Learning a language on your own or without traditional classroom instruction may seem quite daunting at first. What if you run into questions? How do you stay motivated and on track to achieving goals?
Don’t worry, not only is it possible to learn Vietnamese or any language without traditional classroom instruction: VietnamesePod101 has created the world’s most advanced and extensive online language learning system. Not only is VietnamesePod101 specifically designed to help you with learning a language on your own, it’s actually faster, more convenient, and less expensive than traditional classroom options!
Let’s look at some of the benefits of learning Vietnamese or any language alone.
Also, don’t forget to download your free cheat sheet – How to Improve Your Language Skills too!
3 Reasons to Learn a Language Alone
1. Learn at Your Own Pace and On Your Schedule
In today’s fast-paced world, there just isn’t time for traditional classroom instruction. Between getting to class and studying on some professor or teacher’s schedule, traditional classroom learning is simply impossible to fit in. But when you learn Vietnamese alone, you can study in bed if you like and whenever suits your schedule best, making it far easier to actually reach your goal of learning and mastering the language.
2. Learning a Language on Your Own Reduces Stress and Anxiety
Speaking in front of a class, pop quizzes, and tests are just a few of the stressors you will encounter when you learn a language in a traditional classroom setting. Specifically, these are external stressors that often derail most people’s dream of learning a new language. But when you learn Vietnamese alone, there are no external stressors. Without the external stress and anxiety, it becomes much easier and more exciting to study Vietnamese and reach your very own goals—all on your own!
3. Learning Vietnamese Alone Helps Improve Cognitive Function and Overall Success
Learning a language on your own is indeed more challenging in some ways than being taught in a traditional classroom setting. In fact, while classroom instruction requires more rote memorization and following instructions, studying a language on your own requires more problem-solving and higher cognitive function to self-teach lessons and hit goals. So while it’s more challenging and requires higher levels of cognition, teaching yourself a language pays dividends throughout life by better preparing you for social/work opportunities that arise.
How to Learn a Language on Your Own with VietnamesePod101
1. Access to the World’s Largest Collection of Vietnamese Audio & Video Lessons
The best way to learn a language on your own is to study from native speaking instructors. Ideally, you want audio and/or video lessons that teach vocabulary, grammar, and provide actual Vietnamese conversations and dialogue to help you with pronunciation. VietnamesePod101 has hundreds of hours of HD audio and video lessons created by real Vietnamese instructors and every lesson is presented by professional Vietnamese actors for perfect pronunciation. Plus, all lessons can be accessed 24/7 via any mobile device with Internet access. And, if you download the PDF versions of each lesson, you can even study without Internet access once the lesson is stored on your device!
2. “Learning Paths” with Vietnamese Courses Based Upon Your Exact Needs & Goals
Although VietnamesePod101 has more than thousands of video and audio lessons, you need not review each and every one to learn the language. In fact, VietnamesePod101 has developed a feature called “Learning Paths”. You simply tell us your goals and we will identify the best courses and study plan to help you reach them in the shortest time possible. So even though you are technically learning a language on your own, our team is always here to help and make sure you reach your goals FAST!
3. Advanced Learning Tools Reduce Learning Time and Boost Retention
When you have the right tools and Vietnamese learning resources, it’s actually easy to teach yourself a language! In the past 10+ years, VietnamesePod101 has developed, tested, and refined more than 20 advanced learning tools to boost retention and reduce learning time, including:
Spaced Repetition Flashcards
Line-by-Line Dialogue Breakdown
Review Quizzes
Voice Recording Tools to Help Perfect Pronunciation
Armed with our growing collection of advanced learning tools, it’s truly a breeze to learn Vietnamese alone and reach your goals!
Conclusion
Learning a language on your own is not only possible, it’s actually easier and more beneficial for you than traditional classroom instruction. In fact, when you learn Vietnamese on your own you can study at your own pace, eliminate stress, and actually increase cognitive function.
VietnamesePod101 is the world’s most advanced online language learning system and a great resource to help you teach yourself a new language. With the world’s largest collection of HD audio and video lessons, more than 20 advanced learning tools, and customized “Learning Paths”, VietnamesePod101 makes learning a new language easier, more convenient, and less expensive than traditional classroom instruction.
And the best part is: With VietnamesePod101, you can study in bed, your car, or wherever you have a few spare minutes of time. Create your Free Lifetime Account now and get a FREE ebook to help “kickstart” your dream of learning a language on your own below!
Yes, even beginners can quickly learn conversational Vietnamese well enough to carry on real conversations with native speakers. Of course, beginners won’t be able to carry a conversation the same way they could in their native language. But, just knowing a few tips like which questions to ask to keep a conversation going are all you need to speak and interact with real native speakers! But before we get to specific suggestions, let’s first take a closer look at how having real Vietnamese conversations is so vital to your mastery of the language.
Learning to Carry a Conversation is Vital to Mastery of Any Language
Communicating with other people is the very point of language and conversation is almost second nature in our native tongue. For beginners or anyone learning a new language, conversations aren’t easy at all and even simple Vietnamese greetings can be intimidating and awkward.
Avoid Awkward Silences: Nothing kills a conversation faster than long periods of awkward silence, so you need practice and specific strategies to avoid them.
Improve the Flow of Conversation to Make a Better Impression: When you know what to say to keep a conversation going, communication becomes much easier and you make a better impression on your listener.
Master the Language Faster: Nothing will help you learn to speak Vietnamese faster and truly master the language than having real conversations with native speakers. Conversations quickly expose you to slang, cultural expressions, and vocabulary that force you to absorb and assimilate information faster than any educational setting—and that’s a great thing!
But how can you possibly have real conversations with real Vietnamese people if you are just starting out?
3 Conversation Strategies for Beginners
1. Ask Questions to Keep a Conversation Going
For beginners and even more advanced speakers, the key is to learn to ask questions to keep a conversation going. Of course, they can’t be just random questions or else you may confuse the listener. But, by memorizing a few key questions and the appropriate time to use them, you can easily carry a conversation with minimal vocabulary or experience. And remember, the more Vietnamese conversations you have, the quicker you will learn and master the language!
2. Learn Core Vocabulary Terms as Quickly as Possible
You don’t need to memorize 10,000’s of words to learn conversational Vietnamese. In fact, with just a couple hundred Vietnamese words you could have a very basic Vietnamese conversation. And by learning maybe 1,000-2,000 words, you could carry a conversation with a native speaker about current events, ordering in restaurants, and even getting directions.
3. Study Videos or Audio Lessons that You Can Play and Replay Again and Again
If you want to know how to carry a conversation in Vietnamese, then you need exposure to native speakers—and the more the better. Ideally, studying video or audio lessons is ideal because they provide contextualized learning in your native language and you can play them again and again until mastery.
VietnamesePod101 Makes it Easier and More Convenient Than Ever to Learn Conversational Vietnamese
For more than 10 years, VietnamesePod101 has been helping students learn to speak Vietnamese by creating the world’s most advanced online language learning system. Here are just a few of the specific features that will help you learn conversational Vietnamese fast using our proven system:
The Largest Collection of HD Video & Audio Lessons from Real Vietnamese Instructors:VietnamesePod101 instructors have created hundreds of video and audio lessons that you can play again and again. And the best part is: They don’t just teach you Vietnamese vocabulary and grammar, they are designed to help you learn to speak Vietnamese and teach you practical everyday topics like shopping, ordering, etc!
Pronunciation Tools: Use this feature to record and compare yourself with native speakers to quickly improve your pronunciation and fluency!
2000 Common Vietnamese Words: Also known as our Core List, these 2,000 words are all you need to learn to speak fluently and carry a conversation with a native speaker!
In all, more than 20 advanced learning tools help you quickly build vocabulary and learn how to carry a conversation with native speakers—starting with your very first lesson.
Conclusion
Although it may seem intimidating for a beginner, the truth is that it is very easy to learn conversational Vietnamese. By learning a few core vocabulary terms and which questions to ask to keep a conversation going, just a little practice and exposure to real Vietnamese conversations or lessons is all it really takes. VietnamesePod101 has created the world’s largest online collection of video and audio lessons by real instructors plus loads of advanced tools to help you learn to speak Vietnamese and carry a conversation quickly.
Act now and we’ll also include a list of the most commonly used questions to keep a conversation going so you can literally get started immediately!
Today, classrooms are no longer the only or even best place to learn a new language like Vietnamese. More and more people are finding that they can easily learn a language just about anywhere they have a few minutes of spare time, including their daily commute to work. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the average American spends over 50 minutes a day commuting to and from work, or over 300 hours a year.
Rethinking Your Daily Commute to Work
But rather than simply sitting in traffic and wasting the time, you can instead use your daily commute to literally learn Vietnamese in just a few short months! VietnamesePod101 has developed specialized learning tools that you can use on your commute to work (and home again) to master the language in your spare time. Keep reading to learn how to get your free audiobook to use on your next commute so you can see for yourself how easy it is to transform “dead time” into realizing your dream of learning a new language!
But before we look at how to transform your commute home into a mini-classroom, let’s take a closer look at 4 reasons why traditional classroom settings just aren’t the best option for most people in today’s fast-paced world.
Difficulty Getting to and From Class
Learning on Someone Else’s Schedule
Very Expensive and May Cost $1,000’s to Complete
Can Take Years to Finally Complete Classes and Learn the Language
The simple truth is that traditional classroom instruction is simply not a viable option for most people in today’s very fast-paced, time-starved world. Now let’s examine how you can learn a language faster, more easily, and at far less expense than traditional classes—all during your commute to work and back home again!
3 Reasons Your Daily Commute Can Help You Master a Language
1. The Average Commute Time is More than 300 Hours Per Year
Between the commute to work and getting back home again, over 6 hours a week is completely wasted and not helping you reach any goals or objectives. But thanks to online language learning platforms with audiobooks and other resources that you can access during your commute, you can easily transform wasted time into tangible progress towards learning a new language. With over 300 hours available annually, your daily commute could provide you with enough time to literally master a new language each and every year!
2. Increase Your Earning Potential While Commuting to Work
How would you like to transform all those spare commuting hours each week into more money for a new car, house, or even a dream vacation? According to research, someone making $30,000 per year can boost their annual income by $600 or more per year by learning a second language. Added up over the course of a lifetime, you can boost your total earnings by $70,000 or more while achieving your dream of learning a new language during your daily commute!
How? From work-at-home translation jobs to working overseas, there are many ways to leverage your second language into more money in your bank account! So instead of wasting your precious time, you can make your commute more productive and profitable and the more languages you learn, the higher your income potential.
3. Repetition is Key to Mastering a New Language
Not sure if it’s practical to learn another language while commuting to and from work each day? Well not only is it possible—learning in your car on the way to and from work each day can actually help you learn and master Vietnamese or any language much faster! The simple truth is that repetition is absolutely vital to truly internalizing and mastering any language. So, if you listen to audiobooks or even audio lessons on your commute to work and then repeat the same lesson on your commute home, the information is more likely to be “locked-in” to your long-term memory!
5 Ways VietnamesePod101 Makes It Easy to Learn a Language On Your Commute
VietnamesePod101 has been helping people just like yourself learn and master Vietnamese in the comfort of their home, during their daily commute, or any place they have a few minutes of spare time. Here are five features provided by VietnamesePod101 that make it easy to learn a new language while commuting to and from work:
1. The Largest Collection of Audio Lessons on Planet by Native Speaking Instructors
Every single week, VietnamesePod101 creates new audio lessons by native speaking instructors. All lessons are short, to the point, and guaranteed to improve your mastery of Vietnamese.
2. Word of the Day
Simply exposing yourself to new information and vocabulary terms helps increase your fluency and mastery of Vietnamese. So every single day, VietnamesePod101 adds a new Word of the Day for you to learn and memorize during your commute.
3. Daily Dose Mini-Lessons
Have a short commute to work but still want to make progress towards learning and mastering Vietnamese? Not a problem! Our Daily Dose Mini-Lessons are 1-minute or less and designed to improve your grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation.
4. All Content Available on a Convenient Mobile App
You don’t need a PC or tablet to learn Vietnamese during your daily commute. At VietnamesePod101, all of our lessons, tools, and resources are available 24/7 via our Mobile App. That means you can access all of our audio lessons and other tools during your commute to work or any time you have a few spare moments!
5. Audiobooks and Other Supplemental Resources
In addition to the world’s largest online collection of HD audio lessons, VietnamesePod101 has also created several audiobooks to enhance your understanding and make it more convenient than ever to learn a language during your commute!
Conclusion
The average commute time of most Americans is over 300 hours each year and it’s the perfect opportunity to learn and master a new language. In fact, you can use the “dead time” during your daily commute to learn a new language and potentially boost your lifetime earnings by up to $70,000 or more! Whatever your motivation, VietnamesePod101 has the tools and resources necessary to help you learn a new language each year during your commute to and from work. Act now and we’ll even provide you with a free audiobook to try out on your next commute!
Saying “Hello” in Vietnamese is just a piece of cake because it’s as easy as learning the Vietnamese alphabet especially for new learners.
– Wait a minute! Then why am I here?
What is really challenging, on the other hand, is how to choose the right pronoun to address locals. It’s not as simple as “You” and “I” only in English. You need to guess how old people are and what the right pronoun to use is (including for yourself)
– Wait, what???
Don’t freak out, I’m here to help!
Needless to say, “Xin chào” is obviously the easiest and most common way to say Hello in Vietnam. However, we are going into it and discover the most common Vietnamese greetings that you can start using by the end of this article. By breaking down the principles into smaller pieces, greeting someone when learning Vietnamese will become way easier than you thought. Not to mention you’ll be able to impress locals also.
Ready? Let’s start with the most “problematic” one, cách xưng hô với người Việt (how to address Vietnamese people)
By knowing the right personal pronoun, you’ve already mastered one of the most challenging parts of learning Vietnamese that allows you to confidently communicate with locals.
First, you will probably meet young people when coming to Vietnam. These are for talking to friends or people at your age.
– Tôi, tớ, mình, tao : I – Bạn, cậu, mày : You
Ví dụ (example) :
-Me talking to a friend : Tao không tin là nó kết hôn rồi(I don’t believe that she’s married) – My friend : Tao cũng thế(Me neither)
Here you can see that we both use “tao” for ourselves as “I” and it’s also applicable for “me”.
Một ví dụ khác (another example)
– Me talking to a friend :Cuối tuần mày rảnh không?(Are you free this weekend?) – My friend :Tao chưa biết được(I don’t know yet)
Bear in mind that “tao” and “mày” should be used for very close friends or siblings in a friendly environment. Any cases out of this context would be considered rude, disrespectful or aggressive.
Next, when talking to (up to around) 20 years older people, it will change to :
– Em : I – Anh (for males) /chị (for females) : You
This means younger people usually have to show respect to older people in Vietnam and using different pronouns reflects it, which also means if you want to disown someone, change the pronoun 🙂 (I’ll tell you more in the coming parts).
Ví dụ :
– Me talking to my elder sister :Chị cho em mượn xe nhé(May I borrow your vehicle?) – My sister :Ừ, nhớ về sớm nhé(Okay, remember to come back soon) –
In this situation, she doesn’t have to use pronouns if she doesn’t want to because she’s older than me. It’s very common to omit some words in Vietnamese when it’s not necessary, such as in informal talks.
When talking to (up to) 20~30 years older people who are in your parents generation, what you will have to use are:
– Cháu : I – Cô (for females) /Chú (for males) /Bác (for all) : You
We use “Cô” (for females) and “Chú” (for males) to address people who are younger than your parents whereas “Bác” is used with people who you think are older than your parents. How do you know if they’re younger or older than your parents? You’ll have to guess or it’s based on how well you know the person. One tip is to always use “Cô” and “Chú” because it means they look young to you.
Ví dụ :
– Me talking to my aut : Cô gọi cháu có việc gì không (ạ)? (Did you call me for something?) – My aunt : Cô định rủ cháu đi ăn trưa(I was planning to ask you out for lunch)
Một ví dụ khác :
– Me (33 years old) talking to a 50 year-old cashier : Cô cho cháu gửi tiền (Miss, I’d like to pay) – Her : Của cháu hết 100 (Your bill is 100.000vnd)
Last one (I promise), when talking to grandparents generations, what we use are:
– Cháu : I – Ông (for grandpas)/ Bà (for grandmas) : You
Ví dụ :
– Me talking to my grandpa : Ông ơi, ông có muốn uống trà không ạ? (Grandpa, would you like some tea?) – My grandpa : Có, cho ông một chén (Yes, give me a cup of tea)
You can see here that we use “ông” in both two sentences, which mean “ông” can be used for me to call my grandpa but it also can be used for my grandpa to use for himself (It’s similar to the example with “cháu” above).
– My grandpa : Có, cho ông một chén (Yes, give “grandpa” a cup of tea)
2. Cấu trúc câu (sentence structure)
We have just been through one of the most difficult principles of the basic Vietnamese language. You can now relax because it’s super easy to form a Hello sentence when learning Vietnamese.
Full sentence:
Cấu trúc câu (Sentence structure)
Chủ ngữ (Subject)
chào (“greet”)
người được chào (the person being greeted)
ạ (used when talking to older people to show respect)
Ví dụ (Example)
Em
chào
anh
ạ
Ví dụ :
– Em chào anh (ạ) : for older brother – Em chào chị (ạ) : for older sisters – Cháu chào cô (ạ) : for older aunts – Cháu chào chú (ạ) : for older uncles – Cháu chào ông (ạ) : for grandpas – Cháu chào bà (ạ) : for grandmas
A tip to remember “ạ” is to think of it as the first letter of the Vietnamese alphabet with a dot to show respect when talking to older people.
Chào + người được chào (the person that you greet)/name
Ví dụ :
– Chào anh – Chào chị – Chào cô – Chào chú – Chào Linh – Chào Hương
All of the examples above are to be used in both formal and informal situations. Although the shorter version seems faster to speak, it’s more polite when using the full version.
3. Cách chào đối với bạn bè thân thiết (How to greet close friends)
Close friends are easier to treat and there are different ways to greet people like them such as:
– Ê(Hey) – A lô(Hello?) – Đang đâu?(Where are you?) – Đang làm gì đấy? (What are you doing?) – Mày ơi(Hey you…) – Đi đâu đây?(Where are you going?)
Remember that those sentences can be used for both text messages and phone calls, meaning you can either type or start a conversation with close friends by saying them.
Ví dụ :
Tôi (me) : A lô Bạn tôi (my friend) : Ơi?(What?) Tôi : Đang làm gì đấy?(What are you doing?) Bạn tôi : Chuẩn bị ngủ, làm sao?(About to sleep, what’s up?) Tôi : Thôi, ngủ đi(Never mind, sleep!)
Wondering what “đi” means in the sentence, I’ve got a video about it for you. Simply check it here. Also, if you notice some vowels in the Vietnamese alphabet have a hat when writing, they are : a, e, o. When typing them using the Vietnamese keyboard, we press the key twice. For example : aa becomes â, ee becomes ê, oo becomes ô.
4. Cách chào trang trọng (Formal ways to greet people)
It’s not hard to sound formal because you only need to remember these rules:
Use the short version of the sentence (Subject is not needed)
Ví dụ :
Informal way
Formal way
Em chào anh (Hi/hello)
Chào anh (Hello Sir)
Em chào anh chị (Hi everyone)
Chào mọi người (Hello everyone)
Em mời anh vào (Come in please)
Xin mời vào (Come in please)
Use “Tôi” for “I” instead of “em”
Ví dụ :
Informal way
Formal way
Em đến rồi (I’m here already)
Tôi đến rồi (I’m here already)
Mình đây/Em đây (I’m here)
Tôi đây (I’m here)
When you greet people in a meeting or event, you can use these sentences :
– Xin kính chào quý vị và các bạn (Ladies and gentlemen) – Xin chào các anh, các chị(Hello everyone)
5. Cách chào đối với các mối quan hệ xã giao (How to greet social relations)
Greeting social relations is quite similar to formal greetings. The only difference, if any, is whether you want to show your emotions or not. What I was trying to say is, depending on how close you are, you can decide which way you would use to greet people in basic Vietnamese.
Therefore, it’s pretty easy at this point. A few simple examples that you may use for colleagues, acquaintances or an old friend are:
– Xin chào (Hello) – in most cases – Chào mọi người (Hello everyone) – when meeting a group of colleagues – Chào cả nhà (Hello everyone) – when meeting a group of old friends – Chào mừng các bạn (Welcome you guys …) – when welcoming participant in an event – Chào nhé(Bye) – when saying goodbye to anyone
6. Cách chào theo thời điểm trong ngày (Greetings based on different times of the day)
Another thing that you may be interested in is how to say Hi in basic Vietnamese based on different times of the day. Unlike in English, Vietnamese native speakers don’t usually say things like “Good afternoon” or “Good evening”. In case you still want to find out something similar to easily remember and connect to your mother tongue, here are some examples:
– Chào buổi sáng(Good morning) – Buổi tối vui vẻ(Have a fun evening) – Chúc các bạn ngủ ngon (Goodnight/Sleep well)
Those are very popular in both spoken and written basic Vietnamese and commonly used on TV shows, daily meetings or at the end of an event. Another note is we don’t really say Hi in the middle of the day or when you see someone again during the day. We just simply smile or ask something instead if we want to be friendly. And that’s all you need to remember.
7. Cách chào người lâu không gặp (How to greet people you haven’t seen for a long time)
– Khoẻ không?(How are you?) – Lâu lắm không gặp(I haven’t seen you in such a long time) – Dạo này thế nào rồi/Dạo này sao rồi?(How have you been lately?) – Công việc dạo này thế nào?(How has your job/work been?) – Trùng hợp nhỉ/Trùng hợp quá(What a coincidence!) – This can be used if you unexpectedly see someone somewhere. This also sounds a little bit sarcastic if you mean you didn’t think that person is able to be there for some reason.
8. Cách chào tạm biệt (How to say goodbye)
Last but not least, you will definitely say goodbye to someone after having a conversation. The fact is Vietnamese native speakers sometimes use “bye” for both speaking and writing. Furthermore, we also have several ways to say before leaving.
Ví dụ :
–Chào nhé(Bye) – Đi đây(gotta go) – Tôi phải đi đây(I gotta go) – Gặp sau nhé(See you later) – Có gì alo(Call you later) – Nói chuyện sau nhé(Talk to you later) – Hẹn sớm gặp lại(See you soon) – For someone you might not see for some time – Giữ sức khoẻ nhé/Bảo trọng nhé(Take care) – For someone you might not see for some time
Bear in mind that all the cases that I’ve mentioned above are for you to clearly understand the purposes and the meaning of Vietnamese greetings. It doesn’t mean you cannot use some of them for different situations. To make it simple we can use ways mentioned in Part 1. However, to impress Vietnamese native speakers and communicate like a native, you can try all the other suggestions.
9. Greeting etiquette
I was planning to stop at 8 but decided to add one more topic which is good manners when greeting Vietnamese people (I like number 9 a lot). In fact, there are certain things that I want to remind you so that you won’t make mistakes when it comes to cultures.
– When talking to older people, you can put “ạ” at the end of the sentence to show respect. However, it’s not necessary in writing to avoid repetition. Using them occasionally is enough. – In the North of Vietnam, family cultures are shown pretty clearly. Therefore, when coming to someone’s house, you can observe and see whether they’re religious, their house is very neat and tidy, there are old people in the family … or not to behave appropriately. Vietnamese native speakers often prefer guests to take off their shoes before entering. If you’re young, remember to take off your hat also when you greet older people. – Bowing is not a Vietnamese culture but having your arm crossing over your chest and slightly bowing are very nice and respectful gestures for kids when greeting adults. You don’t have to do so but it would be great if your kids do. That would really impress others. – Do not try to talk to or greet people when you’re chewing because it might be seen as rude or disrespectful. Finishing the food and greeting properly is considered even more polite.
10. Conclusion
Alright!! That’s pretty much everything. From a Vietnamese native speaker’s perspective, I’m very confident that I’ve shared with you the most useful key phrases and techniques that you need when saying Hello (and Goodbye) in basic Vietnamese. Things have never been easier and I hope you’ll be able to apply them very soon.
I know that I’ve mentioned several times but on VietnamesePod101.com we publish plenty of lessons and vocabulary lists that include audio files so that you can practice pronunciation also. Give it a shot!
Most everyone is familiar with this day, as it is celebrated nearly everywhere the world. Yet, when exactly is April Fools’ Day? And where did April Fools come from? April Fools’ Day is observed on April 1st every year. This day of jokes and pranks is believed to have stemmed from the 16th-century calendar change in France, when New Year’s Day was moved from April 1 to January 1. This action was taken due to the adoption of the Gregorian calendar.
However, a few people were resistant to the calendar change, so they continued to observe New Year’s Day on April 1st, rather than the new date. They were referred to as the “April Fools”, and others started playing mocking tricks on them. This custom endured, and is practiced to this day around the world!
1. Top One Million Words You Need to Know for April Fools’ Day
Do you want to know how to say April Fools’ Day in Vietnamese? Well, there are millions of ways and words, but here are the top one million Vietnamese words you really need to know! Simply click this link. Here are some of them you will find useful:
joke – nói đùa
funny – vui
lie – nói dối
April 1st – ngày cá tháng tư
sneaky – lén lút
prankster – người hay đùa cợt
prank – trò đùa
play a joke – trêu đùa (ai đó)
humor – sự hài hước
fool – người bị lừa
deceptive – lừa bịp
surprise – làm cho … bất ngờ
2. Vietnamese Phrases You Can Use on April Fools’ Day
Don’t limit yourself to practical jokes – use these April Fools’ phrases in Vietnamese to prank your favorite Vietnamese friend or colleague!
I learned Vietnamese in 1 month.
Tôi đã học tiếng Việt trong 1 tháng.
All classes for today got canceled.
Tất cả các lớp học ngày hôm nay đã bị hủy bỏ.
I’m sorry, but I’ve just broken your favorite pair of glasses.
Tôi xin lỗi, nhưng tôi đã vừa mới làm vỡ cặp kính ưa thích của cậu.
Someone has just hit your car.
Có người vừa đâm trúng xe ô tô của bạn.
I’m getting married.
Tôi sắp kết hôn.
You won a free ticket.
Bạn đã giành một vé miễn phí.
I saw your car being towed.
Tôi đã nhìn thấy chiếc xe của bạn đang bị kéo đi.
They’re giving away free gift cards in front of the building.
Họ đang phát thẻ tặng quà miễn phí ở trước toà nhà.
A handsome guy is waiting for you outside.
Một anh chàng đẹp trai đang chờ bạn ở bên ngoài.
A beautiful lady asked me to give this phone number to you.
Một người phụ nữ đẹp đã nhờ tôi đưa số điện thoại này cho bạn.
Can you come downstairs? I have something special for you.
Bạn có thể đi xuống cầu thang không? Tôi có một thứ đặc biệt cho bạn.
Thank you for your love letter this morning. I never could have guessed your feelings.
Cảm ơn bạn về bức thư tình sáng nay. Tôi đã không bao giờ có thể đoán được cảm xúc của bạn.
Choose your victims carefully, though; the idea is to get them to laugh with you, not to hurt their feelings or humiliate them in front of others. Be extra careful if you choose to play a prank on your boss – you don’t want to antagonize them with an inappropriate joke.
3. Some of the Coolest April Fools’ Pranks To Play on Anybody
Right, now that you know the top million April Fools’ words in Vietnamese, let’s look at some super pranks and tricks to play on friends, colleagues and family. Some April Fools ideas never grow old, while new ones are born every year.
Never joke in such a way that it hurts anyone, or humiliates them badly in front of others – the idea is for everybody to laugh and enjoy the fun! Respect is still key, no matter what day of the year it is.
1- Infestation
This trick is so simple, yet so creepy, it’s almost unbelievable. Take black paper, cut out the silhouette of a giant cockroach, a spider or another insect, and stick it inside the lampshade of a table lamp. When the lamp is switched on, it will look like a monstrous insect is sitting inside the lampshade. Or, get a whole lot of realistic-looking plastic insects, and spread them over a colleague’s desk and chair, or, at home, over the kids’ beds etc. Creep-factor: stellar.
2- Which One Doesn’t Fit?
Put the photo of a celebrity or a notorious politician in a frame, and take it to work on April Fools’ Day. Hang the photo on the staff picture wall, and wait. You’ll be surprised how long it can take for people to notice that one picture doesn’t fit.
3- Something Weird in the Restroom
At work, replace the air freshener in the restroom with something noxious like insect killer, oven cleaner or your own odious mixture in a spray bottle. Be sure to cover the bottle’s body so no one suspects a swap.
Or paint a bar of soap with clear nail polish, and leave it at the hand wash basin. It will not lather.
Or, if your workplace’s restroom has partitioned toilets with short doors, arrange jeans or trousers and shoes on all but one of the toilet covers, so it looks like every stall is occupied. Now wait for complaints, and see how long it takes for someone to figure out the April Fools’ Day prank. You’ll probably wish you had a camera inside the restroom. But, unless you don’t mind getting fired, don’t put your own recording device in there!
4- Call Me Funny
Prepare and print out a few posters with the following instructions: Lion Roar Challenge! Call this number – 123-456-7890 – and leave your best lion’s roar as voicemail! Best roarer will be announced April 10 in the cafeteria. Prize: $100. (Lion’s roar is just an example; you can use any animal call, or even a movie character’s unique sound, such as Chewbacca from Star Wars. The weirder, the funnier. Obviously!) Put the posters up in the office where most of the staff is likely to see them. Now wait for the owner of the number to visit you with murderous intent. Have a conciliatory gift ready that’s not a prank.
5- Minty Cookies
This is another simple but hugely effective prank – simply separate iced cookies, scrape off the icing, and replace it with toothpaste. Serve during lunch or tea break at work, or put in your family’s lunch boxes. Be sure to take photos of your victim’s faces when they first bite into your April Fools’ cookies.
6- Wild Shopping
At your local grocer, place a realistic-looking plastic snake or spider among the fresh vegetables. Now wait around the corner for the first yell.
7- The Oldest Trick in the Book
Don’t forget probably the oldest, yet very effective April Fools’ joke in the book – smearing hand cream or Vaseline on a door handle that most staff, family or friends are likely to use. Yuck to the max!
8- Sneeze On Me
Another golden oldie is also gross, yet harmless and utterly satisfying as a prank. Fill a small spray bottle that you can easily conceal with water. Walk past a friend, colleague or one of your kids, and fake a sneeze while simultaneously spraying them with a bit of water. Expect to be called a totally disgusting person. Add a drop of lovely smelling essential oil to the water for extra confusion.
9- Word Play Repairs
Put a fresh leek in the hand wash basin at home or work, and then tell your housemates or colleagues this: “There’s a huge leak in the restroom/bathroom basin, it’s really serious. Please can someone go have a look?!” Expect exasperation and smiles all around. Note that this prank is only likely to work where people understand English well.
10- Scary Face
Print out a very scary face on an A4 sheet of paper, and place it in a colleague’s, or one of your kid’s drawers, so it’s the first thing they see when they open the drawer. You may not be very popular for a while.
11- Wake Up To Madness
Put foamy shaving cream, or real whipped cream on your hand, and wake your kid up by tickling their nose with it. As long as they get the joke, this could be a wonderful and fun way to start April Fools’ Day.
12- Computer Prank
This one’s fabulous, if you have a bit of time to fiddle with a colleague, friend or your kid’s computer. It is most effective on a computer where most of the icons they use are on the desktop background itself (as opposed to on the bottom task bar).
Take and save a screenshot of their desktop with the icons. Set this screenshot as their background image. Now delete all the working icons. When they return to their computer, wait for the curses when no amount of clicking on the icons works.
13- Monster Under the Cup
This one will also work well anywhere people meet. Take a paper cup, and write the following on it in black pen: “Danger! Don’t lift, big spider underneath.” Place it upside-down on prominent flat surface, such as a kitchen counter, a colleague’s desk or a restaurant table. Expect some truly interesting responses.
14- Prank Door
Write in large letters on a large and noticeable piece of paper: PUSH. Tape this notice on a door that should be pulled to open, and watch the hilarious struggle of those clever souls who actually read signs.
4. How Can VietnamesePod101 Make Your April Fools’ Day Special?
If you happen to visit Vietnam, or if you work for any Vietnamese company, knowing the above Vietnamese prankster phrases can really lighten up your day. Showing you have a sense of humor can go a long way to cement good relationships in any situation. These phrases are at your disposal for free, as well as are these 100 core Vietnamese words, which you will learn how to pronounce perfectly.
Also, don’t stop at learning April Fools’ phrases in Vietnamese – bone up your Vietnamese language skills with these FREE key phrases. Yes, VietnamesePod101 doesn’t joke when it comes to effective, fun and easy learning.
Now, as a bonus, test our super-learning technology, and learn the Top 1000 most useful phrases in Vietnamese below! But that’s not all. Read on to learn how you can be eligible for large enrollment discounts at VietnamesePod101.
5. Top 1000 Most Useful Phrases in Vietnamese – testing new technology
Help us by being a language guinea pig! Listen to this video above with embedded cutting-edge, frequency-based learning technology that enables you to learn large amounts of data in record time.
Note: This technology is in beta-phase of development, and we invite your input for fine-tuning.
To participate: Watch the video for instructions, and leave a comment to rate it. Your comment will make you eligible for large enrollment-fee discounts. To watch the video, please click the play button.
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Learn all the Vietnamese New Year wishes online, in your own time, on any device! Join VietnamesePod101 for a special Vietnamese New Year celebration!
Can you relate to the year passing something like this: “January, February, March – December!”? Many people do! Quantum physics teaches us that time is relative, and few experiences illustrate this principle as perfectly as when we reach the end of a year. To most of us, it feels like the old one has passed in the blink of an eye, while the new year lies ahead like a very long journey! However, New Year is also a time to celebrate beginnings, and to say goodbye to what has passed. This is true in every culture, no matter when New Year is celebrated.
So, how do you say Happy New Year in Vietnamese? Let a native teach you! At VietnamesePod101, you will learn how to correctly greet your friends over New Year, and wish them well with these Vietnamese New Year wishes!
New Year’s Day, or Tết dương lịch, takes place on January 1st, and is one of the most important festivals in many nations around the world. In the past, celebrations surrounding New Year’s Day were usually adjusted to suit the Vietnamese lifestyle, but the day eventually became a standard official holiday recognized by the State of Vietnam.
Now, before we get into more detail, do you know the answer to this question?
What is the other name of New Year’s Day in Vietnamese?
If you don’t already know, you’ll find out a bit later. Keep reading.
New Year’s Day is not widely regarded as a traditional holiday in Vietnam, so there are no customary dishes associated with it. Instead, Vietnamese people often simply come together for meals at family reunions or with friends. The phrase for “Family reunion” in Vietnamese is sum họp gia đình. From the afternoon of December 31, many trade centers and streets become much more crowded than usual. Young people often gather together for meals, leisure activities, movies, and so on, and then wait for the turn of the new year.
At the moment the year turns over, Vietnamese people join the countdown from 10 to 0, shouting joyfully and greeting the New Year. In recent years, a brand of beer that is popular in Vietnam, Heineken, has regularly sponsored and organized the Countdown Party, or Lễ đếm ngược, in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Using an extravagant sound and lighting system, the party has quickly become very successful. At this event, many famous singers and DJs are invited to perform and create a lively atmosphere.
When the clock strikes midnight, fireworks are let off and people shout “Happy New Year,” or in Vietnamese Chúc mừng năm mới. However, as fireworks can cause damage if used improperly, the locations and quantity of fireworks allowed to be set off each year are decided by the government. Major cities like Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang are often popular places for fireworks, but the quantity of fireworks set off is typically less than that of the Lunar New Year’s Day, or Tết Âm lịch.
Now it’s time to answer our quiz question!
Do you know any other names for New Year’s Day in Vietnamese?
New Year’s Day is also known as Western New Year’s Day or in Vietnamese “Tết Tây” which literally means Western Tet. It’s because this holiday was rooted in the French Colonial period when the Western calendar first began to be adopted and used in Vietnam.
Happy New Year!
Chúc mừng năm mới!
2. Must-Know Vietnamese Words & Phrases for the New Year!
1- Year
năm
This is pretty self-explanatory. Most countries follow a Gregorian calendar, which has approximately 365 days in a year, while in some cultures, other year designations are also honored. Therefore, New Year’s day in Vietnam could fall on a different day than in your country. When do you celebrate New Year?
2- Midnight
nửa đêm
The point in time when a day ends and a new one starts. Many New Year celebrants prefer to stay awake till midnight, and greet the new annum as it breaks with fanfare and fireworks!
3- New Year’s Day
năm mới
In most countries, the new year is celebrated for one whole day. On the Gregorian calendar, this falls on January 1st. On this day, different cultures engage in festive activities, like parties, parades, big meals with families and many more.
4- Party
tiệc
A party is most people’s favorite way to end the old year, and charge festively into the new one! We celebrate all we accomplished in the old year, and joyfully anticipate what lies ahead.
5- Dancing
nhảy múa
Usually, when the clock strikes midnight and the New Year officially begins, people break out in dance! It is a jolly way to express a celebratory mood with good expectations for the year ahead. Also, perhaps, that the old year with its problems has finally passed! Dance parties are also a popular way to spend New Year’s Eve in many places.
6- Champagne
rượu sâm banh
Originating in France, champagne is a bubbly, alcoholic drink that is often used to toast something or someone during celebrations.
7- Fireworks
pháo hoa
These are explosives that cause spectacular effects when ignited. They are popular for announcing the start of the new year with loud noises and colorful displays! In some countries, fireworks are set off to scare away evil spirits. In others, the use of fireworks is forbidden in urban areas due to their harmful effect on pets. Most animals’ hearing is much more sensitive than humans’, so this noisy display can be very frightful and traumatising to them.
8- Countdown
đếm ngược
This countdown refers to New Year celebrants counting the seconds, usually backward, till midnight, when New Year starts – a great group activity that doesn’t scare animals, and involves a lot of joyful shouting when the clock strikes midnight!
9- New Year’s Holiday
kỳ nghỉ lễ Năm mới
In many countries, New Year’s Day is a public holiday – to recuperate from the party the previous night, perhaps! Families also like to meet on this day to enjoy a meal and spend time together.
10- Confetti
hoa giấy
In most Western countries, confetti is traditionally associated with weddings, but often it is used as a party decoration. Some prefer to throw it in the air at the strike of midnight on New Year’s Eve.
11- New Year’s Eve
đêm giao thừa
This is the evening before New Year breaks at midnight! Often, friends and family meet for a party or meal the evening before, sometimes engaging in year-end rituals. How are you planning to give your New Year greetings in 2018?
12- Toast
nâng cốc chúc mừng
A toast is a type of group-salutation that involves raising your glass to drink with others in honor of something or someone. A toast to the new year is definitely in order!
13- Resolution
quyết tâm
Those goals or intentions you hope to, but seldom keep in the new year! Many people consider the start of a new year to be the opportune time for making changes or plans. Resolutions are those intentions to change, or the plans. It’s best to keep your resolutions realistic so as not to disappoint yourself!
14- Parade
cuộc diễu hành
New Year celebrations are a huge deal in some countries! Parades are held in the streets, often to celebratory music, with colorful costumes and lots of dancing. Parades are like marches, only less formal and way more fun. At VietnamesePod101, you can engage in forums with natives who can tell you what Vietnamese New Year celebrations are like!
3. Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions
So, you learned the Vietnamese word for ‘resolution’. Fabulous! Resolutions are those goals and intentions that we hope to manifest in the year that lies ahead. The beginning of a new year serves as a good marker in time to formalise these. Some like to do it in writing, others only hold these resolutions in their hearts. Here are our Top 10 New Year’s resolutions at VietnamesePod101 – what are yours?
Learn these phrases and impress your Vietnamese friends with your vocabulary.
1- Read more
Đọc thêm.
Reading is a fantastic skill that everyone can benefit from. You’re a business person? Apparently, successful business men and women read up to 60 books a year. This probably excludes fiction, so better scan your library or Amazon for the top business reads if you plan to follow in the footsteps of the successful! Otherwise, why not make it your resolution to read more Vietnamese in the new year? You will be surprised by how much this will improve your Vietnamese language skills!
2- Spend more time with family
Dành nhiều thời gian hơn cho gia đình.
Former US President George Bush’s wife, Barbara Bush, was quoted as having said this: “At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict, or not closing one more deal. You will regret time not spent with a husband, a friend, a child, a parent.” This is very true! Relationships are often what gives life meaning, so this is a worthy resolution for any year.
3- Lose weight
Giảm cân.
Hands up, how many of you made this new year’s resolution last year too…?! This is a notoriously difficult goal to keep, as it takes a lot of self discipline not to eat unhealthily. Good luck with this one, and avoid unhealthy fad diets!
4- Save money
Tiết kiệm tiền.
Another common and difficult resolution! However, no one has ever been sorry when they saved towards reaching a goal. Make it your resolution to save money to upgrade your subscription to VietnamesePod101’s Premium PLUS option in the new year – it will be money well spent!
5- Quit smoking
Bỏ thuốc lá.
This is a resolution that you should definitely keep, or your body could punish you severely later! Smoking is a harmful habit with many hazardous effects on your health. Do everything in your power to make this resolution come true in the new year, as your health is your most precious asset.
6- Learn something new
Học thứ gì mới.
Science has proven that learning new skills can help keep brain diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s at bay! It can even slow down the progression of the disease. So, keep your brain healthy by learning to speak a new language, studying towards a qualification, learning how to sew, or how to play chess – no matter how old you are, the possibilities are infinite!
7- Drink less
Uống ít hơn.
This is another health resolution that is good to heed any time of the year. Excessive drinking is associated with many diseases, and its effect can be very detrimental to good relationships too. Alcohol is a poison and harmful for the body in large quantities!
8- Exercise regularly
Tập thể dục thường xuyên.
This resolution goes hand-in-hand with ‘Lose weight’! An inactive body is an unhealthy and often overweight one, so give this resolution priority in the new year.
9- Eat healthy
Ăn uống lành mạnh.
If you stick with this resolution, you will lose weight and feel better in general. It is a very worthy goal to have!
10- Study Vietnamese with VietnamesePod101
học tiếng Việt cùng VietnamesePod101.com
Of course! You can only benefit from learning Vietnamese, especially with us! Learning how to speak Vietnamese can keep your brain healthy, it can widen your circle of friends, and improve your chances to land a dream job anywhere in the world. VietnamesePod101 makes it easy and enjoyable for you to stick to this resolution.
4. Inspirational New Year Quotes
Everyone knows that it is sometimes very hard to stick to resolutions, and not only over New Year. The reasons for this vary from person to person, but all of us need inspiration every now and then! A good way to remain motivated is to keep inspirational quotes near as reminders that it’s up to us to reach our goals.
Make decorative notes of these in Vietnamese, and keep them close! Perhaps you could stick them above your bathroom mirror, or on your study’s wall. This way you not only get to read Vietnamese incidentally, but also remain inspired to reach your goals! Imagine feeling like giving up on a goal, but reading this quote when you go to the bathroom: “It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop.” What a positive affirmation!
5. Inspirational Language Learning Quotes
Still undecided whether you should enroll with VietnamesePod101 to learn a new language? There’s no time like the present to decide! Let the following Language Learning Quotes inspire you with their wisdom.
As legendary President Nelson Mandela once said: “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.” So, learning how to say Happy New Year in Vietnamese could well be a way into someone special’s heart for you! Let this year be the one where you to learn how to say Happy New Year, and much more, in Vietnamese – it could open many and unexpected doors for you.
6. How To Say Happy New Year in 31 Languages
Here’s a lovely bonus for you! Why stop with Vietnamese – learn how to say Happy New Year in 31 other languages too! Watch this video and learn how to pronounce these New Year’s wishes like a native in under two minutes.
7. Why Enrolling with VietnamesePod101 Would Be the Perfect New Year’s Gift to Yourself!
If you are unsure how to celebrate the New Year, why not give yourself a huge gift, and enroll to learn Vietnamese! With more than 12 years of experience behind us, we know that VietnamesePod101 would be the perfect fit for you. There are so many reasons for this!
Custom-tailored Learning Paths: Start learning Vietnamese at the level that you are. We have numerous Learning Pathways, and we tailor them just for you based on your goals and interests! What a boon!
Marked Progress and Fresh Learning Material Every Week: We make new lessons available every week, with an option to track your progress. Topics are culturally appropriate and useful, such as “Learning how to deliver negative answers politely to a business partner.” Our aim is to equip you with Vietnamese that makes sense!
Multiple Learning Tools: Learn in fun, easy ways with resources such 1,000+ video and audio lessons, flashcards, detailed PDF downloads, and mobile apps suitable for multiple devices!
Fast Track Learning Option: If you’re serious about fast-tracking your learning, Premium Plus would be the perfect way to go! Enjoy perks such as personalised lessons with ongoing guidance from your own, native-speaking teacher, and one-on-one learning on your mobile app! You will not be alone in your learning. Weekly assignments with non-stop feedback, answers and corrections will ensure speedy progress.
Fun and Easy: Keeping the lessons fun and easy-to-learn is our aim, so you will stay motivated by your progress!
In most cultures, it is custom to express gratitude in some way or another. The dictionary defines gratitude as follows: it is “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness”. Giving a sincere, thankful response to someone’s actions or words is often the ‘glue’ that keeps relationships together. This is true in most societies! Doing so in a foreign country also shows your respect and appreciation for the culture. Words have great power – use these ones sincerely and often!
The magical words that can bring a smile to any face. For one day, truly mean it whenever you say these words, and see how this lifts your spirit too!
2- That’s very kind of you.
Bạn thật là tử tế.
This phrase is appropriate when someone clearly goes out of their way to give good service, or to offer you a kindness.
3- Thanks for your kind words!
Cám ơn về những lời tốt đẹp của bạn!
Someone paid you a compliment and made you feel good? That is kind of him/her, so express your gratitude!
4- Thank you for coming today.
Cảm ơn bạn vì đã đến hôm nay.
This welcoming phrase should be part of your arsenal if you’re conducting more formal meetings with Vietnamese speakers. If you’re hosting a party, this is also a good phrase when you greet your Vietnamese guests!
5- Thank you for your consideration.
Cám ơn bạn đã cân nhắc.
This is a more formal, almost solemn way to thank someone for their thoughtfulness and sensitivity towards you. It is also suitable to use when a native speaker has to consider something you submit, like a job application, a project or a proposal. You are thanking them, in essence, for time and effort they are about to, or have spent on your submission.
6- Thanks a lot!
Cảm ơn rất nhiều!
This means the same as ‘Thank you’, but with energy and enthusiasm added! It means almost the same as ‘thank you so much’ in Vietnamese. Use this in an informal setting with your Vietnamese friends or teachers.
7- Teachers like you are not easy to find.
Giáo viên như bạn không phải là dễ tìm thấy.
Some phrases are compliments, which express gratitude by inference. This is one of them. If you’re particularly impressed with your VietnamesePod101 teacher, this is an excellent phrase to memorize!
8- Thank you for spending time with us.
Cảm ơn bạn đã dành thời gian với chúng tôi.
Any host at a gathering with Vietnamese speakers, such as a meeting or a party, should have this under his/her belt! Use it when you’re saying goodbye or busy closing a meeting. It could also be another lovely way to thank your Vietnamese language teacher for her time.
9- Thank you for being patient and helping me improve.
Cảm ơn bạn đã kiên nhẫn và giúp tôi tiến bộ.
This phrase is another sure way to melt any formal or informal Vietnamese teacher’s heart! Teaching is not easy, and often a lot of patience is required from the teacher. Thank him/her for it! It’s also a good phrase to use if you work in Vietnam, and want to thank your trainer or employer. You will go a long way towards making yourself a popular employee – gratitude is the most attractive trait in any person!
10- You’re the best teacher ever!
Bạn là giáo viên tốt nhất từ trước tới nay!
This is also an enthusiastic way to thank your teacher by means of a compliment. It could just make their day!
11- Thank you for the gift.
Cảm ơn bạn về món quà.
This is a good phrase to remember when you’re the lucky recipient of a gift. Show your respect and gratitude with these words.
12- I have learned so much thanks to you.
Tôi đã học được rất nhiều nhờ vào bạn.
What a wonderful compliment to give a good teacher! It means they have succeeded in their goal, and you’re thankful for it.
2. Video Lesson: Learn to Say ‘Thank You’ in 3 Minutes
Wherever your destination may be, manners are a must! Vietnam is no different.
1- Cảm ơn.
In Vietnamese, “Thank you” is Cảm ơn. The first word, cảm , means “to feel.” After this comes ơn, meaning “favor”. As Vietnamese is a tonal language, it is important to correctly pronounce the tones, as an incorrect pronunciation of a tone can change the meaning of a word and in turn, the meaning of the phrase. In the case of Cảm ơn, which means “Thank you”, the first tone is the broken falling tone. The second tone is the flat tone.
If you want to emphasize the degree of politeness you can follow Cảm ơn with the corresponding personal pronoun of the person you are addressing:
–ông: Sir or Mr. – this is used for males 50 years and older
–bà: Madam or Mrs. – this is used for females 50 years and older
–anh: he or young man
–chi: Mrs., Miss or young woman
–cô: Miss or young girl
2- Cảm ơn nhiều lắm.
You can emphasize Cảm ơn by adding nhiều lắm, which means literally “a lot” or “so much.” That makes Cảm ơn nhiều lắm, which would be equivalent to “Thank you very much,” a politer expression than just Cảm ơn.
3- Xin cảm ơn.
There will be occasions when you will really want to show your appreciation and politeness. On these occasions, one can further increase the politeness level by inserting the word xin that means “to ask” or “to beg” before the phrase Cảm ơn. So “Thank you” in formal Vietnamese is Xin cảm ơn.
Cultural Insights
Quick tip 1
During your trip, there will be a multitude of situations in which you will be likely to use Cảm ơn. The following are some of these situations:
-When the receptionist welcomes you to the hotel
-When the waiter brings your food or drinks
-When an old friend says how well you look
-When someone gives you directions
-When someone compliments you on your Vietnamese
Quick tip 2
If you are unsure how old someone is, it is best to just stick with Cảm ơn nhiều (Thank you very much.)
On the run to Vietnam? Wait! You can’t go without some basic language phrases under your belt! Especially if you’re heading to meet your prospective employer! Either in person or online, knowing how to say ‘Thank you’ in the Vietnamese language will only improve their impression of you! VietnamesePod101 saves you time with this short lesson that nevertheless packs a punch. Learn to say ‘Thank you’ in Vietnamese in no time!
3. Audio Lesson: Survival Phrases – Thank You
Perhaps you think it’s unimportant that you don’t know what ‘Thank you’ is in Vietnamese, or that it’s too difficult a language to learn. Yet, as a traveler or visitor, you will be surprised at how far you can go using a little bit of Vietnamese in Vietnam!
At VietnamesePod101, we offer you a few ways of saying ‘Thank you’ in Vietnamese that you have no excuse not knowing, as they’re so simple and easy to learn. The lesson is geared to aid your ‘survival’ in formal and informal situations in Vietnam, so don’t wait! You will never have to google ‘How do you say thanks in Vietnamese’ again…!
4. ‘Thank You’ in 31 Languages
For the global traveler in a hurry, here are 31 ways to say ‘Thank you’! These are the first words you need to learn in any foreign language – it is sure to smooth your way with native speakers by showing your gratitude for services rendered, and your respect for their culture! Learn and know how to correctly say ‘Thank you’ in 31 different languages in this short video.
5. Why would VietnamesePod101 be the perfect choice to learn Vietnamese?
However, you need not stop at ‘Thank you’ in Vietnamese – why not learn to speak the language?! You have absolutely nothing to lose. Research has shown that learning a new language increases intelligence and combats brain-aging. Also, the ability to communicate with native speakers in their own language is an instant way to make friends and win respect! Or imagine you know how to write ‘Thank you’ to that special Vietnamese friend after a date…he/she will be so impressed!
VietnamesePod101 Has Special Lessons, Tools and Resources to Teach You How to Say Thank You and Other Key Phrases
With more than a decade of experience behind us, we have taught thousands of satisfied users to speak foreign languages. How do we do this? First, we take the pain out of learning! At VietnamesePod101, students are assisted as they master vocabulary, pronunciation, and conversation through state-of-the-art and fun online learning methods. A library replete with learning resources allows for you to learn at your own pace and in your own space! Resources include thousands of video and audio recordings, downloadable PDF lessons and plenty of learning apps for your mobile devices. Each month, we add benefits with FREE bonuses and gifts to improve your experience.
We accommodate all levels and types of learners, from Absolute Beginner to Advanced, and VietnamesePod101 is free for anyone to sign up. However, you can choose to fast track your fluency with lesson customization and increased interactive learning and practicing. Upgrade to Premium, or Premium PLUS to enhance your experience and greatly expedite your learning. With this type of assistance, and pleasurable effort on your part, you will speak Vietnamese in a very short period of time!
Best of all is that you’re never alone! We believe that practice is the holy grail of learning any new language, and we gear our courses to ensure lots of it. Enroll with us, and you gain immediate access to our lively forum where we meet and greet, and discuss your burning questions. Our certified teachers are friendly and helpful, and you are very likely to practice your first ‘Thanks!’ in Vietnamese on him/her, AND mean it! Hurry up, and sign up now – you will thank us for it.
Learn 4 tools and techniques to stop translating in your head and start thinking in Vietnamese
Going through Vietnamese lessons is enough to get by and learn the basics of Vietnamese, but to truly become fluent you need to be able to think in Vietnamese. This will allow you to have conversations with ease, read smoothly, and comprehensively understand natives. To do this, you need to go beyond just completing daily or weekly lessons.
We naturally translate in our heads because it’s viewed as the easiest way to learn the definitions needed when learning a language. This way of learning can actually hinder your skills and fluency later on. If your brain has to make neural connections between the word you’re learning, what it means in your native tongue, and the physical object the connection will not be nearly as strong. When you bypass the original translation between Vietnamese and your native language then there is a more basic and strong connection between just the Vietnamese vocabulary word and the tangible object.
In this blog post, you will learn the 4 important techniques to easily and naturally begin to speculate about the daily occurrences in your life. The best part is all of these techniques are supported and can be achieved through VietnamesePod101.com.
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1. Surround yourself with Vietnamese
By surrounding yourself with Vietnamese constantly you will completely immerse yourself in the language. Without realizing it you’ll be learning pronunciation, sentence structures, grammar, and new vocabulary. You can play music in the background while you’re cooking or have a Vietnamese radio station on while you study. Immersion is a key factor with this learning process because it is one of the easiest things to do, but very effective. Even if you are not giving the program your full attention you will be learning.
One great feature of VietnamesePod101.com is the endless podcasts that are available to you. You can even download and listen to them on the go. These podcasts are interesting and are perfect for the intention of immersion, they are easy to listen to as background noise and are interesting enough to give your full attention. Many of them contain stories that you follow as you go through the lessons which push you to keep going.
2. Learn through observation
Learning through observation is the most natural way to learn. Observation is how we all learned our native languages as infants and it’s a wonder why we stop learning this way. If you have patience and learn through observation then Vietnamese words will have their own meanings rather than meanings in reference to your native language. Ideally, you should skip the bilingual dictionary and just buy a dictionary in Vietnamese.
VietnamesePod101.com also offers the materials to learn this way. We have numerous video lessons which present situational usage of each word or phrase instead of just a direct translation. This holds true for many of our videos and how we teach Vietnamese.
3. Speak out loud to yourself
Speaking to yourself in Vietnamese not only gets you in the mindset of Vietnamese, but also makes you listen to how you speak. It forces you to correct any errors with pronunciation and makes it easy to spot grammar mistakes. When you speak out loud talk about what you did that day and what you plan to do the next day. Your goal is to be the most comfortable speaking out loud and to easily create sentences. Once you feel comfortable talking to yourself start consciously thinking in your head about your daily activities and what is going on around you throughout the day.
With VietnamesePod101.com you start speaking right away, not only this, but they have you repeat words and conversations after a native Vietnamese speaker. This makes your pronunciation very accurate! With this help, you are on the fast path to making clear and complex sentences and then actively thinking about your day.
4. Practice daily
If you don’t practice daily then your progress will be greatly slowed. Many people are tempted to take the 20-30 minutes they should be practicing a day and practice 120 in one day and skip the other days. This isn’t nearly as effective because everyday you practice you are reinforcing the skills and knowledge you have learned. If you practice all in one day you don’t retain the information because the brain can realistically only focus for 30 minutes at most. If you’re studying for 120 minutes on the same subject little of the information will be absorbed. Studying everyday allows you to review material that you went over previous days and absorb a small amount of information at a time.
It’s tough to find motivation to study everyday, but VietnamesePod101.com can help. It’s easy to stay motivated with VietnamesePod101.com because we give you a set learning path, with this path we show how much progress you’ve made. This makes you stick to your goals and keep going!
Conclusion
Following the steps and having patience is the hardest part to achieving your goals, it’s not easy learning a new language. You are essentially teaching your brain to categorize the world in a completely new way. Stick with it and you can do it just remember the 4 tools I taught you today! With them, conversations, reading, and understanding will become much easier. The most important thing to remember is to use the tools that VietnamesePod101.com provides and you will be on your way to being fluent!
Your Learning, Streamlined – The New Lesson Interface
Your learning is about to get a whole lot easier.
More than ever, learners are choosing mobile as the platform to study Vietnamese. Mobile has always been a part of our DNA. We began our life on your iPod, and have remained by your side ever since.
In our 11th year, we’re returning to our roots as a way to learn Vietnamese on-the-go. How? With a brand-new lesson interface just for you.
It’s built from the ground-up to be a great experience on your phone, tablet, and computer.
You don’t have to compromise anymore.
Take the whole lesson experience with you wherever you go.
Our lessons are the heart of our learning system and now they’re the heart of the interface as well. Just tap the big play button to start learning right away.
(example taken from japanesepod101.com)
As you scroll through the lesson contents, the player sticks with you at the bottom of your screen.
Pause, rewind or adjust your speed and volume without losing your place.
(example taken from japanesepod101.com)
Navigation is also just a tap away.
Quickly jump to the dialogue, vocabulary, or lesson notes with our new lesson navigation bar. Available at the top of your screen wherever you are.
(example taken from japanesepod101.com)
And for the first time ever, you don’t need to download a PDF or jump between tabs to read the lesson notes and transcript. Read it all on your mobile browser as you listen.
(example taken from japanesepod101.com)
There are many more small improvements but the end result is this: a drastically improved lesson experience on mobile and desktop.
Spend less time squinting at your screen and more time reaching your Vietnamese goals.
The new lesson interface will launch in beta this month.
We can’t wait to hear what you think. Keep on studying!
Sneak peek! And if you take advantage of our upcoming 25% OFF All Access Pass Sale, you secure full access to this new update! You unlock our complete Vietnamese learning program – ALL Audio/Video Courses from Beginner to Advanced, Premium Study Tools, Bonus Apps and much more!
P.S. Get 25% OFF ANY Plan! Master Vietnamese with YOUR All-Access Pass!
Want to learn Vietnamese fast with an ALL-ACCESS PASS to our entire learning system?Get 25% OFF Basic, Premium and Premium PLUSand unlock ALL audio/video lessons, study tools and exclusive apps that you’ll ever need. And with Premium PLUS, you get your own teacher! Just $3 a month & up to $137 in savings. Ends March 31st, 2017.
Have you ever returned to VietnamesePod101 lessons you’ve completed?
Accessing a lesson once is enough to learn more Vietnamese. But to master what you’ve learned, to understand Vietnamese the second you hear it, to read with just a quick glance, and to speak smoothly, without thinking… you need to review.
In this blog post, you’ll learn the 5 review tactics and learning tools that will truly sharpen your Vietnamese (all of which I’ve been able to resources for on VietnamesePod101.com).
One of the best ways to learn Vietnamese (or any language) is to listen to native speakers over and over again until you understand what they are saying. By listening closely and often, you start to pick up the rhythm of a language and pronunciation from a native speaker. It’s not surprising, then, that Innovative Language offers a great line-by-line feature that lets you listen (and read along!) as many times as you’d like. I really recommend taking advantage of this feature— aside from moving to Vietnam, it is the best way to immerse yourself in the language.
2. Use a voice-recording tool to perfect pronunciation.
No one likes to hear themselves recorded, but it is a great way to perfect your pronunciation! Record yourself and compare against a fluent speaker. If you sound different, repeat after the fluent speaker until your pronunciation matches. Innovative Language has a great voice-recording feature that makes recording super easy. Never hesitate or be shy about your pronunciation again.
3. Master recorded conversations.
Another excellent way to review your Vietnamese is to record conversations and go over them again and again until you have the entire conversation mastered and can repeat it line by line. Now, it might be kind of awkward trying to explain to someone why you are recording them speak so it is fortunate that Innovative Language has dialogues available for download right off of their website. I found these also come with transcripts of the entire conversation, which is great if you don’t want to spend tons of time translating the conversation yourself.
4. Use mobile devices to reinforce previously learned conversations.
It might sound redundant at this point, but constant review is the best, and only, way to perfect Vietnamese. In that spirit, I strongly recommend downloading the recorded dialogue to your mobile device and incorporating it into your music playlist. You’ll be amazed how effectively quick reviews throughout a day can reinforce what you’ve learned.
The guaranteed accurate transcript of the recorded dialogues is one of the most useful features Innovative Language offers. You can read along with a fluent speaker to really master pronunciation and natural conversation. You should start slow at first, then slowly increase the speed with each pass through. Every time you read through, your pronunciation will become more intuitive and your ability to understand fluent speakers will greatly increase.
Imagine a child who just learned how to read. At first, they slowly struggle through a sentence, but on the second try, they know what the most of the words sound like and so they read a bit faster and easier and on the third try, they read that sentence at normal, native speed.
Using these five simple review techniques the most challenging parts of learning Vietnamese will become your areas of comfort. Conversations will no longer be excruciating and embarrassing, but rather offer a chance to show off your new skills and communicate with someone from a different culture in their natural language. You will be able to casually listen to Vietnamese and understand everything. Reading, too, will become natural and enjoyable.
Learning any language takes time and dedication. With the right focus, however, you can ensure the maximum impact of your efforts. Consistently listening to fluent speakers, recording your own voice and comparing it against fluent speakers, mastering conversations, listening to them on go, and following along with written transcripts will put you on the path to becoming fluent in Vietnamese. Learn from the mistakes that so many have made, myself included, don’t let what you’ve already learned slip away.
