in some places, it’s still popular in others. In the event you’re at a restaurant where smoking is allowed on premises, you can always ask this question to the staff and be seated elsewhere.

5) Cho tôi nước (Water, please)

If you’ve emptied your glass, or are cutting yourself off after a few drinks, you can always ask for some water. It can be especially useful if the restaurant is busy to the point you need to call out to someone to get service.

6) Có thể lấy cho tôi hóa đơn được không? (Could I have the check?)

To finish off the restaurant related phrases, if you’re eating with friends or really want to impress your colleagues, taking the bill can be a nice treat for them. Of course, this phrase could come in handy as well if you’re eating alone and you’re just impatient to leave.

7) Bạn có thể gợi ý cho tôi một món quà lưu niệm nào đó không? (What do you recommend for a souvenir?)

Now that your trip is over, what better way to cap it all off than a memento, or maybe a gift for friends and family at home? It’ll be nicer to have something recommended by the locals than a cheap bauble from the airport store, so go ahead and ask someone you’ve met what they think.

4. Ways To Improve Communication in a Foreign Country

Survival Phrases

When traveling, it’s possible to keep communication smooth when you don’t share a language.

Do so by keeping these five tips in mind. They are aimed to help you communicate with those who cannot speak English very well, and also to keep your traveling experience pleasant!

1. Keep your English simple and easy to understand.
If the person you are talking to speaks very little English, use basic verbs, adjectives, and nouns, and keep sentences short.

However, don’t patronize them by talking in pidgin or like you would address a child. Keep your speech simple but natural, and use the correct grammar.

For instance, don’t say: “You come when?”. If you say: “When will you come?”, you will very likely be understood, and may even help someone who wants to improve their English.

2. Ask someone to write information down.
Apply Rule 1 first at your hotel, where the staff is very likely to be able to speak some English. Get them to write down, in their native language, things like: “I would like to go to the airport, please,” “Please take me to the beach,” or “Where is the closest bathroom?”

These written questions are something you can then give to taxi drivers or any other people who are willing and able to help you. This simple step could make your life a lot easier when you travel to a foreign country!

3. Avoid asking leading questions!
If you want the correct information from a non-native English speaker, that is.

When you need directions, for instance, don’t ask: “To get to the bus stop, do I need to turn left here?” If the person didn’t really understand you, you will probably just get a smile and a “Yes,” which could possibly make you miss your bus.

Rather, you should ask: “Where is the bus stop?” If they understand you, you will get the correct directions.

4. Pick the right person to ask for help.
Time to look at people and think a bit about their appearance! A younger person who looks like they might be a student is more likely to have English skills than the friendly but ancient lady smiling at you from a fruit stall.

If you don’t see anyone like that, head into town to the nearest bank, hospital, pharmacy, or hotel. The staff at those places usually speak a bit of English.

5. Know when to quit.
If you stuck to the above rules, but the person you are talking to only stares at you blankly, say thank you and leave. Hanging around hoping someone will suddenly understand and respond is just wasting your time, and may irritate them as well. Go find someone else.

5. VietnamesePod101 Can Help You Master Travel Phrases Easily and Effortlessly!

So, reader, have you found this article helpful?

Do you feel comfortable enough to use some essential travel phrases in Vietnamese? We’d also love to hear if you think we left out important travel phrases. Leave your suggestions and opinions in the comments!

VietnamesePod101 takes the lead with many free learning tools to help you master Vietnamese reading and speaking easily, and in fun ways.

These tools include:

– An extensive vocabulary list, regularly updated
– A new Vietnamese word to learn every day
– Quick access to the Vietnamese Key Phrase List
– A free Vietnamese online dictionary
– The excellent 100 Core Vietnamese Word List
– An almost limitless Lesson Library for learners of all levels

You will also have access to topic-specific recordings like our Before You Travel: Survival Phrases lesson.

Learn even more efficiently with the help of a personal tutor, after taking an assessment test to personalize and tailor your training.

Getting a tutor is also a good option if you meet challenges in your learning, or need to fast-track correct pronunciation and diction. Your very own friendly, Vietnamese-speaking teacher will be only a text away on a special app, anywhere, anytime – an excellent option for business persons!

Using a guided learning system that was developed by experts in language and online education, you’ll receive personal feedback and constant support to improve in no time. You’ll also be tasked with weekly assignments in reading, writing, and speaking to hone your Vietnamese speaking skills.

Imagine how impressed your Vietnamese friends or colleagues will be when you display your excellent conversational skills! With VietnamesePod101, getting there will be easy and fun.

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Celebrating National Teacher’s Day in Vietnam

Do you have a teacher who made a huge positive impact on your life? Someone who patiently guided you through a topic or subject you struggled with, or encouraged you to pursue your passions and interests?

If your answer is yes, then we don’t have to tell you the weight of gratitude that students may feel toward teachers.

Each year in Vietnam, students show thanks, gratitude, and respect for their teachers on National Teacher’s Day. In this article, you’ll learn about why this is so significant to Vietnamese students and teachers, a little bit of history of Teacher’s Day in Vietnam, and how National Teacher’s Day is celebrated today.

At VietnamesePod101.com, we hope to make every aspect of your language-learning journey both fun and informative!

Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Beginner Vocabulary in Vietnamese

1. What is Teacher’s Day?

Vietnam Teacher’s Day is a festival of education to honor those who work in the field. This day is an opportunity for generations of students to express their gratitude to teachers.

In Vietnam, Teacher’s Day is set aside to praise the country’s spirit of being deferential to your teacher and having respect for morals by showing gratitude and respect to teachers.

2. When is Teacher’s Day in Vietnam?

Teacher and Students in Class

Each year, Vietnam celebrates Teacher’s Day on November 20.

3. Reading Practice: Teacher’s Day Celebrations & Events

Visiting Teacher

Read the Vietnamese text below to learn how students in Vietnam celebrate Teacher’s Day and honor their teachers! Then check your reading skills against the English text directly below it.

Trong ngày này, các học trò sẽ đến thăm, tặng hoa và gửi những lời chúc đến các thầy cô giáo đang và đã từng dạy mình. Có nhiều người tuy đã đi làm những cũng vẫn sẽ về thăm trường cũ, thầy cô giáo cũ, vì vậy, ngày này cũng trở thành như một ngày họp lớp, để các học sinh sau khi tốt nghiệp tập hợp và ôn lại kỷ niệm cũ cũng như chia sẻ về cuộc sống hiện tại của mình. Ngoài ra, đây cũng là ngày các bộ ngành đánh giá và khen thưởng các giáo viên có thành tích tốt trong một năm đã qua.

Các hoạt động chào mừng ngày lễ này đều diễn ra tưng bừng trong các nhà trường. Từ nhiều tuần trước đó, các hoạt động thi đua trong học tập cũng như văn nghệ của các em học sinh cũng đã được chuẩn bị. Trong ngày lễ này, học sinh vẫn đến trường nhưng thường sẽ dành phần lớn thời gian để tham gia các hoạt động kỷ niệm.

Một số phụ huynh học sinh cũng tranh thủ dịp này để đến gặp và cảm ơn thầy cô giáo của con mình. Tuy nhiên, hiện tượng này đã được Bộ Giáo dục hạn chế và không khuyến khích để tránh những hiện tượng tiêu cực có thể xảy ra.

On this day, students visit, give flowers to, and send greetings to the teachers who have been teaching them. Many people who are workers still come to visit their old schools and teachers, so this day also becomes an occasion for class meetings in which graduates reunite and relive old memories as well as talk about their current lives. In addition, this is also the day when the ministries assess and reward teachers who’ve performed well during the year.

Activities to celebrate this holiday take place jubilantly in schools. From several weeks prior to the day, students’ learning and performances are also prepared for emulation. On this holiday, students still go to school, but they often spend their time participating in these celebratory activities.

Some parents also make use of this chance to see and give thanks to their children’s teachers. However, this phenomenon has been limited and discouraged by the Ministry of Education and Training to avoid the negative outcomes that can occur.

4. Origin of the Date

Do you know when the November 20 date was chosen for this holiday?

On September 28, 1982, the Ministerial Council (now the Government) made an official decision to select November 20 as Vietnam Teacher’s Day.

5. Essential Vietnamese Vocab for Teacher’s Day

A Flower

Here’s some essential Vietnamese vocabulary you need for Teacher’s Day in Vietnam!

  • Trường học — “School
  • Hoa — “Flower”
  • Quà tặng — “Present”
  • Lớp học — “Class”
  • Hát — “Sing”
  • Bưu thiếp — “Postcard”
  • Ngày Nhà giáo Việt Nam — “Teacher’s Day in Vietnam”
  • Tiệc — “Party”
  • Lời chúc mừng — “Wish”
  • Thăm nhà thầy cô giáo — “Visit teacher’s house”
  • Đến thăm thầy cô giáo của con — “Visit one’s child’s teacher”
  • Bày tỏ lòng biết ơn — “Pay tribute”
  • Cuộc mít-tinh — “Meeting”

To hear each of these vocabulary words pronounced, and read them alongside relevant images, be sure to check out our Vietnamese Teacher’s Day vocabulary list!

Final Thoughts

We hope you enjoyed learning about Vietnam Teacher’s Day with us. Does your country have a day for celebrating and thanking teachers? If so, how do you show gratitude to your teachers? We look forward to hearing from you!

Learning about other cultures may be the most fascinating and enriching aspect of trying to master their language. If more Vietnam cultural information is what you’re after, you may find the following pages on VietnamesePod101.com helpful:

If you’re more interested in expediting your Vietnamese language skills, we have you covered! By creating a free lifetime account, you can have access to numerous learning tools: more insightful blog posts like this one, vocabulary lists, and even mobile apps. Upgrade to Premium Plus to take advantage of our MyTeacher program and learn Vietnamese with a personal tutor.

Becoming fluent in Vietnamese as a second language isn’t easy, but your determination and hard work will pay off! And VietnamesePod101.com will be here with practical learning tools and encouragement on every step of your way to language mastery!

Happy Vietnamese Teacher’s Day!

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How to Use Vietnamese Numbers for Daily Usage

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Especially if you’re planning a prolonged visit to Vietnam, using the correct Vietnamese numbers for counting in Vietnamese could be very important! Number systems are the other alphabet in any language. In fact, it is a language all of its own, and it serves a multitude of excellent purposes.

Table of Contents

  1. A Brief History of Counting and Number Systems
  2. Why is it Important to Learn Vietnamese Numbers?
  3. Learning Vietnamese Numbers
  4. Why Choose VietnamesePod101 to Learn all about Vietnamese Numbers?

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1. A Brief History of Counting and Number Systems

Abacus

1. The Ishango Bone

The origin of counting, and with it numbers, is not clear to historians. While their art showed that prehistoric man had a concept of numbers, the first indication of a formal system was found to be only between 20,000 and 35,000 thousand years old. This discovery came around 1960 in the form of the so-called Ishango Bone found in the Congo, Central Africa.

The 10cm/4 inch piece of bone was a fibula from a baboon. It showed markings with a neat, unified pattern of small lines – far too organized and sophisticated to have formed spontaneously. Archeologists believe that those thin markings were carved to keep score of, or count, something. The lines seemed to represent a sequence of prime numbers and a series of duplications. Some even called it the first-ever pocket calculator!

2. Mesopotamia and Greece

Yet, evidence suggests that it wasn’t until about 4,000 years ago that humans truly started counting and using numbers. Together with the development of civilization came developed agriculture, and the need for measurement and score-keeping was increased.

For this reason, a formal number system and mathematics were developed first in the Middle East, in what was then called Mesopotamia. Mesopotamia was roughly situated in the area of modern-day Iraq and Kuwait. Allegedly, the system was pretty simple at first. Citizens used tokens that represented a certain number of items, such as one token equalling four goats, etc. This eventually evolved into a system of score marks pressed into clay, which ultimately went on to influence Greek mathematics.

3. Hindu-Arabic Numbers

Zero, meanwhile, was conceived later and elsewhere. Inspired by the Hindu religion, which allows for the concept of infinity and eternity, the Indians invented a symbol to represent nothing. The magic of the zero lies not in itself but its combination with other numbers.

The Indians were also the creators of today’s numbers, which are often referred to as Hindu-Arabic numbers. These comprise one or a combination of just ten symbols or digits: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 0.

Europe learned of this numeric system only around 1200 A.D., when they were introduced to it by an Italian mathematician called Leonardo Pisano Bigollo.

Pisano, also known as Fibonacci, is famous for the discovery of a mathematical sequence with countless applications. Yes, math buffs, it’s the well-known Fibonacci sequence, also called the Golden Mean.

The Roman numeric system, which was clumsy next to the newer inventions, gradually lost popularity in the West. It’s from here that they “slowly spread to conquer the world,” as Steven Law puts it.

2. Why is it Important to Learn Vietnamese Numbers?

For us at VietnamesePod101, this is an easy question to answer! Because we know that numbers are a global unifier.

Counting and numbers have made our lives easier since they were first formulated, even in their most primitive forms.

Numbers in Industry

Without knowing your numbers, you can’t properly communicate about or deal with the following:

1) Your date/time of birth, i.e., your age: This is vital information to be able to give to people like doctors, employers, law enforcement, and so forth.

2) Banking: Worldwide, our monetary systems are built on numbers. Interest, credit scores, and loans all rely on math beyond simple finger counting.

3) Time: Without knowing how to say numbers, you can’t talk or ask about the time and expect to get a useful response. You don’t want to miss an appointment or schedule something for the wrong hour!

4) Ordering data: Numbers bring order to a mostly random life! Scientists even say that numbers and the way they are organized underpin the whole universe. From using them to count your meals’ calories and the number of likes your posts get on social media, to drawing up intricate data charts and explaining existence itself – numbers are what makes these things possible.

All of the above and more are reasons why it is important to know your numbers if you plan on travelling or becoming a foreign worker abroad, in Vietnam or anywhere else!

Little Girl Counting

3. Learning Vietnamese Numbers

Now, let’s explore the Vietnamese number system a bit more! Take a look at this infographic.

Language Numbers

Can you make out for yourself what the Vietnamese numbers between one (1) and nine (9) look and sound like? Easy, right?

Or, if you struggled a bit, no problem. Why not listen to how Vietnamese numbers one (1) through ten (10) sound when pronounced by our native Vietnamese speaker and friendly VietnamesePod101 teacher?

Then, share with us in the comments your native language’s romanized pronunciation of your number system. We’d love to see all the different ways the same numbers can be pronounced!

Hand With a Thumbs Up

When you have mastered the first ten numbers, you have basically nailed the most significant part of the number system. Well done! Curious to learn the numbers from eleven upward? No problem! Why not subscribe and enroll with us now to immediately enjoy this lesson, teaching you all about Vietnamese numbers eleven (11) to one hundred (100)?

Finally, if you’re curious how the numbers look once you’ve broken one hundred, why not check out our Vietnamese number vocabulary page? You can see the numbers we’ve just covered, all the way up to four thousand (4,000). Plus, you can also see the Vietnamese words for different numbers used in example sentences, to get an idea of how you can use them in your day-to-day conversations!

4. Why Choose VietnamesePod101 to Learn all about Vietnamese Numbers?

VietnamesePod101, like all Innovative Language Learning ventures, takes the pain out of learning a new language by adding a lot of fun. It’s never an easy thing to learn a new language, but we formulated all your lessons so they’re nicely bite-sized, and geared to keep you motivated!

Also, we created a great number of fantastic tools to help keep struggle and boredom out of the learning process.

  • Fun and Easy Learning: It’s a commonly-known fact that when learning is made easy and fun, student motivation rises. And as motivation rises, so does the effort to learn – what a beautiful cycle! VietnamesePod101’s language learning system is designed to get you speaking from the onset. Learn at your own convenience and pace with our short, effective, and fun audio podcast lessons. Our Learning Center is comprehensive and state-of-the-art, with a vibrant user community to connect with! Our lessons are recorded with native hosts and voice actors, providing a diverse range of dialects in your lessons. You can be confident that native speakers will understand you when speaking Vietnamese!
  • Innovative Learning Tools and Apps: We make it our priority to offer you the best learning tools! These include apps for iPhone, iPad, Android, and Mac OSX; eBooks for Kindle, Nook, and iPad; audiobooks; Roku TV and so many more. This means that we took diverse lifestyles into account when we developed our courses, so you can learn anywhere, anytime on a device of your choice. How innovative!
  • Free Resources: Sharing is caring, and for this reason, we share many free resources with our students. For instance, start learning Vietnamese with our basic online course by creating a lifetime account – for free! Also get free daily and iTunes lessons, free eBooks, free mobile apps, and free access to our blog and online community. Or how about free Vocabulary Lists? The Vietnamese dictionary is for exclusive use by our students, also for free. There’s so much to love about VietnamesePod101…!
  • Live Hosts and One-on-One Learning: Knowledgeable, energetic hosts present recorded video lessons, and are available for live teaching experiences if you upgrade. This means that in the videos, you get to watch them pronounce those tongue-twisters as if you’re learning live! Add octane to your learning by upgrading to Premium Plus, and learn two times faster. You can have your very own Vietnamese teacher always with you, ensuring that you learn what you need, when you need to – what a wonderful opportunity to master a new language in record time!
  • Start Where You Are: You don’t know a single Vietnamese word? Not to worry, we’ve absolutely got this. Simply enroll in our Absolute Beginner Pathway and start speaking from Lesson 1! As your learning progresses, you can enroll in other pathways to match your Vietnamese level, at your own pace, in your own time, in your own place!

So, why wait? Sign up with VietnamesePod101 right away! Also, let us know in the comments if you’ve used this blog post, or any of the free lessons anywhere to master Vietnamese numbers. Or, even better – share your birthdate using what you’ve learned!

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How To Post In Perfect Vietnamese on Social Media

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You’re learning to speak Vietnamese, and it’s going well. Your confidence is growing! So much so that you feel ready to share your experiences on social media—in Vietnamese.

At Learn Vietnamese, we make this easy for you to get it right the first time. Post like a boss with these phrases and guidelines, and get to practice your Vietnamese in the process.

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1. Talking about Your Restaurant Visit in Vietnamese

Eating out is fun, and often an experience you’d like to share. Take a pic, and start a conversation on social media in Vietnamese. Your friend will be amazed by your language skills…and perhaps your taste in restaurants!

Phát eats at a restaurant with his friends, posts an image of the group, and leaves this comment:

POST

Let’s break down Phát’s post.

Chúng ta hãy gọi món nhá.
“Let’s order some food.”

1- Chúng ta hãy gọi

First is an expression meaning “Let’s order.”
“Gọi” usually means “call,” but it is used in restaurants to mean “order.”

2- món nhá.

Then comes the phrase – “some food..”
“Nhá” is usually added at the end of a sentence. It indicates that an action is going to be done and the speaker expects the listener will agree with it. It is a type of yes-no question in English but with a softer voice. It could be roughly translated as “Is it okay if this action is done?” For example, “Tôi đi trước nhá” (“I will go first, is that okay?” ). The speaker is going to go first and expects the listener to agree.

COMMENTS

In response, Phát’s friends leave some comments.

1- Thực đơn hôm nay có gì?

His girlfriend, Yến, uses an expression meaning – “What’s on the menu for today?”
Use this question if you’re inquisitive and want information.

2- Nhà hàng đó trông được đấy.

His high school friend, Ngân, uses an expression meaning – “That restaurant looks nice.”
Use this expression to give a compliment.

3- Lần trước tôi tới đó nhưng phục vụ hơi chậm.

His college friend, Tú, uses an expression meaning – “I went there last time, but the service was quite slow.”
Use this expression to share a personal experience.

4- Đồ ăn ở đó ngon thật.

His neighbor, Lý, uses an expression meaning – “The food there is really delicious.”
This is another personal experience to share.

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • đồ ăn: “food”
  • ngon: “delicious, tasty”
  • nhà hàng: “restaurant”
  • phục vụ: “service”
  • thực đơn: “menu”
  • trông: “to look like”
  • món: “course of dish”
  • So, let’s practice a bit. If a friend posted something about having dinner with friends, which phrase would you use?

    Now go visit a Vietnamese restaurant, and wow the staff with your language skills!

    2. Post about Your Mall Visit in Vietnamese

    Another super topic for social media is shopping—everybody does it, most everybody loves it, and your friends on social media are probably curious about your shopping sprees! Share these Vietnamese phrases in posts when you visit a mall.

    Yến shop with her sister at the mall, posts an image of the two of them, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Yến’s post.

    Đi mua sắm trước khi đi du lịch.
    “Go shopping before you travel.”

    1- Đi mua sắm

    First is an expression meaning “Go shopping.”
    We can say “mua sắm” (“shopping” ), but Vietnamese people usually add “đi” in front of a verb to indicate that you need to go do that action. For example, “đi mua sắm” (“go shopping” ), “đi du lịch” (“go traveling” ), “đi ăn cưới” (“go attend a wedding” ).

    2- trước khi đi du lịch.

    Then comes the phrase – “before you travel..”
    Trước = “before,” khi/ lúc = “when”
    Trước khi/ trước lúc = “before when”
    Trước = “in front of” + place (trước nhà: “In front of the house” )

    COMMENTS

    In response, Yến’s friends leave some comments.

    1- Cái váy đó hợp với chị đấy.

    Her neighbor, Lý, uses an expression meaning – “That dress suits you well.”
    Use this expression to give a compliment.

    2- Lâu lắm chưa gặp em gái bạn. Bảo nó tư vấn thời trang cho.

    Her high school friend, Trang, uses an expression meaning – “I haven’t seen your younger sister in a long time. Tell her to give you some fashion advice.”
    Use this expression to be funny.

    3- Có trung tâm thương mại mới mở, chắc sẽ sales nhiều lắm đấy.

    Her boyfriend’s high school friend, Ngân, uses an expression meaning – “A new mall just opened, so there should be a lot of sales. ”
    Use this expression to share information and offer an opinion.

    4- Quần áo đầy tủ rồi mà vẫn còn mua nữa.

    Her boyfriend, Phát, uses an expression meaning – “Your wardrobe is full of clothes, but you still buy stuff.”
    Use this expression to tease the poster.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • hợp: “to suit”
  • mua sắm: “shopping”
  • Quần áo: “clothes”
  • sành điệu: “stylish”
  • tủ: “wardrobe”
  • trung tâm thương mại: “shopping mall”
  • tư vấn: “to consult”
  • So, if a friend posted something about going shopping, which phrase would you use?

    3. Talking about a Sport Day in Vietnamese

    Sports events, whether you’re the spectator or the sports person, offer fantastic opportunity for great social media posts. Learn some handy phrases and vocabulary to start a sport-on-the-beach conversation in Vietnamese.

    Phát plays with his friends at the beach, posts an image of the team, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Phát’s post.

    Chơi bóng chuyền ở đây được đấy.
    “It’s good playing volleyball here.”

    1- Chơi bóng chuyền ở đây

    First is an expression meaning “play volleyball here.”
    “Đấy” is added to make a sentence more conversational and smooth (i.e., informal).

    2- được đấy.

    Then comes the phrase – “okay.”
    “Được” means “fine, okay.” Sometimes people say “ổn” with the same meaning.

    COMMENTS

    In response, Phát’s friends leave some comments.

    1- Anh thuận tay trái à? Tiếc quá! Quả đó lẽ ra ăn rồi!

    His girlfriend’s nephew, Tuấn, uses an expression meaning – “Are you left-handed? What a pity! That hit should’ve scored!”
    Use these phrases to comment on the game.

    2- Không phải thể hiện quá đâu.

    His girlfriend’s high school friend, Trang, uses an expression meaning – “No need to show off too much.”
    Use this expression if you wish to tease the poster a bit.

    3- Anh đập bóng rất điêu luyện.

    His supervisor, Chi, uses an expression meaning – “You hit the ball very skillfully.”
    Use this expression to compliment the poster.

    4- Sao không gọi tôi chơi với?

    His college friend, Tú, uses an expression meaning – “Why didn’t you call and ask me to play?”
    Use this expression to show you are feeling frivolous.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • bóng chuyền: “(lit. to eat) to score”
  • bóng chuyền: “volleyball”
  • chơi: “to play”
  • đập bóng: “hit the ball”
  • điêu luyện: “skillful”
  • tiếc quá: “what a pity”
  • thuận tay trái: “left-handed”
  • Which phrase would you use if a friend posted something about sports?

    But sport is not the only thing you can play! Play some music, and share it on social media.

    4. Share a Song on Social Media in Vietnamese

    Music is the language of the soul, they say. So, don’t hold back—share what touches your soul with your friends!

    Yến shares a song she just heard at a party, posts an image of the artist, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Yến’s post.

    Dạo này có bài này đang nổi.
    “Recently, this song has been a hit.”

    1- Dạo này có bài này

    First is an expression meaning: “Recently, this song”.
    Bài is a shortened version of “bài thơ” (“poem” ), “bài văn” (“literature” ), “bài hát” (“song” ), “bài học” (“lesson” ). Depending on the context, people will understand what the speaker is talking about.

    2- đang nổi.

    Then comes the phrase – “has been a hit.”
    “Nổi”means “floating”. We use this word to indicate that a song is a hit or a singer is famous. (ca sỹ này mới nổi = “This singer has recently become famous.” )

    COMMENTS

    In response, Yến’s friends leave some comments.

    1- Bài hát đó đạo nhạc đấy.

    Her college friend, Tú, uses an expression meaning – “That song is a rip-off.”
    Use this to express an opinion that opposes the poster’s.

    2- Cậu lạc hậu quá!

    Her high school friend, Trang, uses an expression meaning – “You are so outdated!”
    This is another opinion that opposes the poster’s.

    3- Nhạc này nghe đau đầu quá!

    Her supervisor, Chi, uses an expression meaning – “I get a headache when listening to this music!”
    This is a strong statement of dislike.

    4- Ca sỹ này có nhiều bài hit quá!

    Her boyfriend’s high school friend, Ngân, uses an expression meaning – “This singer has many hits!”
    Use this expression to make conversation.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • bài hát: “song”
  • bài hit: “hit song”
  • ca sỹ: “singer”
  • đạo nhạc: “plagiarized music”
  • đau đầu: “headache”
  • lạc hậu: “outdated”
  • nổi: “hot”
  • Which song would you share? And what would you say to a friend who posted something about sharing music or videos?

    Now you know how to start a conversation about a song or a video on social media!

    5. Vietnamese Social Media Comments about a Concert

    Still on the theme of music—visiting live concerts and shows just have to be shared with your friends. Here are some handy phrases and vocab to wow your followers in Vietnamese!

    Phát goes to a concert, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Phát’s post.

    Tôi rất vui vì chúng ta có chỗ ngồi tốt trong buổi hòa nhạc.
    “I’m glad we had nice seats at the concert.”

    1- Tôi rất vui

    First is an expression meaning “I’m glad.”
    “Tôi” (“I” ) is a general personal pronoun in Vietnamese. However, depending on the context, the pronoun should be changed in both formal and informal cases. For example, if Phát is talking to his friend, he might say “Tớ/ Mình rất vui” (“I am glad.” ), or “Em/ Cháu rất vui” (“I am glad.” ) when talking to his boss.

    2- vì chúng tôi có chỗ ngồi tốt trong buổi hòa nhạc.

    Then comes the phrase – “because we had nice seats at the concert..”
    Chỗ ngồi (“seat” ) (Noun) + tốt (“good” ) (Adjective). In Vietnamese, adjectives are placed after the noun they modify.
    Vì = “because”
    Vì + Noun/ Clause
    Vì trời mưa = “because it rains”
    Vì mưa = “because of rain”

    COMMENTS

    In response, Phát’s friends leave some comments.

    1- Vé vào cửa bao nhiêu tiền? Anh chị mua vé đứng hay vé ngồi?

    His girlfriend, Yến, uses an expression meaning – “How much was the ticket? Did you buy standing or seated tickets?”
    Use this expression if you wish to partake in the conversation by asking for more information.

    2- Tôi thích ca sỹ này lắm.

    His neighbor, Lý, uses an expression meaning – “I like this singer very much.”
    Use this comment to express your approval.

    3- Không biết anh ta hát live hay nhép nhỉ?

    His girlfriend’s nephew, Tuấn, uses an expression meaning – “I’m not sure if he’s singing live or lip syncing. ”
    Use this expression to make an observation.

    4- Có nhiều ca sỹ nổi tiếng tham gia lắm.

    His supervisor, Chi, uses an expression meaning – “There were many famous singers who participated.”
    Use this expression to make conversation by making an observation.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • buổi hòa nhạc: “concert”
  • chỗ ngồi: “seat”
  • nổi tiếng: “famous”
  • vé đứng: “standing ticket”
  • vé ngồi: “sitting ticket”
  • vé vào cửa: “entrance ticket”
  • tham gia: “to participate”
  • If a friend posted something about a concert , which phrase would you use?

    6. Talking about an Unfortunate Accident in Vietnamese

    Oh dear. You broke something by accident. Use these Vietnamese phrases to start a thread on social media. Or maybe just to let your friends know why you are not contacting them!

    Yến accidentally breaks her mobile phone, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Yến’s post.

    Hôm qua điện thoại của tôi bị rơi.
    “Yesterday, my phone fell.”

    1- Hôm qua điện thoại của tôi

    First is an expression meaning “Yesterday, my phone.”
    We can say either “điện thoại của tôi” (“phone of mine” ) or “điện thoại tôi” (“my phone” ).

    2- bị rơi.

    Then comes the phrase – “fell.”
    “Bị rơi’ is in passive voice. However, we can also say “rơi”, which means the phone dropped down by itself, when we do not want to indicate that you or someone else dropped it.

    COMMENTS

    In response, Yến’s friends leave some comments.

    1- Có làm sao không?

    Her boyfriend, Phát, uses an expression meaning – “Is it okay?”
    Ask this question if you want to know more details.

    2- Có dán kính cường lực không?

    Her college friend, Tú, uses an expression meaning – “Did you have a protection film (applied) on it?”
    Another question to ask if you want to know more details.

    3- Dù sao cũng may là không rơi vào bồn cầu. Hay rơi vào bồn cầu thật?

    Her high school friend, Trang, uses an expression meaning – “Luckily, it didn’t fall into the toilet. Or did it?”
    Use this expression to be funny.

    4- May mà không bị mất.

    Her boyfriend’s high school friend, Ngân, uses an expression meaning – “Luckily, it wasn’t lost.”
    Use this expression to show be supportive by pointing out something positive.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • bồn cầu: “toilet”
  • dán: “to paste, to stick”
  • dù sao: “anyway”
  • kính cường lực: “protection film”
  • may: “luckily”
  • mất: “to lose”
  • rơi: “to fall”
  • If a friend posted about having broken something by accident, which phrase would you use?

    So, now you know how to describe an accident in Vietnamese. Well done!

    7. Chat about Your Boredom on Social Media in Vietnamese

    Sometimes, we’re just bored with how life goes. And to alleviate the boredom, we write about it on social media. Add some excitement to your posts by addressing your friends and followers in Vietnamese!

    Phát gets bored at home, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Phát’s post.

    Chán như con gián!
    “Bored as cockroaches!”

    1- Chán

    First is an expression meaning “Bored.”
    “Chán” (“bored” ) and “gián” (“cockroach” ) share a similar rhythm, so people usually say “chán như con gián” to express boredom.

    2- như con gián!

    Then comes the phrase – “as cockroaches!”
    “Như” is a shorter version of “giống như” and means “same as/like.” For example, “Anh ta như một ngôi sao / Anh ta giống như một ngôi sao” = “He’s like a star.”

    COMMENTS

    In response, Phát’s friends leave some comments.

    1- Đời không như là mơ, tình không như là thơ.

    His girlfriend’s nephew, Tuấn, uses an expression meaning – “Life is not (like) a dream, and love is not (like) a poem.”
    Use this expression to show you are feeling cynical.

    2- Cuộc đời vẫn đẹp sao, tình yêu vẫn đẹp sao!

    His high school friend, Ngân, uses an expression meaning – “How wonderful life is, and how wonderful love is!”
    Use this expression if you are feeling optimistic.

    3- Ra đây làm vài cốc bia là lại vui ngay.

    His supervisor, Chi, uses an expression meaning – “Come here and get some beer. You’ll be cheerful in no time.”
    Use these phrases to make a suggestion and an observation in order to be helpful.

    4- Đi đâu đấy giải khuây đi.

    His neighbor, Lý, uses an expression meaning – “Go somewhere and relax.”
    This is another suggestion to be helpful.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • chán: “bored”
  • con gián: “cockroach”
  • đời: “life”
  • giải khuây: “to relax”
  • (giấc) mơ: “dream”
  • thơ: “poem”
  • tình: “love”
  • If a friend posted something about being bored, which phrase would you use?

    Still bored? Share another feeling and see if you can start a conversation!

    8. Exhausted? Share It on Social Media in Vietnamese

    Sitting in public transport after work, feeling like chatting online? Well, converse in Vietnamese about how you feel, and let your friends join in!

    Yến feels exhausted after a long day at work, posts an image of herself looking tired, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Yến’s post.

    Cuối cùng cũng xong.
    “Finally finished.”

    1- Cuối cùng

    First is an expression meaning “Finally.”
    “Cuối cùng” (“finally” ) is used to indicate that the speaker has been through a long process, though the speaker does not mention anything about the process.
    “Cuối cùng” can also be used when you want to list something, for example, “thứ nhất” (“first” ), “thứ hai” (“second” ), “cuối cùng” (“finally” ).

    2- cũng xong.

    Then comes the phrase – “finished.”
    “Cũng” is translated as “also”. But in this case, “cũng” indicates the speaker is relieved that he has worked hard or a long time and is finally finished.
    “Xong” and “hoàn thành” both mean “complete,” but “xong” is used more in conversation.

    COMMENTS

    In response, Yến’s friends leave some comments.

    1- Đang phải chạy tiến độ.

    Her boyfriend, Phát, uses an expression meaning – “Running on schedule.” (lit. “Running for the deadline.” )
    Use this expression to make an observation.

    2- Cố lên!

    Her neighbor, Lý, uses an expression meaning – “Fighting!”
    Use this expression to show be encouraging.

    3- Nước đến chân mới nhảy.

    Her boyfriend’s high school friend, Ngân, uses an expression meaning – “Jump only when the water touches your feet.”
    Use this expression to show you are feeling that the poster could have done something to prevent this. This is an idiomatic saying that roughly means the same as: “Wait for something to break before trying to fix it”.

    4- Sướng thế. Tôi vẫn đang phải làm thêm giờ đây.

    Her college friend, Tú, uses an expression meaning – “Good for you. I still have to work overtime.”
    Use these phrases to partake in the conversation by sharing personal information.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • chân: “foot”
  • chạy: “to run”
  • cuối cùng: “finally”
  • tiến độ: “progress”
  • làm thêm giờ: “work overtime”
  • nước: “water”
  • nhảy: “to jump”
  • If a friend posted something about being exhausted, which phrase would you use?

    Now you know how to say you’re exhausted in Vietnamese! Well done.

    9. Talking about an Injury in Vietnamese

    So life happens, and you manage to hurt yourself during a soccer game. Very Tweet-worthy! Here’s how to do it in Vietnamese.

    Phát suffers a painful injury, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Phát’s post.

    Chắc ngày mai phải đi chụp X quang.
    “Maybe tomorrow I have to get an X-ray.”

    1- Chắc ngày mai

    First is an expression meaning “Maybe tomorrow”.
    You can use this phrase when you’re unsure of what will happen tomorrow.

    2- phải đi chụp X quang.

    Then comes the phrase – “I have to get an X-ray.”
    “Chụp” (“take” ) is usually used for “chụp ảnh” (“take photo” ). It is also used for “chụp x-quang” (“take X-ray” ).

    COMMENTS

    In response, Phát’s friends leave some comments.

    1- Anh nên đi khám lại đi.

    His neighbor, Lý, uses an expression meaning – “You should go for a checkup.”
    Use this expression to make a suggestion to be helpful.

    2- Đừng lo. Anh sẽ sớm bình phục thôi.

    His high school friend, Ngân, uses an expression meaning – “Don’t worry. You’ll recover soon.”
    Use this expression to be encouraging and supportive.

    3- Anh thấy đỡ hơn chưa?

    His girlfriend, Yến, uses an expression meaning – “Do you feel better?”
    Ask this question if you are feeling concern and caring.

    4- Anh đang nằm viện X đúng không? Bác sỹ ở viện đó rất tận tâm.

    His supervisor, Chi, uses an expression meaning – “Are you in X hospital? Doctors in that hospital are very dedicated.”
    Use these phrases if you wish to offer advice and be helpful.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • bình phục: “to recover”
  • đỡ: “better”
  • khám lại: “to recheck”
  • mổ: “to operate (on a patient)”
  • nằm viện: “to hospitalize”
  • tận tâm: “dedicated”
  • x-quang: “x-ray”
  • If a friend posted something about being injured, which phrase would you use?

    We love to share our fortunes and misfortunes; somehow that makes us feel connected to others.

    10. Starting a Conversation Feeling Disappointed in Vietnamese

    Sometimes things don’t go the way we planned. Share your disappointment about this with your friends!

    Yến feels disappointed about today’s weather, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Yến’s post.

    Quanh năm giặt váy phải ngày trời mưa.
    “Clear skies year round, but it rains on laundry day. ”

    1- Quanh năm giặt váy

    First is an expression meaning “Clear skies year round”.
    This is slang and usually has a complaining tone. In this sentence, the person complains that the weather is good every day, but it’s bad when she does her laundry.

    It’s also used in other situations to mean that the situation is usually good but turns unfavorable when someone does something. It indicates that this person is not lucky.

    2- phải ngày trời mưa.

    Then comes the phrase – “but it rains on laundry day.”
    Weather is different in the North and South of Vietnam. While the North has four seasons (spring, summer, fall, and winter), the South has two seasons (dry season, rainy season). Rainy season in the South usually starts in May and lasts until November. In the North, light rain occurs in February and March, while heavy rain occurs in July and August.

    COMMENTS

    In response, Yến’s friends leave some comments.

    1- Trời u ám quá!

    Her boyfriend, Phát, uses an expression meaning – “It’s so overcast.”
    Use this expression to be in agreement.

    2- Không biết ngoài đường có bị ngập không.

    Her college friend, Tú, uses an expression meaning – “I don’t know if the streets are flooded.”
    Make this observation if you wish to contribute to the conversation.

    3- Buổi mít ting ngoài trời hôm nay phải hoãn rồi.

    Her supervisor, Chi, uses an expression meaning – “The outdoor meeting today has to be postponed.”
    This is another phrase to use when you wish to contribute to the conversation by sharing news.

    4- Trời mưa mát quá!

    Her boyfriend’s high school friend, Ngân, uses an expression meaning – “Rain is so cool.”
    Use this expression to share a positive opinion.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • giặt: “to wash”
  • hoãn: “to postpone”
  • mít ting: “meeting”
  • ngập: “flooded”
  • ngoài trời: “outdoor”
  • quanh năm: “year-round”
  • u ám: “overcast”
  • How would you comment in Vietnamese when a friend is disappointed?

    Not all posts need to be about a negative feeling, though!

    11. Talking about Your Relationship Status in Vietnamese

    Don’t just change your relationship status in Settings, talk about it!

    Phát changes his status to “In a relationship”, posts an image of him and Yến, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Phát’s post.

    Muộn còn hơn không.
    “Better late than never.”

    1- Muộn

    First is an expression meaning “Better late”.
    This expression is used to encourage people to do things that they regret not having done before .
    For example: “Tôi ước giá mà mình đi du học” (“I wish I had gone abroad to study.” ). “Muộn còn hơn không. Bây giờ anh đi vẫn được mà” (“Better late than never. You can go now.” ).

    2- còn hơn không.

    Then comes the phrase – “than never.”
    “Hơn” (“more” ): This is a type of comparison. We can use it with adjectives or adverbs.
    “Chạy nhanh hơn” = “run faster”
    “Xinh hơn” = “more beautiful”

    COMMENTS

    In response, Phát’s friends leave some comments.

    1- Chúc mừng nhé! Không biết bao giờ em mới đổi được cập nhật trạng thái như anh.

    His girlfriend’s high school friend, Trang, uses an expression meaning – “Congratulations. I don’t know when I’ll be able to have a status like yours.”
    Use this expression if you’re happy for the poster, but feel a bit envious too.

    2- Tôi không ngờ anh chị lại có mối quan hệ này.

    His supervisor, Chi, uses an expression meaning – “I never thought you two had such a relationship.”
    Use this expression to indicate a measure of surprise.

    3- Cuối cùng đã tìm được một nửa của đời mình.

    His girlfriend, Yến, uses an expression meaning – “Finally, I found my other half.”
    Use this expression to return a loving sentiment.

    4- Tình yêu đích thực.

    His neighbor, Lý, uses an expression meaning – “True love.”
    Use this expression if you are feeling warmhearted.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • cập nhật: “to update”
  • đích thực: “true”
  • đời: “life”
  • không ngờ: “to not think”
  • một nửa: “half”
  • tình yêu: “love”
  • trạng thái: “status”
  • What would you say in Vietnamese when a friend changes their relationship status?

    Being in a good relationship with someone special is good news – don’t be shy to spread it!

    12. Post about Getting Married in Vietnamese

    Wow, so things got serious, and you’re getting married. Congratulations! Or, your friend is getting married, so talk about this in Vietnamese.

    Yến is getting married today, so she leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Yến’s post.

    Hồi hộp quá! Quan khách đến đủ chưa nhỉ?
    “I’m so nervous! Have all the guests arrived?”

    1- Hồi hộp quá!

    First is an expression meaning “I’m so nervous!.”
    “Hồi hộp quá” (Adjective + quá). “Quá” is added after an adjective to make the sentence conversational and smoother, but it does not affect the intensity of the preceding adjective. However, if “quá” is added before an adjective (“quá hồi hộp” = “too nervous” ), it intensifies the degree of the adjective. In this case, “quá” translates as “too.”

    2- Quan khách đến đủ chưa nhỉ?

    Then comes the phrase – “Have all the guests come?”
    “Quan khách” is a polite way to say “guest.” Sometimes “khách khứa” is also used more casually.
    “Nhỉ” is added to the end of a question to make a sentence softer and a little cute. Maybe the speaker is asking herself or maybe she is asking someone else. It is usually used by women. Men often use “nhờ/ nhở”. For example, men will say: “Quan khách đến đủ chưa nhờ?”

    COMMENTS

    In response, Yến’s friends leave some comments.

    1- Cô dâu xinh quá!

    Her husband’s high school friend, Ngân, uses an expression meaning – “The bride is so beautiful!”
    Use this expression to be complimentary.

    2- Chú rể trông bảnh hơn tôi mong đợi.

    Her high school friend, Trang, uses an expression meaning – “The groom looks nicer than I expected.”
    Use this expression to be funny.

    3- Đẹp đôi nhỉ!

    Her neighbor, Lý, uses an expression meaning – “Nice couple!”
    Use this expression to show you are feeling appreciative.

    4- Cỗ cưới rất ngon.

    Her college friend, Tú, uses an expression meaning – “The food at the wedding was very delicious.”
    Use this phrase when you want to be complimentary and appreciative.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • bảnh: “cool”
  • chú rể: “groom”
  • cô dâu: “bride”
  • cỗ cưới: “food for a wedding”
  • đẹp đôi: “nice couple”
  • hồi hộp: “nervous”
  • mong đợi: “to expect”
  • How would you respond in Vietnamese to a friend’s post about getting married?

    For the next topic, fast forward about a year into the future after the marriage…

    13. Announcing Big News in Vietnamese

    Wow, huge stuff is happening in your life! Announce it in Vietnamese.

    Phát finds out he and Yến are going to have a baby, posts an image of the two of them together, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Phát’s post.

    Tôi sắp được lên chức.
    “I’m going to be promoted. (I’m going to be a father.)”

    1- Tôi

    First is an expression meaning “I.”
    “Tôi” (“I” ) is a personal pronoun. There are several ways to express “I” in Vietnamese, such as “mình” (“same age” – as the listener), “anh” (“male” – older than the listener), “chị” (“female” – older than the listener), “chú” (“male” – same age as the listener’s parents), “cô” (“female” – same age as the listener’s parents), etc.

    2- sắp được lên chức.

    Then comes the phrase – “am going to be promoted..”
    “Được” or “bị” is added to change the sentence to passive voice. “được” indicates good things (a positive meaning), and “bị” indicate bad things (a negative meaning), thus showing the mood of the speaker.
    “Tôi được lên chức” means “I’ve been promoted”, and like this, it means a good thing
    In contrast, “Tôi bị ngã” means “I’ve fallen”, which denotes a bad thing
    “Promoted” is used when a person gets a higher position at work. But it is also used when a person is going to become a parent or grandparent.

    COMMENTS

    In response, Phát’s friends leave some comments.

    1- Anh sắp thành ông bố bỉm sữa rồi.

    His wife’s high school friend, Trang, uses an expression meaning – “You’re going to be a diaper-and-milk dad.”
    Use this expression to be funny.

    2- Chúc mừng ông bố trẻ!

    His neighbor, Lý, uses an expression meaning – “Congratulations, young father!”
    Use this expression to be congratulatory.

    3- Bé là con trai hay con gái vậy?

    His supervisor, Chi, uses an expression meaning – “Is the baby a boy or a girl?”
    Ask this if you wish to know more details.

    4- Dự sinh là khi nào?

    His high school friend, Ngân, uses an expression meaning – “When is the due date?”
    Similar to the previous poster, ask this if you would like more information.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • bỉm: “diaper”
  • bố trẻ: “young dad”
  • dự sinh: “due date”
  • đứa bé: “baby”
  • con gái: “girl”
  • con trai: “boy”
  • sữa: “milk”
  • Which phrase would you choose when a friend announces their pregnancy on social media?

    So, talking about a pregnancy will get you a lot of traction on social media. But wait till you see the responses to babies!

    14. Posting Vietnamese Comments about Your Baby

    Your bundle of joy is here, and you cannot keep quiet about it! Share your thoughts in Vietnamese.

    Yến plays with her baby, posts an image of the little one, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Yến’s post.

    Cái miệng giống y hệt bố nó.
    “His mouth is exactly like his father’s.”

    1- Cái miệng

    First is an expression meaning “His mouth.”
    Cái is added to almost all nouns except human/animal. For example, “cái xe” (“the car” ), “cái bàn” (“the table” ).
    Note: We use “con đường” (“the road” ), NOT “cái đường”.

    2- giống y hệt bố nó.

    Then comes the phrase – “is exactly like his father’s.”
    When visiting a newborn baby, people usually say things to express the similarity of the baby to his parents/grandparents, because it’s the belief that this will make the parents/grandparents feel proud.

    COMMENTS

    In response, Yến’s friends leave some comments.

    1- Trộm vía em bé bụ bẫm quá!

    Her college friend, Tú, uses an expression meaning – “My god, the baby is so plump!”
    Use this expression to give an opinion.

    2- Hay ăn chóng lớn nhé!

    Her husband’s high school friend, Ngân, uses an expression meaning – “Eat more, grow fast!”
    Use this comment to make relevant conversation.

    3- Trông đáng yêu quá!

    Her neighbor, Lý, uses an expression meaning – “He looks so cute!”
    Use this expression to be complimentary about the baby’s appearance.

    4- Tướng này nay mai làm lãnh đạo đây.

    Her supervisor, Chi, uses an expression meaning – “His figure shows that he will be a leader in (the) future.”
    This is another compliment for a boy.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • bụ bẫm: “plump”
  • chóng lớn: “grow rapidly”
  • đáng yêu: “cute”
  • hay ăn: “eat a lot”
  • lãnh đạo: “leader”
  • trộm vía: “My God “
  • tướng: “figure”
  • If your friend is the mother or father, which phrase would you use on social media?

    Congratulations, you know the basics of chatting about a baby in Vietnamese! But we’re not done with families yet…

    15. Vietnamese Comments about a Family Reunion

    Family reunions – some you love, some you hate. Share about it on your feed.

    Phát goes to a family gathering, posts an image of the group, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Phát’s post.

    Lâu lắm mới sắp xếp được buổi gặp mặt gia đình.
    “It takes a long time to plan a family gathering.”

    1- Lâu lắm mới sắp xếp được

    First is an expression meaning “It takes a long time to plan.”
    “Lâu lắm mới sắp xếp được” (“It takes a long time to plan” ). In cases where the subject is not mentioned, we can assume the subject is the speaker (“lâu lắm TÔI mới sắp xếp được” means “It takes me a long time to plan.” )

    2- buổi gặp mặt gia đình.

    Then comes the phrase – “a family gathering.”
    In Vietnam, the oldest son in a family usually arranges a family reunion at his house on special occasions, such as the anniversary of a family member’s death, or during the Lunar New Year.

    COMMENTS

    In response, Phát’s friends leave some comments.

    1- Bố mẹ anh vẫn khỏe chứ?

    His supervisor, Chi, uses an expression meaning – “Are your parents still well?”
    Ask this to be polite and wish to know about the poster’s family.

    2- Nhà đông con cháu thích nhỉ.

    His neighbor, Lý, uses an expression meaning – “It’s great to have a lot of children.”
    Use this comment to make conversation by sharing a personal opinion.

    3- Sao lại ngồi ngoài này thế này? Trời sắp mưa đấy.

    His wife’s high school friend, Trang, uses an expression meaning – “Why are you sitting outside? It’s going to rain.”
    Use this expression to be funny.

    4- Chắc anh vui lắm. Gia đình sum họp là vui nhất mà.

    His high school friend, Ngân, uses an expression meaning – “You must be happy. Family reunions are the best.”
    Use this expression to show your appreciation of family gatherings.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • buổi gặp mặt: “meeting, gathering”
  • con cháu: “child”
  • đông: “crowded”
  • gia đình: “family”
  • nhà: “family”
  • sắp xếp: “to arrange”
  • sum họp: “to unite”
  • 16. Post about Your Travel Plans in Vietnamese

    So, Yến’s going on holiday. Do you know to post and leave comments in Vietnamese about being at the airport, waiting for a flight?

    Yến waits at the airport for her flight, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Yến’s post.

    Cuối cùng cũng được xả hơi.
    “Finally, I can relax.”

    1- Cuối cùng

    First is an expression meaning “Finally”.
    “Cuối cùng” means “Finally”. In fact, “cuối” already means “final,/last,” and “cùng” is added as a subordinate. If it is used to modify a noun, both “cuối” and “cuối cùng” are fine.
    For example, “Bài học cuối” (“last lesson” ), “bài học cuối cùng” (“last lesson” ), “ghế cuối/ghế cuối cùng” (“last seat” ).

    2- cũng được xả hơi.

    Then comes the phrase – “I can relax.”
    Vietnamese people think that after getting married, they (especially women) do not have time to travel or take care of themselves, because they have to do a lot of housework (taking care of the new family, working).

    COMMENTS

    In response, Yến’s friends leave some comments.

    1- Em cứ yên tâm đi chơi, việc nhà anh lo.

    Her husband, Phát, uses an expression meaning – “Don’t worry, just enjoy your trip. I’ll take care of home.”
    Use these phrases to express your caring towards your beloved.

    2- Đi chơi vui vẻ nhá!

    Her husband’s high school friend, Ngân, uses an expression meaning – “Have a nice/fun trip!”
    This is a standard well-wish to travelers.

    3- Lại vi vu rồi. Trúng số hay sao thế?

    Her high school friend, Trang, uses an expression meaning – “Traveling again. Did you win the lottery?”
    Use this expression to be funny by being a bit sarcastic.

    4- Thích nhỉ, kết hôn rồi vẫn bay nhảy thoải mái.

    Her college friend, Tú, uses an expression meaning – “Great, married but still freely traveling.”
    Use this comment to air an opinion, and in this way keep the conversation going.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • bay nhảy: “to travel”
  • đi chơi: “to travel”
  • thoải mái: “comfortable”
  • vi vu: “to travel”
  • vui vẻ: “fun”
  • xả hơi: “to relax”
  • yên tâm: “no worries”
  • Choose and memorize your best airport phrase in Vietnamese!

    Hopefully the rest of the trip is better!

    17. Posting about an Interesting Find in Vietnamese

    So maybe you’re strolling around at a local market, and find something interesting. Here are some handy Vietnamese phrases!

    Phát finds an unusual item at a local market, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Phát’s post.

    Không ngờ ở đây có bán cái này.
    “I (didn’t) think that they (sold) this thing here.”

    1- Không ngờ ở đây

    First is an expression meaning “I (didn’t) think”.
    “Không ngờ” means “không nghĩ” (“don’t think” ), which indicates surprise. In conversation, people usually say “không ngờ” because it is easier to pronounce than “không nghĩ” (which has “~” ).

    2- có bán cái này.

    Then comes the phrase – “they (sold) this thing here.”
    In Vietnam, people are much more familiar with local markets than supermarkets. Local markets are everywhere, and items are usually cheaper than in supermarkets.

    COMMENTS

    In response, Phát’s friends leave some comments.

    1- Không biết chất lượng có đảm bảo không.

    His supervisor, Chi, uses an expression meaning – “I’m not sure whether the quality is guaranteed.”
    Use this phrase to express doubt.

    2- Sản xuất ở đâu thế?

    His wife, Yến, uses an expression meaning – “Where was it made?”
    Ask this question if you would like to know more.

    3- Cẩn thận nha, của rẻ là của ôi đó.

    His nephew, Tuấn, uses an expression meaning – “Be careful. Cheap things are rotten things.”
    Use these phrases to give advice.

    4- Ở đó không gì là không có.

    His high school friend, Ngân, uses an expression meaning – “There is nothing that they (sellers) don’t have there.”
    Use this expression to give your opinion.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • chất lượng: “quality”
  • của ôi: “rotten thing”
  • của rẻ: “cheap thing”
  • cẩn thận: “careful”
  • đảm bảo: “to ensure”
  • không biết: “to not know”
  • không gì: “nothing”
  • Which phrase would you use to comment on a friend’s interesting find?

    Perhaps you will even learn the identity of your find! Or perhaps you’re on holiday, and visiting interesting places…

    18. Post about a Sightseeing Trip in Vietnamese

    Let your friends know what you’re up to in Vietnamese, especially when visiting a remarkable place! Don’t forget the photo.

    Yến visits a famous landmark, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Yến’s post.

    Lâu rồi mới có dịp quay lại Sapa. Nơi này thay đổi nhiều quá!
    “It’s been a long time since I’ve had a chance to come back to Sapa. There seems to have been many changes!”

    1- Lâu rồi mới có dịp quay lại Sapa.

    First is an expression meaning “It has been a long time since I’ve had a chance to come back Sapa.”
    Sapa is a small town in the North of Vietnam, famous for its magnificent views of mountains and rice fields. Every year, it attracts thousands of tourists that visit for sightseeing and hiking, especially climbing Fansipan, a mountain near Sapa that is dubbed “the rooftop of Indochina.”

    2- Trông có nhiều đổi khác quá!

    Then comes the phrase – “There seems to have been many changes!”
    “Trông” means “look like” and can be followed by a clause or phrase.
    For example, “Trông anh ta thông minh” means “He looks like he is smart.”
    “Anh ta trông thông minh” means “He looks smart.”

    COMMENTS

    In response, Yến’s friends leave some comments.

    1- Chị đi phượt à? Đi Sapa mùa này là đẹp nhất đó.

    Her husband’s high school friend, Ngân, uses an expression meaning – “Are you going on a backpacking trip? It’s the best season to see Sapa.”
    Ask this if you want to make conversation.

    2- Chị ở khách sạn hay nhà dân?

    Her neighbor, Lý, uses an expression meaning – “Will you stay in a hotel or at a homestay?”
    This is another question to keep the conversation going.

    3- Đồ ăn trên đó ngon nhưng cũng khá đắt.

    Her husband, Phát, uses an expression meaning – “The food there is delicious, but it’s quite expensive.”
    Use this expression to give a personal opinion.

    4- Lần sau đi nhớ rủ tôi nhé!

    Her college friend, Tú, uses an expression meaning – “Next time, please remember to ask me to join!”
    Use this expression to show you are impressed with the place and would like to visit it too.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • dịp: “occasion/ chance”
  • đổi khác: “change”
  • khách sạn: “hotel”
  • nhà dân: “homestay”
  • phượt: “to go on a backpacking trip”
  • quay lại: “to come back”
  • rủ: “to ask to join”
  • Which phrase would you prefer when a friend posts about a famous landmark?

    Share your special places with the world. Or simply post about your relaxing experiences.

    19. Post about Relaxing Somewhere in Vietnamese

    So you’re doing nothing yet you enjoy that too? Tell your social media friends about it in Vietnamese!

    Phát relaxes at a beautiful place, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Phát’s post.

    Đây đúng là thiên đường!
    “This is truly paradise!”

    1- Đây đúng là

    First is an expression meaning “This is truly.”
    Đúng = truly. This expression is used to emphasize that what you are saying is correct. You can replace “đó đúng là” (“that is truly” ) with “anh ta đúng là người tốt” (“he is truly a good guy” ).

    2- thiên đường!

    Then comes the phrase – “paradise!”
    Vietnam has many tourist destinations that look like paradise, such as Ha Long Bay (world heritage), Son Doong, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc, etc.

    COMMENTS

    In response, Phát’s friends leave some comments.

    1- Chỗ đó cảnh đẹp mà lại ít người nên anh có thể tới nghỉ dưỡng.

    His wife, Yến, uses an expression meaning – “That place has a beautiful view and few people, so you can really relax there.”
    Use this expression to show your agreement.

    2- Không khí ở đó rất trong lành.

    His neighbor, Lý, uses an expression meaning – “The air is very fresh there.”
    Use this expression to give an opinion.

    3- Chắc anh đi xong không muốn về nhỉ.

    His wife’s high school friend, Trang, uses an expression meaning – “Maybe you won’t want to come back.”
    Use this expression to be funny and tease the poster.

    4- Nhất anh. Tôi cũng muốn được đi đâu đấy nghỉ ngơi.

    His supervisor, Chi, uses an expression meaning – “You’re the best. I also want to go somewhere to relax.”
    Use this expression to be appreciative and share a personal wish.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • cảnh đẹp: “beautiful view”
  • ít người: “few people”
  • không khí: “air”
  • mà lại: “also”
  • nghỉ dưỡng: “to relax”
  • thiên đường: “paradise”
  • trong lành: “fresh”
  • Which phrase would you use to comment on a friend’s feed?

    The break was great, but now it’s time to return home.

    20. What to Say in Vietnamese When You’re Home Again

    And you’re back! What will you share with friends and followers?

    Yến returns home after a vacation, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Yến’s post.

    Mọi việc ở nhà vẫn ổn cả chứ?
    “Is everything okay at home?”

    1- Mọi việc ở nhà

    First is an expression meaning “Everything at home.”
    “Mọi việc” means “everything.” Other translations for “everything” are “mọi thứ” and “mọi chuyện”.

    2- vẫn ổn cả chứ?

    Then comes the phrase – “still okay?.”
    “Chứ” is added to the end of a sentence to indicate a question for which the speaker expects a “yes” answer.

    COMMENTS

    In response, Yến’s friends leave some comments.

    1- Em về rồi à? Chuyến đi thế nào?

    Her husband, Phát, uses an expression meaning – “You’re back? How was the trip?”
    Ask these questions to be frivolous, because it is unlikely that your wife will let you know via social media that she’s back!

    2- Không đâu bằng nhà mình.

    Her husband’s high school friend, Ngân, uses an expression meaning – “Nowhere is as good as home.”
    Use this expression to be in agreement.

    3- Chị đi như thế có nhớ nhà không?

    Her neighbor, Lý, uses an expression meaning – “Do you feel homesick when traveling like that?”
    Ask this question if you wish to know more about the poster’s experience.

    4- Nghỉ như vậy sếp không nói gì chứ?

    Her college friend, Tú, uses an expression meaning – “Doesn’t your boss say anything when you take a holiday?”
    Ask this question to tease the poster.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • chuyến đi: “trip”
  • không đâu: “nowhere”
  • mọi việc: “everything”
  • nghỉ: “to take a holiday”
  • nhớ nhà: “homesick”
  • ổn: “fine, okay”
  • sếp: “boss”
  • How would you welcome a friend back from a trip?

    What do you post on social media during a public commemoration day such as Independence Day?

    21. It’s Time to Celebrate in Vietnamese

    It’s an historic day and you wish to post something about it on social media. What would you say?

    Phát partakes in the Independence Day parade, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Phát’s post.

    Thật tuyệt vời khi tham gia lễ diễu hành kỷ niệm Quốc khánh.
    “It’s great to participate in the Independence Day parade.”

    1- Thật tuyệt vời khi tham gia lễ diễu hành

    First is an expression meaning “It is great to participate in the”.
    On Vietnamese Independence Day, a parade is usually held at Ba Dinh Square in Ha Noi. Participates include the army, public security officers, and civilians. During the parade, a representative of the government reads a speech to commemorate soldiers, and people will sing songs to celebrate the day. Many flags and posters for independence are displayed, too.

    2- kỷ niệm Quốc Khánh.

    Then comes the phrase – “Independence Day parade.”
    National Day (Vietnamese: Ngày Quốc Khánh) is a national holiday in Vietnam observed on September 2, commemorating the Vietnam Declaration of Independence from France on September 2, 1945.

    COMMENTS

    In response, Phát’s friends leave some comments.

    1- Lễ diễu hành năm nay hoành tráng thật.

    His wife, Yến, uses an expression meaning – “The parade this year is really outstanding.”
    Use this expression to share an opinion.

    2- Hôm nay phải mở tiệc ăn mừng Quốc khánh chứ.

    His wife’s high school friend, Trang, uses an expression meaning – “Today, we should throw a party to celebrate Independence Day.”
    Use this phrase to make a suggestion.

    3- Khắp các tuyến phố rợp cờ đỏ khiến tôi thật bồi hồi.

    His neighbor, Lý, uses an expression meaning – “All the streets are full of red flags; it makes me emotional.”
    Say this to share personal feelings.

    4- Không có gì quý hơn độc lập tự do.

    His supervisor, Chi, uses an expression meaning – “Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom.”
    Use this phrase to share a belief.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • ăn mừng: “to celebrate”
  • cờ đỏ: “red flag”
  • hoành tráng: “outstanding”
  • kỷ niệm: “to commemorate”
  • mở tiệc: “to throw a party”
  • rợp: “full of”
  • tham gia: “to participate”
  • If a friend posted something about a holiday, which phrase would you use?

    Independence Day and other public commemoration days are not the only special ones to remember!

    22. Posting about a Birthday on Social Media in Vietnamese

    Your friend or you are celebrating your birthday in an unexpected way. Be sure to share this on social media!

    Yến goes to her birthday party, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Yến’s post.

    Lại thêm một cái xuân xanh nữa.
    “One more green spring.”

    1- Lại thêm

    First is an expression meaning “One more.”
    “Lại” (“again” ), “thêm” (“additional” ), and “nữa” (“more” ) are used in this sentence to indicate that the speaker is not happy about the repetition of this thing. We can also say “Lại thêm một cái xuân xanh” or “Lại thêm một cái xuân xanh NỮA” (more emphasis on the increasing degree).

    2- một cái xuân xanh nữa.

    Then comes the phrase – “green spring.”
    “Xuân” (“spring” ) indicates that one year has passed. “Xuân xanh” (“green spring” ) is beautiful.
    People use “xuân xanh” to imply “age.”

    COMMENTS

    In response, Yến’s friends leave some comments.

    1- Càng ngày chị càng trẻ ra đấy.

    Her neighbor, Lý, uses an expression meaning – “You look younger day by day.”
    Use this expression to show you are feeling warmhearted.

    2- Quẩy lên nào! Không say không về!

    Her high school friend, Trang, uses an expression meaning – “You rock! I’m not leaving until I’m drunk!”
    Use this expression to be funny and complimentary.

    3- Mãi mãi tuổi hai mươi nhé!

    Her husband’s high school friend, Ngân, uses an expression meaning – “Forever twenties!”
    Use this expression if you are feeling optimistic.

    4- Chúc mừng sinh nhật bà xã. Trông em vẫn trẻ đẹp như ngày nào.

    Her husband, Phát, uses an expression meaning – “Happy birthday, wife. You still look as young and beautiful as those early days.”
    Use this expression to give compliments to your beloved.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • càng ngày càng: “more and more”
  • Chúc mừng sinh nhật!: “Happy Birthday!”
  • mãi mãi: “forever”
  • quẩy: “to rock”
  • say: “drunk”
  • tuổi hai mươi: “twenties”
  • trẻ: “young”
  • If a friend posted something about birthday greetings, which phrase would you use?

    23. Talking about New Year on Social Media in Vietnamese

    Impress your friends with your Vietnamese New Year’s wishes this year. Learn the phrases easily!

    Phát celebrates the New Year, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Phát’s post.

    Chúc mừng năm mới. Chúc sức khỏe tất cả mọi người.
    “Happy New Year. I hope everyone enjoys good health.”

    1- Chúc mừng năm mới.

    First is an expression meaning “Happy New Year..”
    Vietnamese New Year (Tết) is the most important celebration in Vietnamese culture. It lasts three days starting from the first day of the first month of the Lunar calendar. People usually prepare a lot of traditional food to eat in these three days, such as “bánh chưng” (“rice cake” ), “canh măng” (“bamboo soup” ), and “giò” (“ham” ). During Tết (“Vietnamese New Year” ), people often go to pagodas, visit relatives’ houses, and give lucky money to children and elderly people.

    2- Chúc sức khỏe tất cả mọi người.

    Then comes the phrase – “I wish everyone good health.”
    The most important thing is “health,” so in the New Year, the most common wish is “chúc sức khỏe” (“wish for good health” ).

    COMMENTS

    In response, Phát’s friends leave some comments.

    1- Chú́c năm nay làm ăn phát đạt nhé!

    His high school friend, Ngân, uses an expression meaning – “I hope your business thrives this year!”
    Use this expression as a well-wish and to be supportive.

    2- Năm mới thắng lợi mới.

    His supervisor, Chi, uses an expression meaning – “New year, new victory.”
    Use this comment to keep the conversation going.

    3- Năm nay có mục tiêu gì không?

    His neighbor, Lý, uses an expression meaning – “Any goals this year?”
    Ask this question to make conversation.

    4- Tiền vào như nước sông Đà. Tiền ra nhỏ giọt như cà phê phin.

    His wife’s high school friend, Trang, uses an expression meaning – “Money flows in as water from the Da river. Money drips out as filtered coffee.”
    These phrases are a metaphor that comments on the way money is spent. It means that a lot of money comes in but it leaves slowly.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • cà phê phin: “filtered coffee”
  • làm ăn: “to work, to do business”
  • mục tiêu: “target”
  • nhỏ giọt: “to drip”
  • phát đạt: “thrive”
  • sông Đà: “Da river (name of a river in Vietnam)”
  • thắng lợi: “victory”
  • Which is your favorite phrase to post on social media during New Year?

    But before New Year’s Day comes another important day…

    24. What to Post on Christmas Day in Vietnamese

    What will you say in Vietnamese about Christmas?

    Yến celebrates Christmas with her family, posts an image of the group, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Yến’s post.

    Chúc giáng sinh vui vẻ. Năm nay mọi người đông đủ nhỉ.
    “Merry Christmas. Everyone came this year.”

    1- Chúc giáng sinh vui vẻ.

    First is an expression meaning “Merry Christmas.”
    Christmas is not popular in Vietnam. However, in big cities, streets and shops are decorated and young people give presents to each other. On Christmas night, people usually go to church ceremonies.

    2- Năm nay mọi người đông đủ nhỉ.

    Then comes the phrase – “This year everyone came..”
    Đông đủ is an adjective: đông is “crowded,” and đủ is “enough.”
    We can say mọi người đông đủ (“enough people” ) -> đông đủ is an adjective
    or mọi người ĐẾN đông đủ (“people come enough” ) -> đông đủ is an adverb.

    COMMENTS

    In response, Yến’s friends leave some comments.

    1- Chúc giáng sinh an lành!

    Her husband’s high school friend, Ngân, uses an expression meaning – “We wish you a merry Christmas!”
    Use this expression to show you are feeling optimistic.

    2- Tí nữa chị có qua nhà thờ xem làm lễ không?

    Her neighbor, Lý, uses an expression meaning – “Are you going to the church later to watch the ceremony?”
    Ask this if you want information.

    3- Đường phố hôm nay đông lắm. Tắc đường kinh khủng!

    Her college friend, Tú, uses an expression meaning – “The street is crowded today. Terrible traffic jam!”
    Use these phrases to share news.

    4- Cảm ơn món quà giáng sinh của chị. Tôi rất thích nó.

    Her supervisor, Chi, uses an expression meaning – “Thank you for your Christmas present. I like it very much.”
    Use these phrases to show gratitude.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • an lành: “peaceful”
  • Chúc giáng sinh vui vẻ!: “Merry Christmas!”
  • kinh khủng: “terrible”
  • làm lễ: “to celebrate”
  • món quà: “present”
  • nhà thờ: “church”
  • tắc đường: “traffic jam”
  • If a friend posted something about Christmas greetings, which phrase would you use?

    So, the festive season is over! Yet, there will always be other days, besides a birthday, to wish someone well.

    25. Post about Your Anniversary in Vietnamese

    Some things deserve to be celebrated, like wedding anniversaries. Learn which Vietnamese phrases are meaningful and best suited for this purpose!

    Phát celebrates his wedding anniversary with Yến, posts an image of them together, and leaves this comment:

    POST

    Let’s break down Phát’s post.

    Chúc mừng kỷ niệm 10 năm ngày cưới của chúng ta!
    “Celebrating our 10th anniversary!”

    1- Chúc mừng

    First is an expression meaning “Celebrating.”
    “Chúc mừng” means “congratulations/happy.” We use this word every time we want to wish someone something. Unlike English, where we say “Happy New Year” (Chúc mừng năm mới), “Merry Christmas” (Chúc mừng Giáng sinh), “We wish you happiness” (Chúc bạn hạnh phúc), and “Congratulations on your victory” (Chúc mừng chiến thắng của bạn), in Vietnamese we have one word (Chúc [mừng]) for “happy, merry, wish, congratulations.”

    2- kỷ niệm 10 năm ngày cưới của chúng ta.

    Then comes the phrase – “10th anniversary.”
    Couples usually celebrate their wedding anniversary every year. On their 10th, 20th, etc. wedding anniversary, they might go to a photo studio to take pictures, where the man wears a suit and the woman wears a wedding dress.

    COMMENTS

    In response, Phát’s friends leave some comments.

    1- Thời gian trôi qua nhanh thật, mới vậy mà đã cưới nhau được 10 năm.

    His wife, Yến, uses an expression meaning – “Time goes by so fast; it’s been 10 years already.”
    Use this expression if you feel a bit sentimental and want to reminisce.

    2- Chú́c anh chị mãi mãi hạnh phúc như thế này.

    His neighbor, Lý, uses an expression meaning – “I wish you happiness forever.”
    Use this expression as a warmhearted wish.

    3- Hiếm có đôi nào được như vợ chồng anh chị.

    His supervisor, Chi, uses an expression meaning – “It is rare to have a relationship like yours.”
    With this, you share a personal observation.

    4- Mong sẽ được chứng kiến lễ cưới bạc cưới vàng của hai bạn.

    His wife’s high school friend, Trang, uses an expression meaning – “I hope to see your silver and golden anniversaries.”
    Use this expression to wish the poster a long marriage.

    VOCABULARY

    Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

  • chứng kiến: “to witness”
  • hiếm: “rare”
  • kỷ niệm: “to celebrate”
  • lễ cưới bạc: “silver anniversary”
  • lễ cưới vàng: “golden anniversary”
  • ngày cưới: “wedding”
  • trôi qua: “to go by, to pass by”
  • If a friend posted something about Anniversary greetings, which phrase would you use?

    Conclusion

    Learning to speak a new language will always be easier once you know key phrases that everybody uses. These would include commonly used expressions for congratulations and best wishes, etc.

    Master these in fun ways with Learn Vietnamese! We offer a variety of tools to individualize your learning experience, including using cell phone apps, audiobooks, iBooks and many more. Never wonder again what to say on social media!

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    How to Say Sorry in Vietnamese

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    Learn how to apologize in Vietnamese – fast and accurately! VietnamesePod101 makes it easy for you to make amends. Start with a bonus, and download your FREE cheat sheet – How to Improve Your Vietnamese Skills! (Logged-In Member Only)

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    Table of Contents

    1. Common Ways to Say Sorry in Vietnamese
    2. How To Refuse Something Politely in Vietnamese
    3. Audio Lesson – Survival Phrases “How to Say Sorry”
    4. Why You Will NOT Be Sorry For Learning Vietnamese through VietnamesePod101

    1. Common Ways to Say Sorry in Vietnamese

    3 Ways to Say Sorry

    Nobody’s perfect, not anywhere in the world. Everybody makes mistakes, and does and says regrettable things. Then it’s time to apologize, as saying ‘I’m sorry’ is not in vain. It can be very healing! Did you know that hearing a sincerely-meant apology can have a noticeable effect on a person’s body? Research has shown that it slows down breathing and heart rate, and even causes a drop in blood pressure.

    Sometimes we cannot fix what’s broken, but we can make the experience a bit easier for anyone who suffered on account of our thoughtless actions or words.

    Here are a number of ways to say sorry in Vietnamese. In any language, just make sure you really mean it! An insincere apology will not go down well with anyone.

    Woman Apologizing

    Tôi xin lỗi.
    I’m sorry

    These words should precede anything else you have to say. Use them sincerely and whenever you are clearly in the wrong. Acknowledging your guilt and apologizing for any wrongdoing will lift your spirits too! Often, remorse can eat away at us, and a simple ‘I’m sorry’, in Vietnamese or any other language, can open the door for forgiveness and resolution of a bad situation. It can be a true gift!

    Tôi muốn xin lỗi.
    I would like to apologize.

    This is a slightly more formal way to say ‘I’m sorry’ in Vietnamese. Use this phrase if you’re addressing your superiors and/or elders.

    Tôi chân thành xin lỗi.
    I sincerely apologize.

    If you feel strongly about your apology, this is another slightly more formal phrase to use. Keep it handy for graver errors, or you might come across as insincere!

    Tôi sẽ không làm việc đó một lần nữa.
    I won’t do it again.

    A promise you can only make if you intend to keep it! Few things feel as bad as having to hear repeated apologies from someone for the same behavior – it means the ‘sorry’ is not sincere. Don’t be that person!

    Tôi sẽ đảm bảo không mắc sai lầm này một lần nữa.
    I’ll make sure not to make this mistake again.

    A beautifully strong phrase! Again, say this only if you mean it – not just in the moment, but always! A bit more formal, this is an especially good phrase to use when apologizing to superiors and/or elders. It will make an especially good impression at the workplace, where accountability is an excellent quality to display!

    Tôi không có ý đó.
    I didn’t mean that.

    This is a tricky one… What did you mean, then?! Clear up any confusion with sincerity. Also, use this phrase only if the harm done or mistake made was due to an accident, and then admit to thoughtlessness on your part, if appropriate.

    Đó là lỗi của tôi.
    It’s my fault.

    If the fault is really yours, own up to it. You will gain respect in the eyes of others! However, don’t take the blame when it’s not truly yours. It won’t be good for you, and ultimately you will not be respected much for it.

    Tôi xin lỗi vì đã ích kỷ.
    I’m sorry for being selfish.

    This is a good phrase to keep handy, especially for your close relationships. It is difficult to admit you’re selfish, isn’t it?! However, it’s good to know when to be honest. We get used to our loved ones, which often means we forget that they need our good manners and unselfish behavior just as much as strangers do.

    Tôi hy vọng bạn tha thứ cho tôi.
    I hope you will forgive me.

    This is a polite and gentle wish that can smooth over many harsh feelings. It also shows that the other person’s opinion and forgiveness are important to you.

    Tôi xin chịu trách nhiệm đầy đủ.
    I take full responsibility.

    This strong statement is similar to admitting that an error or transgression was your fault. It speaks of courage and the willingness to take remedial action. Good one to use…if you mean it!

    Tôi đã không nên làm điều đó.
    I shouldn’t have done it.

    This phrase is fine to use if you did or said something wrong. It shows, to an extent, your regret for having done or said what you did, and demonstrates that you understand your role in the mistake.

    Xin lỗi vì đã trả tiền lại cho bạn muộn.
    Sorry for giving your money back late.

    It’s rotten to have to loan money! Yet, it’s equally rotten to have to ask for the repayment of a loan. So, do your best not to pay late in the first place, but if it can’t be helped, this would be a good phrase to use!

    Xin đừng giận tôi.
    Please don’t be mad at me.

    Well, this is not a very advisable phrase to use if you are clearly in the wrong. If someone is justifiably angry with you, asking them not to be mad at you would be an unfair expectation. However, if you did something wrong by accident, and if the consequences were not too serious, this request would be OK.

    Xin lỗi tôi tới trễ.
    Sorry I’m late.

    Punctuality is valued in most situations, but if you really cannot help being late, then apologize! This way you show respect for your host, and win their approval.

    Tôi xin lỗi vì đã có ác ý với bạn.
    I apologize for being mean to you.

    Acknowledging your own meanness towards someone is no small thing, so good for you! Use this apology only if your intention is to seriously address your mean tendencies, or these words could become meaningless over time.

    2. How To Refuse Something Politely in Vietnamese

    Woman Refusing

    Congratulations! Now you know how to apologize in Vietnamese! After you have apologized for a mistake, focus on fixing whatever you can, and don’t punish yourself over something that cannot be taken back or reversed. That’s healthy for you! Regret can eat away at the soul, and even destroy it. It is ultimately a useless emotion if it consumes you.

    However, in language, we use apologies not only when we’ve transgressed or made mistakes. They come in handy in other situations too, when there has been no wrongdoing. Sometimes we need to express regret for having to refuse a gift, an offer, or an invitation. This can be somewhat tricky. Learn from specialists at VietnamesePod101 about how to use the correct Vietnamese words for this kind of ‘sorry’!

    3. Survival Phrases “How to Say Sorry”

    Say Sorry

    On the run and need a quick lesson on how to say sorry in Vietnamese? Don’t fret, just listen and repeat! Click here for a recorded short lesson and learn how to give the perfect apology, with perfect pronunciation in Vietnamese. A little can go a long way, and you will sound like a native!

    4. Why You Will NOT Be Sorry For Learning Vietnamese through VietnamesePod101

    Man Looking at Computer

    Online learning is here to stay, that’s a fact. In 2015, the Digital Learning Compass Partnership released a report based on surveys to determine online enrollment trends in US institutions for higher education. Thirty percent of all their students learned online! And the number is growing! However, how can you be sure you will not regret your choice of an online language learning school? First, look at the school’s credentials and what it has to offer…

    • Fun and Easy Learning: It’s a commonly-known fact that when learning is made easy and fun, student motivation rises. And as motivation rises, so does the effort to learn – what a beautiful cycle! VietnamesePod101’s language learning system is designed to get you speaking from the onset. Learn at your own convenience and pace with our short, effective and fun audio podcast lessons. Our Learning Center is comprehensive and state-of-the-art, with a vibrant user community to connect to! Our lessons are recorded with native hosts and voice actors, providing a diverse range of dialects in your lessons. You can be confident that native speakers will understand you when speaking Vietnamese!
    • Innovative Learning Tools and Apps: We make it our priority to offer you the best learning tools! These include apps for iPhone, iPad, Android and Mac OSX; eBooks for Kindle, Nook, and iPad; audiobooks; Roku TV and so many more. This means that we took diverse lifestyles into account when we developed our courses, so you can learn anywhere, anytime on a device of your choice. How innovative!
    • Free Resources: Sharing is caring, and for this reason, we share many free resources with our students. For instance, start learning Vietnamese with our basic online course by creating a lifetime account – for free! Also get free daily and iTunes lessons, free eBooks, free mobile apps, and free access to our blog and online community. Or how about free Vocabulary Lists? The Vietnamese dictionary is for exclusive use by our students, also for free. There’s so much to love about VietnamesePod101…!
    • Live Hosts and One-on-One Learning: Knowledgeable, energetic hosts present recorded video lessons, and are available for live teaching experiences if you upgrade. This means that in the videos, you get to watch them pronounce those tongue-twisters, as if you’re learning live! Add octane to your learning by upgrading to Premium Plus, and learn two times faster. Your can have your very own Vietnamese teacher always with you, ensuring that you learn what you need, when you need to – what a wonderful opportunity to master a new language in record time!
    • Start Where You Are: You don’t know a single Vietnamese word? Not to worry, we’ve absolutely got this. Simply enroll in our Absolute Beginner Pathway and start speaking from Lesson 1! As your learning progresses, you can enroll in other pathways to match your Vietnamese level, at your own pace, in your own time, in your own place!

    After this lesson, you will know almost every ‘sorry for’ in Vietnamese, but don’t let it be that you’re sorry for missing a great opportunity. Learning a new language can only enrich your life, and could even open doors towards great opportunities! So don’t wonder if you’ll regret enrolling in VietnamesePod101. It’s the most fun, easy way to learn Vietnamese!

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    The Vietnam National Day: Vietnamese Independence Day

    As in any country, the Vietnam National Day is the most significant date in the history of Vietnam. This is the day in 1945 that Vietnam finally gained its independence after a long struggle.

    In this article, you’ll learn about the National Day in Vietnam, including the history behind it, common traditions, and the unfortunate event that the Vietnamese also commemorate on National Vietnam Day.

    At VietnamesePod101.com, we hope to make every aspect of your learning journey both fun and informative. So let’s get started!

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    1. What is the Vietnam National Day Holiday?

    The holiday marks the day in 1945 when Vietnam officially became its own country. On September 2, 1945, President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence in a meeting held at Ba Dinh square in Hanoi. In the declaration, President Ho Chi Minh declared the birth of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam to the people of Vietnam and the world.

    Ho Chi Minh was the leader of the Viet Minh Front, which was led by the Communist Party. He talked Emperor Bao Dai into abdicating his throne so that the country could become its own nation, and then Vietnam’s declaration of independence was made. At that time, the country was declaring freedom from France, but France wouldn’t give up control of the region so easily.

    Shortly after independence was declared, Ho Chi Minh and the leader of some two-hundred-thousand Chinese Nationalists agreed to set up a coalition government instead of one that was completely communist. Just a few months later, a new agreement was signed with France declaring the nation an autonomous state in the French Union.

    That agreement was designed to drive the Chinese out, which it did, although the Vietnamese then began fighting again with the French.

    2. When is Vietnam National Day?

    Vietnam's National Day

    Vietnam’s National Day is observed each year on September 2, the date on which President Ho Chi Minh read the Vietnamese Declaration of Independence.

    3. Vietnam National Day Celebrations

    Celebration Fireworks

    The National Day celebrations are usually held in a formal manner in Vietnam Embassies in many countries around the world. Diplomatic officials of the local countries are also invited to attend the celebration to forge closer ties between the two countries. On this day, the government of Vietnam receives many greetings from the authorities of other countries.

    This is an official public holiday, so workers, office employees, and students are off on this day. Some companies also hold group tours for their staff. Some common festivities on this day include swimming, sailing, and boat racing festivals, which are held in many places. These attract many participants.

    To celebrate National Day, families, stores, and shopping centers everywhere display Vietnam’s red flag with a yellow star. The streets are filled with flags and banners. Some people also hold meetings at the centers of big cities.

    4. Another Observation

    Do you know what else the Vietnamese commemorate on September 2?

    September 2 is also the date on which President Ho Chi Minh died in 1969, at the age of seventy-nine.

    5. Useful Vocabulary for the Vietnamese National Day

    Plant Sprouting

    Here’s some vocabulary you need to know for the Vietnamese National Day!

    • Hoa — “Flower”
    • Quốc khánh — “National Day”
    • Diễn văn — “Speech”
    • Cuộc diễu hành — “Parade”
    • Quốc kỳ — “National flag”
    • Chủ tịch Hồ Chí Minh — “Ho Chi Minh President”
    • Pháo hoa — “Firework”
    • Trò giải trí — “Entertainment”
    • Biểu ngữ — “Banner”
    • Bóng bay — “Balloon”
    • Quảng trường Ba Đình — “Ba Dinh Square”
    • Quốc ca — “Anthem”
    • Sự kiện — “Event”
    • Lịch sử — “Historical”
    • Quốc gia — “Country”
    • Sự khai sinh — “Birth”

    To hear each vocabulary word pronounced, check out our Vietnam National Day vocabulary list!

    How VietnamesePod101 Can Help You Learn About Vietnamese Culture

    We hope you enjoyed learning about the National Day of Vietnam with us. Tell us about your own country’s national day in the comments; we always love hearing from you!

    To continue learning about Vietnamese culture and studying the language, explore VietnamesePod101.com. We provide an array of fun and effective learning tools for every type of learner, at every level:

    • Insightful blog posts on a range of cultural and language-related topics
    • Free vocabulary lists covering various topics and themes
    • Podcasts to improve your listening and pronunciation skills
    • Mobile apps to help you learn Vietnamese anywhere, on your own time
    • Much, much more!

    If you would like to learn Vietnamese one-on-one with your own tutor, you can also upgrade to Premium Plus. Our MyTeacher program gives you access to a personal tutor who will help you develop a specialized learning plan based on your needs and goals. Yes, really!

    At VietnamesePod101, we believe that you really can master the Vietnamese language and come to understand its unique culture. That’s why we make our lessons as simple yet effective as possible. Our constant support, paired with your hard work and determination, can ensure your language-learning success!

    Happy Vietnam National Day!

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    The Must-Know Common Vietnamese Body Gestures

    Thumbnail

    There was a colleague that I used to work with who is extremely good at using body language. Every time we had a meeting or a presentation, she would make use of her hand signals, gestures, facial expressions, or postures to make her talk more interesting. 

    The nonverbal signs that we use to communicate every day are referred to as body language. Nonverbal signals account for a significant portion of daily communication. The things we don’t say, from our facial expressions to hand signals or our bodily motions, can nonetheless convey a lot of information.

    When learning languages, understanding how to use your body and facial expressions as well as to avoid rude gestures is very helpful to emphasize what you’re saying. In Vietnam, on the other hand, body gestures are not as common as in other countries due to cultural differences. Vietnamese people tend to be a little bit shy when using body language because it attracts attention more than using verbal language only. That’s the reason why someone who knows how to effectively use body gestures in Vietnam is considered very confident and special.

    Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Beginner Vocabulary in Vietnamese Table of Contents
    1. Cách chào hỏi bằng ngôn ngữ cơ thể (How to greet people using body language)
    2. Cử chỉ tay (Hand gestures)
    3. Giọng nói (Voice tone)
    4. Dấu hiệu nói dối (Signs of a lie)
    5. Dấu hiệu ai đó thích bạn (Signs showing someone is having a crush on you)
    6. Dấu hiệu ai đó giận dữ (Signs showing someone is angry)
    7. Cử chỉ với trẻ em (Gestures with children)
    8. Conclusion

    1. Cách chào hỏi bằng ngôn ngữ cơ thể (How to greet people using body language)

    Knowing that these body gestures mean hello in Vietnam can be surprising if you’re new here. The fact is, saying Xin chào is not always necessary. Instead, Vietnamese people have plenty of ways to greet each other by nonverbally communicating, especially using hand signals. For example:

    • Vẫy tay, phẩy tay (Wave hand)

      • – How to do it: you wave your hand from left to right or from up to down as if calling someone.
        – When to use: waving your hand can be used with friends, someone who is younger than you, babies, or even pets because it’s considered super casual and friendly.
        – Note: When waving hands with older people, it means calling them rather than saying hello in general.
    • Cười (Smile)

      • – How to do: have a smile on your face with eye contact
        – When to use: smiling is suitable when greeting someone you haven’t met and don’t know how to address them or at a social party where there’s a lot of people and it’s not convenient to speak loudly.
        – Note: Vietnamese people usually smile and say hi. However, when someone smiles only and walks away, it means they just want to be polite and don’t want to talk.

    A Man Waving Hand and Smiling
    • Gật đầu (Nod your head)

      • – Meaning: similarly to smiling, nodding your head or eye contact is seen as saying Hello to someone you haven’t met before. In addition, it can also be used as a sign that “I’ll catch up with you in a bit”
        – How to do: nod your head either from up to down or vice versa.
        – When to use: with colleagues and acquaintances at a social event, a party, a meeting, or a conference. HOWEVER, nodding your head with elderly people is considered a disrespectful gesture.
    • Khoanh tay chào (Fold your arms)

      • – Meaning: a way kids say Hello.
        – How to do: you can either fold your arms with or without covering your palms on your chest.
        – When to use: kids usually are asked to fold their arms when greeting their teacher, adults, or elderly people because it looks respectful.
        – Note: it’s not very common in Vietnam because we can use “ạ” at the end of the sentence to show respect. Kids who fold their arms when greeting are considered very polite and well educated but if they don’t, it’s not seen as a disrespectful gesture.
    • Cúi người (Bow)
    • A Man Bowing in Front of His Boss

        – How to do: slightly bow your body and head.
        – When to use: bowing in Vietnam is not as common as in Japan or Korea but people have been doing it lately to greet and show respect to their boss or manager.
    • Bắt tay (Shake hands)

      • – Meaning: shaking hands and bowing can be used at the same time for greeting your colleagues, boss, or manager.
        – How to do: Simply shake hands.
        – When to use: shaking hands can be used anywhere in Vietnam but it’s most suitable in formal occasions or talking to someone who is in a higher position than you are.
    • Vỗ vai/lưng (Pat one’s shoulder/back)

      • – Meaning: if someone didn’t see you in the first place, coming and slightly patting their shoulder or their back is a sign to gently say Hi.
        – How to do: it doesn’t need to be a strong slap but rather a few slight pats instead.
        – When to use: when saying hello to someone you know and want to get their attention.
        – Note: Patting one’s shoulder or back should be used for very close friends or people you know very well. Men should avoid patting women’s backs unless they’re a couple or family. Otherwise, it can be seen as an impolite gesture.
    • Gõ vào bàn/cửa (Knock on the table/door)

      • – Meaning: Another way to say hello in Vietnam using body gestures is to knock on the nearest table or door to get someone’s attention.
        – When to use: when you don’t see anyone at the place and you want to call them or when you show up when people are in the middle of the conversation and you want to politely interrupt them.
    • Gây tiếng động (Make some noise)

      • – Meaning: similarly to knocking on the table, making some noise when showing up is also another way to say Hi.
        – How to do it: you can either make some strong steps on the floor, speak loudly before entering the room, or slightly cough.
        – When to use: This can be used to say hello to your employees or people who you work with when they’re talking and you want to tell them that you’re coming.
        – Note: It should not be over because it can be seen as a rude gesture.

    Similarly to using body gestures to say hello, when saying goodbye, you can also use one of the following signals to nonverbally communicate:

    • Vẫy tay, phẩy tay (Wave hand)
    • Gật đầu (Nod your head)
    • Khoanh tay chào (Fold your arms)
    • Cúi người (Bow)
    • Bắt tay (Shake hands)

    2. Cử chỉ tay (Hand gestures)

    You’re out of control with your hands and don’t know what to do with them? You’re not on your own! Most of the hand gestures or hand signals that I’m going to introduce to you are quite common in Vietnam and other countries when nonverbally communicating so it won’t be very hard to remember.

    • (Yes)

      • – Meaning: flexibly give a thumbs up to indicate Yes, Okay or It’s good
        – How to do: Thumbs up

    A Woman Giving a Thumbs Up in Front of 2 Men
    • Không/Chưa (No)

      • – Meaning: it either means no or I haven’t
        – How to do: wave your hand or/and shake your head.
    • Tệ (Bad/Not good)

      • – How to do: this one is easy, you just need to give a thumbs down
        – When to use: when food is not good, when you want to complain or something is just simply bad.
    • Bình thường/tạm được (So so, okay)

      • – Meaning: When things are normal, not good, not bad, when you hesitate and haven’t made a decision yet.
        – How to do: Hand outstretched, wave your fingers
    • Tiền (Money/Cash)

      • – Meaning: There’s money, it takes money or I need money.
        – How to do: The thumb touches the remaining fingers and keeps moving slightly from the little finger to the index finger and vice versa.
        – Note : This should be used with your close people only, otherwise it can be seen as a pretty rude gesture as if you’re aggressively asking for money.
    • Thanh toán (I’d like to pay)

      • – How to do: have eye contact with the waiter/waitress and draw a square in the air using your fingers, you can also say “Thanh toán”, “Tính tiền” at the same time or not.
        – When to use: When you want to pay the bill or tell your friend to pay so you can leave.
    • Mấy giờ rồi (What time is it?), Muộn rồi (It’s late)

      • – How to do: point your index finger to the watch or to your wrist if you don’t wear one.
        – When to use: When you want to ask for the time or you want to tell your friend that it’s late.

    A Man Pointing to His Watch
    • Chúng ta phải đi thôi (We gotta go)

      • – How to do: point your index finger to the watch or to your wrist if you don’t wear one, then point your thumb to the back or another direction.
        – When to use: when you want to give your friend a signal that you have to leave or it’s time you both should go.
    • No bụng (I’m full)

      • – How to do: rub your hand on your belly
        – When to use: when you are already full or want to refuse food from someone
    • Đói bụng (I’m hungry)

      • – How to do: slightly pat your hand on your belly a few times
        – When to use: when you’re hungry or it’s break time.
    • Giật mình (Startle) & Sợ/Ngạc nhiên (Scared/surprised)

      • – How to do: put your hand on your chest or on your mouth
        – When to use: when someone scares you or you got surprised
    • Tôi không biết (I don’t know)
      • – How to do: Shrugs, shake your head

    You might be wondering why crossing fingers wasn’t listed. The reason is that it’s not common in Vietnam. Even if you know it, there’s a high possibility that the person you’re talking to doesn’t know it. Therefore, try to remember these hand signals because they seem to be easier to remember rather than learning the actual phrases, don’t they?

    3. Giọng nói (Voice tone)

    In Vietnam, you can read someone’s status based on their voice tone in certain specific situations. For example:

    • Nói nhanh, gấp gáp (Speak quickly, urgently): They might be in a rush or urgent situation unless they naturally speak fast. 
    • Nói chậm rãi (Speak slowly): They might be buying time or thinking of what’s going to say next. Sometimes, Vietnamese people also tend to repeat the questions if they need more time to think of the answer. 
    • Lên giọng ở cuối câu (Rising tone at the end): When someone repeats the question or what you have said with a rising tone at the end, they’re probably either thinking you’re joking, not hearing clearly, or surprised by what you’ve said. 
    • Xuống giọng ở cuối câu (Falling tone at the end): To be disappointed or upset.

    Vietnamese people have different accents throughout the country. For example, people from central Vietnam have quite a strong accent in their voices. Therefore, they might sometimes sound like they’re angrily discussing something but they’re actually not. People from the West of Vietnam have a very nice and soft accent while people from the North have a stronger accent because the tones are clearer. Depending on where you are, people’s accents may vary.

    4. Dấu hiệu nói dối (Signs of a lie)

    A Women with a Funny Long Nose

    People lie for many reasons such as to protect their feelings, confidence, self-esteem, or to protect others’ feelings. Besides “great” pretenders, Vietnamese people don’t usually tend to lie. In case they have to for some reason, here are a few signs you can tell that they might be lying:

    • Gãi đầu, gãi tai (Scratch your head, scratch your ears)
      • – When to use: When someone is having a hard time finding the answer, scratching their head or ears might be a sign that they’re lying. These are pretty basic ones and are mostly used by kids. 

    • Nhìn sang hướng khác (Look at another direction)
      • – When to use: Looking away means someone is trying to avoid eye contact with you or find excuses for something. 

    • Gãi mũi (Scratch your nose)
      • – When to use: In fact, some people, when lying, subconsciously put their hand on their face to scratch their nose or something like that to avoid attention.

    • Đổi chủ đề (Change the topic)
      • – When to use: Another sign to know if someone is lying or trying to cover the truth is when they change the topic. In Vietnam, when people do so and get caught, we usually say:
          + Đừng có đổi chủ đề nữa (Stop changing the topic)
          + Lại đổi chủ đề rồi (You change the topic again)
          + …
    • Giải thích quá (Over explaining)
      • – When to use: When explaining too much about something, it either means the other person hasn’t acknowledged what you said and you want to repeat that or you’re lying about something and want to give extra details to make it more convincing. 

    • Thay đổi tông giọng (Change voice tone)
      • – When to use: People also tend to suddenly raise or lower their tone when talking. It’s either something special or they’re lying. 

    Bear in mind that these are not always true because there might be a possibility that they don’t lie or sometimes you don’t even realize that you are being lied to if you’re too into the conversation. Therefore, let’s take it easy and see them for fun. 

    5. Dấu hiệu ai đó thích bạn (Signs showing someone is having a crush on you)

    Knowing someone likes you doesn’t depend on what they do or say only but also on their gestures or the way they nonverbally communicate with you. 

    • Lặp lại hành động hay lời nói của bạn (Mirror your actions or words)

    Mirroring a conversation partner’s gestures is one of the techniques to build rapport and get trust. Mirroring someone that you’re interested in tells a lot about how attracted they are to you. In Vietnam, when someone is into you, they will have a tendency to copy some of your gestures, words, or favorite quote. Old Vietnamese couples even have something called “tướng phu thê” meaning “husband and wife look” because they’ve been living together for a long time and are probably influenced by each other’s gestures. That’s why when a young couple look alike, Vietnamese people will say they have “tướng phu thê.”
    • Xoay người về phía bạn (Turn towards you)

    Similar to mirroring your actions or words, someone is probably into you if they tend to turn towards you when talking. It means they’re interested in the conversations and want to get your full attention also.

    A Woman Smiling at a Meal
    • Có xu hướng chạm nhẹ vào bạn (Tends to lightly touch you)

    I remember when my boyfriend and I were on the first date, he tended to touch my back and cover for me when we crossed the road or slightly touch my hand when we were talking. He’s still doing so but what I’m trying to say is when someone is really into you, he/she might unintentionally or intentionally touch you at some point. Depending on how close the relationship is, the frequency and level of touches can be different. Touching strangers’ bodies, in general, is not very common anywhere in the world I believe, and neither is it in Vietnam. 

    • Lắng nghe bạn chăm chú (Attentively listen to you)

    Last but not least, when someone likes you, they will pay full attention to what you say and need. 

    6. Dấu hiệu ai đó giận dữ (Signs showing someone is angry)

    A Kid Getting Angry

    Fun fact, Vietnamese people can be pretty bad tempered, especially people from the North like myself. When someone gets angry, there’s not much to cover it unless they’re extremely calm or good at hiding their emotions. Here are a few regular signs in Vietnam that tell someone is getting really uncomfortable or angry. 

    • Mặt đỏ (Your face turns red)
    • Nói lớn hoặc quát tháo (Speak loudly or shout)
    • Im lặng và bỏ đi (Keep silent and leave)
    • Vò đầu bứt tai (Rub your head)

    Pretty common, isn’t it?

    Also, we usually say “Đổ thêm dầu vào lửa” (Add fuel to the fire or add insult to injury) to indicate someone’s actions have made a bad situation worse. This kind of action is considered pretty rude. 

    7. Cử chỉ với trẻ em (Gestures with children)

    Two Women Hanging Out with a Little Girl

    Showing affection to kids is one of the most sensitive things to do anywhere in the world and it is controversial in Vietnam. 

    Due to cultural habits, sometimes it is considered a rude gesture to a baby if the mother is not happy to let you do so. In Vietnam, most elderly people enjoy hugging, kissing, or touching newborn babies to show love. On the other hand, new mothers (mostly young women) are very uncomfortable when someone touches their baby without permission. Some kids don’t even like to be touched, including myself. I remember that I hated when my cousin’s brother kept pinching my cheeks when I was a little girl and now I keep doing the same thing with his little son, which is normal when we’re adults but not very pleasant when we were young.

    Here are a few gestures that you can use when meeting children that you know.

    • Véo má (Pinching cheek)
      • – When to use: when meeting kids that you know or are in your family. Some kids don’t like it and see it as a rude gesture so you can touch your index finger on their cheek instead. 

    • Xoa đầu (Touching head)
      • – When to use: touching kids’ heads is most common in Vietnam but it should be used for babies or small kids who are shorter than you because some older kids may not like it. 

    • Bế (Lifting)
      • – When to use: Lifting or hugging is obviously suitable for babies or young kids only. When kids are in primary school and above, it’s not very easy and suitable to lift them unless you’re very close or they know you very well. 

    • Nắm tay (Holding hands)
      • – When to use: Holding kids’ hands is very important especially when walking on the street because the traffic in Vietnam is quite complicated. In addition, kids might get lost in crowded tourist spots when traveling. Only let them walk alone once you’re sure that they’re old enough.

    8. Conclusion

    Body gestures can help you communicate nonverbally in Vietnam better.  However, you will need to combine speaking the language also but they will absolutely help you connect to locals and understand each other better. 

    There are also other ways to communicate such as writing, texting, learning through the cultures … and knowing how to use body gestures in Vietnam is like adding some spices to your dish to finally elevate the flavors. 

    No matter if you’re an absolute beginner or intermediate, you’ll definitely find lessons, audio files, flashcards and other resources on VietnamesePod101. Our Youtube channel also provides interesting video lessons that will help you improve pronunciation every week. 

    What are you waiting for? Get your free lifetime account right now and get your real lesson by real teachers!

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    Vietnamese Internet Text Slang

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    Each generation of teenagers has its own language conventions, and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to figure out what they’re saying. Slang words are often seen as a language that teenagers use, but the funny thing is that even adults have been adopting slang terms these days in order to stay trendy. 

    Teen slang words can be puzzling to those who aren’t familiar with them. The good news is that most of them are harmless. Teenagers can use slang to express their personality, assert their independence, or simply to sound cool. They can also bond with their peers by using slang easily.

    One of the most fascinating aspects of slang—which also happens to be one of the most frustrating things for language learners—is that it’s always evolving. Slang words change their meanings over time to reflect the culture’s beliefs and attitudes, and these terms are sometimes used to give conventional words new meanings. Thus, while attempting to keep up with their children, parents are probably already behind even after they think they’ve nailed a few terms.

    One of the fastest ways to learn a language is to hang out with locals and discover first-hand how to use language conventions like slang. Slang is frequently used to appear friendly to show that you belong to a specific group of people or to demonstrate that you’re familiar with popular culture. Therefore, when learning Vietnamese, you should absolutely know and remember these most common modern Vietnamese text slang terms for 2022.

    Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Beginner Vocabulary in Vietnamese Table of Contents
    1. The Origin of Vietnamese Slang
    2. Is Slang Good or Bad?
    3. Most Common Slang Words Used by Young Vietnamese People
    4. Vietnamese Internet Slang
    5. Text Slang Expressions

    1. The Origin of Vietnamese Slang

    There are two kinds of Vietnamese slang words that are commonly used on the internet or for texting: Từ thuần Việt and Từ mượn.

    A- Từ thuần Việt

    These slang words are of purely Vietnamese origin. This class of words is considered simple and easy to understand, and it’s most often used in the media (especially journals). When a pure Vietnamese word becomes slang, it will inevitably be assigned a different meaning from its original meaning.

    Example:

    • means “chicken,” but in Vietnamese slang, it refers to promising talent under the management of a company. In this case, is understood as a “pure” Vietnamese slang word, and it’s very common on the internet. 

    B- Từ mượn 

    This class of words comprises those that are borrowed from other languages. Essentially, the words are adopted by speakers of one language from a different language (French, Chinese, Russian…). 

    Example:

    • Phi công (“Pilot”): A man who is in a relationship with an older woman
    • Vệ tinh (“Satellite”): A man who is attracted to a woman
    • Cấm vận (“Embargo”): To prohibit your partner from having sex with you

    2. Is Slang Good or Bad?

    Slang is often used within a specific social group. This means that each group will have its own set of slang terms that only the members of that group can understand. When forming a social group, the existence, and development of slang is almost inevitable. For example, the online community uses a separate system of slang, while students have their own slang system.

    When this kind of language first appeared, people often thought it was bad and that the teenagers who used them were naughty. However, in the Vietnamese language today, slang is used much more widely. Thanks to slang, everyday stories have even become funnier and wittier. That’s why people sometimes prefer to use these types of words more often. 

    3. Most Common Slang Words Used by Young Vietnamese People

    You’ll be surprised by how creative and imaginative Vietnamese teenagers are when it comes to creating slang words. 

    • Gấu (“Bear”): Boyfriend/girlfriend. Calling someone gấu means you’re in a relationship, and it’s very warm to hug each other in winter (like hugging a bear). Funny, isn’t it?
    • Thả thính (“To drop fishing bait”): To flirt around. In the past, thả thính referred literally to fishing; now, it refers to a person intentionally attracting or seducing one or more people even though there’s no affection (as if they were dropping bait to catch fish).

    An Animated Character Dropping Roasted Rice Powder

    • Quẩy (“Bagel twists”): To dance or to go party. While dancing, your legs usually look twisted the same way that a bagel does.

    A Plate Full of Bagel Twists
    • Trẻ trâu (“Young buffaloes”): In the past, buffaloes were called calves. Today, “young buffalo” or “ox children” refers to a class of young, energetic, extravagant teenagers who like to show off and often act impulsively.

    • Cá sấu (“Crocodile”): Ugly people. Sấu has a similar pronunciation to xấu, which means “ugly,” and cá is “fish.”  So: cá sấu = ugly “fish”/people.

    • Bánh bèo (a kind of street food in Hue) is used to refer to girls who are redheaded and who appear weak and dependable.

    • GATO Ghen Ăn Tức : To be jealous. GATO also means “birthday cake,” which has nothing to do with what the slang phrase means. When you see that a Vietnamese person is GATO, you’d better not point it out; otherwise, they may get mad. 

    • Đào mộ (“Tomb digging”): In the current sense, this is the activity of finding and renewing old images or information that mistakenly attracts attention.

    • Đi bão (“To go storm”): If “storm” was previously used as a noun, it has now become a verb referring to the gathering of vehicles to celebrate a victory or racing event (mostly in football).

    • (“Chicken”): When used as an adjective, this word refers to someone who doesn’t play well, does well in games, etc. 

    • Anh hùng bàn phím (“Hero keyboard”): Used with sarcasm to mock people who “hide their faces” behind computer screens.

    • Sống ảo (“Virtual living”): People who often show off or brag about what they don’t have.

    • Bóc phốt: To reveal faults or scandals.

    • Manh chiếu mới  (“A new mat”): Newbies or innocent people.

    Now, let’s move on to the next part to learn some popular Vietnamese slang words and phrases used on the internet. 

    4. Vietnamese Internet Slang

    Most internet slang terms are adopted from spoken Vietnamese, and they quickly go viral due to the explosion of social media platforms such as Facebook, Tiktok, and Instagram. When learning Vietnamese, you will probably see these online slang expressions while browsing the internet: 

    • ACC: Account. 
      When talking about an account, Vietnamese people sometimes forget how to spell the word correctly, which is why they just write ACC instead.
    • AC (Anh/chị): Brother or sister.
      Simply means “you.” Don’t mix it up with the one above.
    • Ad: Administrator or admin.
      Again, it’s hard for Vietnamese people to remember the spelling of certain words in English. Forgive us. 🙂
    • ATSM (Ảo tưởng sức mạnh): Power illusion.
      Those who are overconfident and under the illusion that they are the center of the universe. These young Vietnamese are not often liked by others.
    A Screenshot of Text Messages

    (- Ê mày ơi, con An B nó ATSM nhờ.
    – Ừ công nhận)

    • Ava: Avatar.
      Profile picture.
    • Ox/Bx (Ông xã/Bà xã): Husband/Wife.
    • Bae: Before anyone else, babe, or baby. 
      Used to describe a romantic partner or good friend.
    • Blah blah blah: 
      When someone talks a lot and others don’t want to listen, they appear as if they’re babbling. Hence, “blah blah blah.” If you want to describe someone who is talkative, you can say:
      Anh ấy cứ blah blah blah mãi về lương của mình.
      He just “blah blah blahs” all the time about his salary.
    • COCC (Con ông cháu cha): Rich kids.
      Refers to the descendants of powerful people.

    A Screenshot of Text Messages

    (- Nghe nói Hải Đức là COCC đấy
    – Là sao??
    – Con ông cháu cha ý
    – Ồ ra vậy)

    • G9: Goodnight.
    • Ib/PM: Inbox or DM.
      To send someone private messages on their social media.
    • KLQ (Không liên quan): Irrelevant.
    • NYC (Người yêu cũ): Not “New York City,” but rather refers to an ex-girlfriend or ex-boyfriend. 
    • Rep: To reply or respond to someone’s messages.
    • SNVV (Sinh nhật vui vẻ): This is a short and simple way to say “Happy birthday,” but it’s not appreciated very much as it’s too short and not very thoughtful.

    A Screenshot of Text Messages

    (- SVNN nha mày
    Alo
    ???
    Alooo)

    5. Text Slang Expressions

    Technically, spoken Vietnamese turns into internet slang. Then, once internet slang goes viral, it turns into text language. 

    Now, let’s learn some common Vietnamese SMS abbreviations. Below is a list of Vietnamese text slang words that you can apply immediately:

    • Kb (không biết): Don’t know.

    A Screenshot of Text Messages

    (-  Có BTVN không?
    – KB)

    • ntn (như thế nào): How?

    • k (không): No.

    • bb: Bye-bye.

    • uhm/uh (): Yes.

    • ls (là sao/làm sao): Why? / What?

    • đc k (được không): Is that okay?

    • đc (được): Okay, it’s good.

    • Có gì alo: Call you later. / Catch you later.

    • toang: To break up with somebody.

    • Tuesday (Thứ ba): The third person who interferes in a relationship.

    • Trà xanh: Green tea. It also means the third person who interferes in a relationship.

    • ĐLGT (Đang làm gì thế): What are you doing?

    • Cẩu lương: Dog’s food. It refers to the intimate and sweet actions of couples in love in the eyes of single people. 

    Perhaps we should change the way we see slang because, as mentioned above, most of them sound pretty cute to me. Vietnamese internet and text slang, therefore, happens to be surprisingly useful when learning the language, especially if you want to sound like a local.

    Using Vietnamese slang terms is enjoyable and can show you many things about Vietnamese culture. Although countless Vietnamese natives use it on a daily basis, I recommend that you only use Vietnamese slang in informal contexts with your family, friends, coworkers, or other people you know well. When speaking in a professional setting, it is preferable to utilize formal terms to express yourself directly.

    If you want to learn more Vietnamese phrases, visit VietnamesePod101.com and get access to your free lifetime account right now. And see you in the next article. Bb!

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    Vietnamese Holidays: Vietnam Memorial Day on July 27

    Vietnam_Memorial_DayIn Vietnam, there’s a National Day of Remembrance each year. On this day, the country remembers and honors wounded Vietnam soldiers for their sacrifices during the country’s many wars.

    Learning about Vietnam Memorial Day for the Martyrs and Wounded Soldiers, you’re uncovering many layers of Vietnamese history and culture. This, in turn, will make your language-learning endeavors that much more meaningful to you, and much more successful in the long run.

    At VietnamesePod101.com, we hope to give you all the tools and support you need to master the Vietnamese language and truly understand its culture.

    Let’s get started.

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    1. What is Remembrance Day in Vietnam?

    During the wars, many Vietnamese soldiers sacrificed parts of their bodies and even their lives for the protection of their country. In 1946 especially, the number of casualties who were Vietnamese soldiers was higher than when the war against French colonialists took place. At that time, President Ho Chi Minh signed a decree on policies for invalids and martyrs.

    Vietnamese history has recorded many cases in wars where mothers lost all their children. In particular, there was a mother who lost all nine of her children because they all sacrificed themselves for their country. Those women had the title of “Vietnamese heroic mothers” conferred on them.

    This is a day for the lost to be remembered, those who sacrificed to be honored and shown respect, and the mothers of the victims comforted. Of all July 27 holidays & observances around the world, this one is perhaps the most important.

    2. When is Remembrance Day in Vietnam?

    Group of Veterans

    Vietnam observes its Day for Martyrs and Wounded Soldiers on July 27 each year. This July 27 holiday is one of the most important in the country, commemorating some of its most noble citizens. Read on for information on how the Vietnamese celebrate this July 27 national holiday.

    3. Reading Practice: How is the Vietnam Memorial Day Celebrated?

    Praying for the Dead

    How does the country honor wounded Vietnam soldiers and their families? Read the Vietnamese text below to find out, and find the English translation directly below it.

    Hàng năm, cứ vào ngày này, các nhà chức trách từ trung ương đến địa phương sẽ tham gia hoạt động tảo mộ, thắp hương cho các liệt sĩ tại các nghĩa trang. Trong chiến tranh, cũng đã có rất nhiều binh sĩ hy sinh mà không thể tìm thấy thông tin cá nhân nên sau này, các đài tuởng niệm các liệt sĩ vô danh ở nhiều địa phương cũng được xây dựng lên để thờ cúng những ngôi mộ không tên của các chiến sĩ.

    Trong ngày Thương binh – liệt sĩ, cán bộ cơ quan Nhà nước không những đến thăm hỏi, tặng quà những thương binh mà còn đến thăm hỏi, động viên gia đình liệt sĩ và các Bà mẹ Việt Nam anh hùng.

    Để tỏ lòng biết ơn, Nhà nước Việt Nam cũng có chính sách cộng thêm điểm trong kỳ thi vào đại học cho con của các thương binh và liệt sĩ. Tùy từng trường hợp mà số điểm được cộng sẽ là 0,5 đến 1 điểm trên thang điểm 10.

    Annually, on this day, officials at every level of government down to the local level will take part in visiting, cleaning, and decorating graves and burning incense for martyrs in cemeteries. During wars, there were also many soldiers who fell without any personal information known about them, so later monuments to unnamed martyrs were built in many localities to commemorate their tombs.

    On Vietnam’s Invalids and Martyrs Day, State officials not only come to visit and give gifts to invalids, but also have a visit and encourage families of martyrs and heroic Vietnamese mothers.

    In order to show its gratitude, the Vietnamese State has also enacted a policy on increasing the marks on university entrance exams for the children of invalids and martyrs. The mark added is from 0.5 to 1 on a scale of 10, on a case-by-case basis.

    4. First Celebration of Invalids and Martyrs Day

    When was the first Vietnamese Invalids and Martyrs Day?

    On July 27, 1947, the first Invalids Day took place in Thai Nguyen province, with 2,000 participants in the first meeting. In 1955, July 27 was renamed to Vietnam’s Invalids and Martyrs Day.

    5. Vocabulary to Know for Remembrance Day in Vietnam

    Burning Incense

    Here’s some vocabulary you should know for Vietnamese Day for Martyrs and Wounded Soldiers!

    • Ngày thương binh liệt sĩ — “Day for Martyrs and Wounded Soldiers”
    • cựu chiến binh — “veteran”
    • lòng biết ơn — “gratitude”
    • đài tưởng niệm liệt sĩ — “patriotic-war-dead memorial”
    • thắp hương — “burning incense”
    • cầu nguyện cho người đã mất — “pray for the dead”
    • bảo vệ — “protect”
    • giải thưởng — “award”
    • vòng hoa — “wreath”
    • huân chương — “honors”

    To hear each vocabulary word pronounced, check out our relevant vocabulary list!

    Conclusion

    We hope you enjoyed learning about Vietnam’s Remembrance Day with us, and that you took away some valuable information from this article.

    Does your country have a Remembrance or Memorial Day? Let us know in the comments, and feel free to tell us how your country celebrates it.

    To continue learning Vietnamese, explore VietnamesePod101.com and take advantage of our fun and practical learning resources. Read more insightful blog posts like this one, study free Vietnamese vocabulary lists, or reach out for help on our community forums. By upgrading to Premium Plus, you can also begin using our MyTeacher program to learn Vietnamese with your own teacher and personalized plan!

    Learning a new language is a noble task, and one that’s not always easy. But know that your dedication and hard work will pay off, and you’ll be speaking, writing, and reading Vietnamese like a native before you know it!

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