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Telling Time in Vietnamese – Everything You Need to Know

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What’s your relationship with the clock like? Does it run your day from a morning alarm to a cut-off chime for bed, or are you more of a go-with-the-flow type, letting your mood and emotions decide how much you fall in line with time?

Understanding time in Vietnamese is an important part of your studies. As humans, our lives are filled with habits and schedules. From waking up and going to work or gym, to missing rush hour traffic on our way home, we’re always aware of time. We have routines around coffee breaks, meetings, soccer games and vacations. In fact, time can seem rather capricious – going slowly, going fast, sometimes against us, other times on our side – like a force that has a life of its own.

In science, time is often referred to as a fourth dimension and many physicists and philosophers think that if we understood the physics of the universe, we would see that time is an illusion. We sense an ‘arrow’ or direction of time because we have memories, but really time is just a construct that humans have created to help make sense of the world. 

On the other hand, poets through the ages have written impassioned thoughts about time, depicting it as both a relentless thief and an immensely precious resource, not to be wasted at any cost.

Well, poets and scientists may have their views, but in our everyday lives there’s the question of practicality, isn’t there? I mean, if you have plans and want things to happen your way, there’s a certain amount of conforming to the human rules of time that you can’t avoid. 

In ‘The Little Prince’ by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, the prince has a rose that he falls in love with, and he tenderly protects it with a windscreen and places it under a glass dome on his tiny planet.  I love this quote from the book:  “It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important.”  If we truly love something, we spend time with it and not a second of that time could ever be seen as wasted. I feel that way about horses, my children, travel and learning languages

With that in mind, I’d like to take you on a journey into ‘time’ from a Vietnamese perspective. It’s fun, it’s informative and it’s a basic necessity if you’re learning the language – especially if you plan to travel. VietnamesePod101 has all the vocab you need to fall in love with telling time in Vietnamese, and not a minute will be wasted.

Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Time Phrases in Vietnamese Table of Contents
  1. Talking about Time in Vietnamese
  2. How to Tell the Time in Vietnamese
  3. Conclusion

1. Talking about Time in Vietnamese

As a traveler, your primary need for knowing how to read the hour in Vietnamese will be for transportation schedules: the bus, train, airplane, ferry, taxi… whatever you plan to use to get from A to B, it won’t wait for you! Fortunately, it’s really not complicated. You already have a firm grasp of time in English and you know you’ll need to reset your watch and phone to the local time. Great – that means you’ll have the correct time on your person. 

We’re so used to just looking at our phones for the time, that it’s easy to take this convenience for granted and forget some travel basics: in a foreign country, times won’t always be written digitally. If you see the time written in words, it’ll be the same challenge to you as hearing it spoken: you’ll need to be familiar with the language. 

You may be surprised at how often ‘time’ comes into conversation. Learning the Vietnamese terms for time will help you when you have to call a taxi, ask about opening and closing times of events and tourist attractions, restaurants and bars and even late-night food cafes.

My biggest annoyance when traveling is not being able to get coffee and amazingly, even at nice hotels this has happened more times than I care to think about. I’ll be up late planning something, writing my blog or chatting and when I go looking for coffee downstairs, I’m told the kitchen is closed or the ‘coffee lady’ has gone to sleep. Frustrating!

If you’re doing a homestay or at a youth hostel or backpackers, there will probably also be a limited timeframe for when you can grab dinner. Do you know how to ask when it’s time to eat in Vietnamese? I’ve learned that it’s vital to know how to make my queries clearly understood to accommodation staff and for me to clearly understand their answers. Perfect your ‘time in Vietnamese’ translations early on – you’ll thank me. 

At VietnamesePod101, we’ve put together a comprehensive list of Vietnamese time words and phrases to get you going. 

Pedestrians in a city

1- Morning – buổi sáng

Morning is the time when we wake up from our dreamworld, hopefully fully rested and restored; we brew the first delicious cup of coffee for the day and watch the sunrise as we prepare for another glorious twelve hours of life. No matter what happened the day before, a new morning is a chance to make everything right. 

I like these quiet hours for language practice, as my mind is clear and receptive to learning new things. I start by writing the Vietnamese time, date and word of the day on my whiteboard, then get back under the covers for an engrossing lesson.

Time in the morning is written as AM or A.M., which stands for ante meridiem – meaning ‘before midday’ in Latin.

Person typing with coffee next to them

2- Evening – buổi tối

Evening is the part of night when we’re still awake and doing things, winding down from the day. Whether you enjoy a tasty international dinner with friends, go out to see a show, or curl up on the couch with a Vietnamese snack and your favorite TV series, evening is a good time to forget your worries and do something that relaxes you. If you’re checking in with your Facebook friends, say hi to us, too!  

Evening is also an ideal time to catch up on your Vietnamese studies. The neighbourhood outside is likely to be quieter and time is yours, so grab a glass of wine or a delicious local tea, and see what’s new on your Mac App or Kindle

3- Daytime – ban ngày

Daytime is defined as the period from early morning to early evening when the sun is visible outside. In other words: from sunrise to sunset.  Where you are in the world, as well as the season, will determine how many daylight hours you get. 

Interestingly, in locations north of the Arctic Circle and south of the Antarctic Circle, in summertime the sun does not sink below the horizon within a 24-hour period, bringing the natural phenomenon of the midnight sun.  You could only experience this in the north, though, because there aren’t any permanent human settlements south of the Antarctic Circle.

4- Nighttime – đêm

Nighttime is all the hours from sunset to sunrise and depending on where in the country you are, people may be partying all night, or asleep from full-dark. 

In the same northernmost and southernmost regions where you can experience a midnight sun, winter brings the opposite phenomenon: the polar night. Can you imagine a night that lasts for more than 24 hours? 

Girl sleeping; moon and starry sky

5- Hour – giờ

An hour is a unit of time made up of 60 minutes and is a variable measure of one-24th of a day – also defined by geeks as 3 600 atomic seconds. Of all the ‘time’ words we use on a daily basis, the hour is the most important, as time of day is typically expressed in terms of hours. 

One of the interesting methods of keeping time that people have come up with is the hourglass. Although the origins are unclear, there’s evidence pointing to the hourglass being invented around 1000 – 1100 AD and one of the ways we know this, is from hourglasses being depicted in very old murals. These days, with clocks and watches in every direction we look, they’re really only used symbolically to represent the passage of time. Still – a powerful reminder of our mortality and to seize the day. In his private journal, the Roman emperor, Marcus Aurelius, wrote: “You could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do and say and think.”

An hourglass with falling sand

6- Minute – phút

Use this word when you want to say a more precise time and express minutes in Vietnamese. A minute is a unit of time equal to one sixtieth of an hour, or 60 seconds. A lot can happen in the next 60 seconds. For example, your blood will circulate three times through your entire vascular system and your heart will pump about 2.273 litres of blood. 

7- O’clock – giờ

We use “o’clock” when there are no minutes and we’re saying the exact hour, as in “It’s two o’clock.” In Vietnamese, this is essentially the same as just saying “hour.”

The term “o’clock” is a contraction of the term “of the clock”. It comes from 15th-century references to medieval mechanical clocks. At the time, sundials were also common timekeepers. Therefore, to make clear one was referencing a clock’s time, they would say something like, “It is six of the clock” – now shortened to “six o’clock”.

We only use this term when talking about the 12 hour clock, though, not the 24 hour clock (more on that later!) The 12-hour clock can be traced back as far as Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt. Both an Egyptian sundial for daytime use and an Egyptian water clock for nighttime use were found in the tomb of Pharaoh Amenhotep I. Dating to c.1500 BC, these clocks divided their respective times of use into 12 hours each. The Romans also used a 12-hour clock. Daylight was divided into 12 equal hours and the night was divided into four watches. 

These days, the internet has made it very easy to know what the time is in any part of the world.  Speaking of which, why not add the Vietnamese time zone clock to your laptop?

Many different clocks

8- Half past – rưỡi

When the time is thirty minutes past the hour, in English we say “half past”. Just like the hour, the half-hour is universally used as an orientation point; some languages speak of 30 minutes before the hour (subtraction), whereas others speak of 30 minutes after the hour (addition). 

9- AM – sáng

As mentioned earlier, AM is the abbreviation of the Latin ante meridiem and means before midday. Using ‘AM’ as a tag on your time simply tells people you’re speaking about a time in the morning. In some countries, morning is abbreviated to “AM” and you’ll see this on shop signs everywhere, announcing the opening hour. A typical shop sign might read something like this:

“Business hours are from 7AM to 6PM.” 

Woman in a shop, adjusting the shop sign

10- PM – trưa / chiều / tối

PM is the abbreviation of the Latin post meridiem and means after midday. Along with ‘AM’, you’ll usually find ‘PM’ on store signs and businesses, indicating the closing hours. It’s advisable to learn the difference between the two, since some establishments might only have one or the other on the sign. For example, a night club sign might say: 

“Open from 10 PM until late.” 

11- What time is it now? – Bây giờ là mấy giờ?

Here’s a very handy question you should memorize, as you can use it in any situation where you don’t have your watch or phone on you. This could be on the beach, in a club, or if you’re stuck anywhere with a flat phone battery. It happens at home, so it can happen when you’re traveling! 

Woman on the phone, looking at her watch

12- One o’clock – một giờ

One o’clock, or 1 PM, is the average lunch time for many people around the world – at least, we try to get a meal in at some point between midday and 2 PM.  In terms of duration, the nations vary: Brazililans reportedly take the longest lunch breaks, averaging 48 minutes, whereas Greece reports an average break of only 19 minutes. Historically, Greeks were known for their very leisurely lunch breaks, so it just goes to show how fast the world is changing. If you’re curious about what to expect in Vietnam, try asking our online community about lunch time in Vietnamese.

13- Two o’clock – hai giờ

In his last days, Napoleon Bonaparte famously spoke of “Two o’clock in the morning courage” – meaning unprepared, spontaneous  courage. He was talking about soldiers who are brave enough to tumble out of bed in an instant, straight into action, without time to think or strategize. Do you think you have what it takes? I’m pretty sure all mothers know this feeling!

14- Three o’clock – ba giờ

3 AM can be perceived as the coldest time of day and is not an hour we want to wake up, but meteorologists will tell you that the coldest time is actually half an hour after sunrise. Even though the sun is peeking over the horizon, the solar radiation is still weaker than the earth’s infrared cooling to space.

Clock pointing to 3 o'clock

15- Four o’clock – bốn giờ

Do you know anyone who purposely gets up at 4 o’clock in the morning? As crazy as it sounds, there is something to be said for rising at 4 AM while the rest of the world sleeps. If you live on a farm, it might even be normal for you. I know that whenever I’m staying in the countryside, rising early is a lot easier, because there’s a satisfying reason to do so: watching a sunrise from a rooftop, with uninterrupted views, can’t be beat! It’s also likely that you’ll be woken by a cock crowing, or other animals waking to graze in the fresh pre-dawn air. 

In the world of business, you’ll find a small group of ambitious individuals – many entrepreneurs – who swear by the 4 o’clock in the morning rise. I’m not sure I like that idea, but I’d wake up at 4 AM if it was summer and I had my car packed for a vacation!

16- Five o’clock – năm giờ

What better way to signal the transition between work and play than the clock hands striking 5 o’clock? It’s the hour most working people look forward to each day – at least, those who get to stop working at 5 PM.  Meanwhile, millions of retired folks are taking out the wine glasses, as 5 PM is widely accepted as an appropriate time to pour the first glass. I don’t know how traditional your families are, but for as long as I’ve been alive, my grandparents have counted down the milliseconds to five o’clock, and the hour is announced with glee.

A sunset

17- Six o’clock – sáu giờ

This is the time many working people and school kids wake up in the morning. In many parts of the world, 6 o’clock is also a good time to watch the sunrise, go for a run or hit the hiking trails. 

18- Seven o’clock – bảy giờ

Health gurus will tell you that 7 o’clock in the morning is the best time to eat your first meal of the day, and 7 o’clock in the evening is the time you should eat your last meal. I’ve tried that and I agree, but it’s not always easy!

19- Eight o’clock – tám giờ

8 o’clock in the morning is the time that most businesses open around the world, and the time most kids are in their first lesson at school – still full of energy and willing to participate. Interestingly, it’s also the time most babies are born in the world!  In the evening, 8 o’clock is many young children’s bedtime and the time for parents to watch the evening news. 

Smiling boy in school with his hand up

20- Nine o’clock – chín giờ

It’s good to occasionally sleep late on a weekend and for me, this means waking up at 9 AM. If you’re traveling in Vietnam and staying at a hotel, planning to sleep late means politely requesting to not be woken up by room service.

21- Ten o’clock – mười giờ

10 o’clock in the morning is a popular time to conduct business meetings, and for first break time at schools. We’re usually wide awake and well into our day by then.  But what about the same hour at night? Modern people are often still awake and watching TV at 10 PM, but this isn’t exactly good for us. Experts say that the deepest and most regenerative sleep occurs between 10 PM and 2 AM, so we should already be sound asleep by ten o’clock. 

In advertising, have you ever noticed that the hands of the clock usually point to 10:10? Have a look next time you see a watch on a billboard or magazine. The reason? Aesthetics. Somehow, the human brain finds the symmetry pleasing. When the clock hands are at ten and two, they create a ‘smiley’ face and don’t cover any key details, like a logo, on the clock face. 

22- Eleven o’clock – mười một giờ

When I see this time written in words, it makes me think of the hilarious Academy Award-winning very short film, “The Eleven O’Clock”, in which the delusional patient of a psychiatrist believes that he is actually the doctor. 

Then there’s the tradition of ‘elevenses’ – tea time at eleven o’clock in the morning. Strongly ingrained in British culture, elevenses is typically a serving of hot tea or coffee with scones or pastries on the side. It’s a great way to stave off hunger pangs before lunch time arrives. In fact, if you were a hobbit, ‘Elevenses’ would be your third meal of the day!

23- Twelve o’clock – mười hai giờ

Twelve o’clock in the daytime is considered midday, when the sun is at its zenith and the temperature reaches its highest for that day; it’s written as 12 noon or 12 PM. In most parts of the world, though, this doesn’t happen at precisely 12 PM. ‘Solar noon’ is the time when the sun is actually at its highest point in the sky. The local or clock time of solar noon depends on the longitude and date. If it’s summertime, it’s advisable to stay in the shade during this hour – or at least wear good quality sunblock.

Midnight is the other ‘twelve o’clock’, of course. Midnight is written as 12 AM and is technically the first minute of the morning. On the 24-hour clock, midnight is written as 00:00. 

Sun at noon in a blue cloudy sky

2. How to Tell the Time in Vietnamese

Telling the time

Using a clock to read the time in Vietnam is going to be the same as in your own country, since you’re dealing with numbers and not words. You’ll know the time in your head and be able to say it in English, but will you be able to say it out loud in Vietnamese? 

The first step to saying the time in Vietnamese is knowing your numbers. How are you doing with that? If you can count to twelve in Vietnamese, you’re halfway there! We’ve already covered the phrases you’ll need to say the exact hour, as in “five o’clock”, as well as how to say “half past”. What remains is the more specific phrases to describe what the minute hand is doing.

In everyday speech, it’s common to say the minutes past or before the hour. Often we round the minutes off to the nearest five. 

Then, there’s the 24-hour clock. Also known as ‘military time’, the 24-hour clock is used in most countries and, as such, is useful to understand. You’ll find that even in places where the 12-hour clock is standard, certain people will speak in military time or use a combination of the two.  No doubt you’ve also noticed that in written time, the 24-hour clock is commonly used.  One of the most prominent places you’ll have seen this is on airport flight schedules.

Airport flight schedule

Knowing how to tell military time in Vietnamese is really not complicated if you know your numbers up to twenty-four. One advantage of using the 24-hour clock in Vietnamese, is there’s no chance of confusing AM and PM.

Once you know how to say the time, it will be pretty easy to also write the time in Vietnamese. You’re already learning what the different hours and minutes look and sound like, so give yourself some writing practice of the same. 

3. Conclusion

Now that you understand the vocabulary for telling time in Vietnamese, the best thing you can do to really lock it down is to just practice saying Vietnamese time daily. Start by replacing English with Vietnamese whenever you need to say the time; in fact, do this whenever you look at your watch. Say the time to yourself in Vietnamese and it will become a habit. When learning a new language, the phrases you use habitually are the ones your brain will acquire. It feels amazing when that turning point comes!

To help yourself gain confidence, why don’t you make use of our various apps, downloadable for iPhone and iPad, as well as Android? Choose what works best for you. In addition, we have so many free resources available to supplement your learning, that you simply can’t go wrong. Some of these are:

If you prefer watching your lessons on video, check out our YouTube channel – there are hundreds of videos to browse. For those of you with Roku, we also have a TV channel you can watch.

Well, it’s time for me to say goodbye and for you to practice saying the time in Vietnamese. Look at the nearest clock and try to say the exact time, down to the seconds. See you again soon at VietnamesePod101!

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Essential Vocabulary for Directions in Vietnamese

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Do you know your left from your right in Vietnamese? Asking for directions can mean the difference between a heavenly day on the beach and a horrible day on your feet, hot and bothered and wondering how to even get back to the hotel. Believe me – I know! On my earlier travels, I didn’t even know simple terms like ‘go straight ahead’ or ‘go west,’ and I was always too shy to ask locals for directions. It wasn’t my ego, but rather the language barrier that held me back. I’ve ended up in some pretty dodgy situations for my lack of directional word skills.

This never needs to happen! When traveling in Vietnam, you should step out in confidence, ready to work your Vietnamese magic and have a full day of exploring. It’s about knowing a few basic phrases and then tailoring them with the right directional words for each situation. Do you need to be pointed south in Vietnamese? Just ask! Believe me, people are more willing to help than you might think. It’s when you ask in English that locals might feel too uncertain to answer you. After all, they don’t want to get you lost. For this reason, it also makes sense that you learn how to understand people’s responses. 

Asking directions in Vietnam is inevitable. So, learn to love it! Our job here at VietnamesePod101 is to give you the confidence you need to fully immerse and be the intrepid adventurer you are.

Log in to Download Your Free Cheat Sheet - Around Town in Vietnamese Table of Contents
  1. Talking about position and direction in Vietnamese
  2. Getting directions in Vietnamese
  3. Conclusion

1. Talking about position and direction in Vietnamese

Have you ever tried saying the compass directions of north, south, east and west in Vietnamese? These words are good to know, being the most natural and ancient method of finding direction. In the days before GPS – before the invention of the compass, even – knowing the cardinal directions was critical to finding the way. Certainly, if you were lost somewhere in the mountain regions now and using a map to navigate, you’d find them useful. Even more so if you and a Vietnamese friend were adrift at sea, following the stars!

In most situations, though, we rely on body relative directions – your basic up, down, left and right, forward and backwards. Most cultures use relative directions for reference and Vietnamese is no exception. Interestingly, in a few old languages there are no words for left and right and people still rely on cardinal directions every day. Can you imagine having such a compass brain?

A black compass on a colored map

Well, scientists say that all mammals have an innate sense of direction, so getting good at finding your way is just a matter of practice. It’s pretty cool to think that we were born already pre-wired to grasp directions; the descriptive words we invented are mere labels to communicate these directions to others! Thus, the need to learn some Vietnamese positional vocabulary. So, without further ado… let’s dive in.

1- Top – đỉnh

If planting a flag at the top of the highest mountain in Vietnam is a goal you’d rather leave for  adrenaline junkies, how about making it to the top of the highest building? Your view of the city will be one you’ll never forget, and you can take a selfie  for Twitter with your head in the clouds. 

man on the top rung of a ladder in the sky, about to topple off

2- Bottom – phần dưới cùng

The ‘bottom’ can refer to the lower end of a road, the foot of a mountain, or the ground floor of a building. It’s the place you head for after you’ve been to the top!

What are your favorite ‘bottoms’? I love the first rung of a ladder, the base of a huge tree or the bottom of a jungle-covered hill. What can I say? I’m a climber. Divers like the bottom of the ocean and foxes like the bottom of a hole. Since you’re learning Vietnamese, hopefully you’ll travel from the top to the bottom of Vietnam.

3- Up – lên

This is a very common and useful word to know when seeking directions. You can go up the street, up an elevator, up a cableway, up a mountain… even up into the sky in a hot air balloon. It all depends on how far up you like to be!

Hot air balloons in a blue cloudy sky

4- Down – xuống

What goes up, must surely come down. This is true of airplanes, flaming arrows and grasshoppers – either aeronautics or gravity will take care of that. In the case of traveling humans who don’t wish to go down at terminal velocity, it’s useful to know phrases such as, “Excuse me, where is the path leading back down this mountain?”

5- Middle – giữa

In Lord of the Rings, Tolkien’s characters live in Middle-earth, which is just an ancient word for the inhabited world of men; it referred to the physical world, as opposed to the unseen worlds above and below it. The ancients also thought of the human world as vaguely in the middle of the encircling seas.

When we talk about the ‘middle’, we’re referring to a point that’s roughly between two horizontal lines – like the middle of the road or the middle of a river. While you’re unlikely to ask for directions to the ‘middle’ of anything, you might hear it as a response. For example, “You’re looking for the castle ruins? But they’re in the middle of the forest!”

Castle ruins in a forest

6- Center – chính giữa

Although similar in meaning to ‘middle’, this word is more specific. Technically, it means the exact central point of a circular area, equally distant from every point on the circumference.  When asking for directions to the center of town, though, we don’t mean to find a mathematically-accurate pinpoint!

Bull’s eye on a dartboard

7- Front – trước

The front is the place or position that is seen first; it’s the most forward part of something.  In the case of a hotel, the front is going to be easy to recognize, so if you call a taxi and are told to wait “in front of the hotel”, you won’t have a problem. It’s pretty cool how just knowing the main Vietnamese directional words can help you locate something if there’s a good landmark nearby.

8- Back – phía sau

I once rented a house in a charming little street that was tucked away at the back of a popular mall. It was so easy to find, but my boss took three hours to locate it from 300 meters away. Why? Well, because she spoke no English and I had no clue what the word for ‘back’ was. All she heard, no matter which way I said it, was “mall, mall, mall”.  As a result, she hunted in front of and next to the mall until she was frazzled. 

Knowing how to describe the location of your own residence is probably the first Vietnamese ‘directions’ you should practice. This skill will certainly come in handy if you’re lost and looking for your way home. 

9- Side – phía

If the place you’re looking for is at the ‘side’ of something, it will be located to the left or the right of that landmark. That could mean you’re looking for an alleyway beside a building, or a second entrance (as opposed to the main entrance). 

As an example, you might be told that your tour bus will be waiting at the right side of the building, not in front. Of course, then you’ll also need to understand “It’s on the right” in Vietnamese.

Jeepney taxi parked at the side of a building

10- East – phía đông

If you’re facing north, then east is the direction of your right hand. It’s the direction toward which the Earth rotates about its axis, and therefore the general direction from which the sun appears to rise. If you want to go east using a compass for navigation, you should set a bearing of 90°. 

We think of Asia as the ‘East’. Geographically, this part of the world lies in the eastern hemisphere, but there’s so much more that we’ve come to associate with this word. The East signifies ancient knowledge and is symbolic of enlightenment in many cultures.

Monks reading on a boulder in front of a Buddha statue

11- West – phía tây

West is the opposite to east and it’s the direction in which the sun sets. To go west using a compass, you’ll set a bearing of 270 degrees. 

If you were on the planet Venus, which rotates in the opposite direction from the Earth (retrograde rotation), the Sun would rise in the west and set in the east… not that you’d be able to see the sun through Venus’s opaque clouds. 

Culturally, the West refers mainly to the Americas and Europe, but also to Australia and New Zealand, which are geographically in the East. The Western way of thinking is very different to that of the East. One of the most striking differences is individualism versus collectivism. In the West, we grew up with philosophies of freedom and independence, whereas in the East concepts of unity are more important. 

Food for thought: as a traveler who’s invested in learning the languages and cultures of places you visit, you have an opportunity to become a wonderfully balanced thinker – something the world needs more of.

12- North – phía bắc

North is the top point of a map and when navigating, you’d set a compass bearing of 360 degrees if you want to go that way. Globes of the earth have the north pole at the top, and we use north as the direction by which we define all other directions.

If you look into the night sky, the North Star (Polaris) marks the way due north. It’s an amazing star, in that it holds nearly still in our sky while the entire northern sky moves around it. That’s because it’s located nearly at the north celestial pole – the point around which the entire northern sky turns. Definitely a boon for lost travelers!

The North Star with the Big Dipper in a night sky

13- South – phía nam

South is the opposite of north, and it’s perpendicular to the east and west. You can find it with a compass if you set your bearings to 180 degrees. 

The south celestial pole is the point around which the entire southern sky appears to turn. In the night sky of the southern hemisphere, the Southern Cross is a very easy to find constellation with four points in the shape of a diamond. If you come from the southern hemisphere, chances are your dad or mum pointed it out to you when you were a kid. You can use the Southern Cross to find south if traveling by night, so it’s well worth figuring it out!

14- Outside – bên ngoài

This word refers to any place that is not under a roof. Perhaps you’ve heard talk about some amazing local bands that will be playing in a nearby town on the weekend. If it’s all happening outside, you’ll be looking for a venue in a park, a stadium or some other big open space. Come rain or shine, outside definitely works for me!

A young woman on someone’s shoulders at an outdoor concert

15- Inside – bên trong

I can tolerate being inside if all the windows are open, or if I’m watching the latest Homeland episode. How about you? I suppose going shopping for Vietnamese-style accessories would be pretty fun, too, and that will (mostly) be an inside affair. 

16- Opposite – đối diện

This is a great word to use as a reference point for locating a place. It’s right opposite that other place! In other words, if you stand with your back to the given landmark, your destination will be right in front of you. 

17- Adjacent – gần kề

So, the adorable old man from next door, who looks about ninety-nine, explains in Vietnamese that the food market where he works is adjacent to the community hall on the main road. ‘Adjacent’ just means next to or adjoining something else, so… head for the hall! 

While you’re marveling at the wondrous and colorful displays of Vietnamese food, think about how all of these delicious stalls lie adjacent to one another. Having a happy visual association with a new word is a proven way to remember it!

Outdoor food market fruit display

18- Toward – về phía

To go toward something is to go in its direction and get closer to it. This word can often appear in a sentence with ‘straight ahead’, as in:

“Go straight ahead, toward the park.”

If you’ve come to Vietnam to teach English, you might have to ask someone how to find your new school. Depending on what town you’re in, you could simply head toward the residential area at lunch time. You’ll see (and probably hear) the primary school soon enough – it will be the big fenced building with all the kids running around the yard!

19- Facing – hướng vào

If you look at yourself in a mirror, you’ll be facing your reflection. In other words: you and your reflection look directly at each other.  Many plush hotels are ocean-facing or river-facing, meaning the main entrance is pointed directly at the water, and the beach out front faces the hotel. 

20- Beside – bên cạnh

I know of a special little place where there’s a gym right beside a river. You can watch the sun go down over the water while working out – it’s amazing. What’s more, you can park your scooter beside the building and it will still be there when you come out.

21- Corner – góc

I love a corner when it comes to directions. A street corner is where two roads meet at an angle – often 90 degrees – making it easier to find than a location on a straight plane. 

“Which building is the piano teacher in, sir?”

“Oh, that’s easy – it’s the one on the corner.”

The key to a corner is that it leads in two directions. It could form a crossroads, a huge intersection, or it could be the start of a tiny one-way cobblestone street with hidden treasures waiting in the shadow of the buildings.

A white and yellow building on the corner of two streets

22- Distant – xa

When a location is distant, it’s in an outlying area. This Vietnamese word refers to the remoteness of the site, not to how long it takes to get there. For that reason, it’s a very good idea to write the directions down, rather than try to memorize them in Vietnamese. Even better, get a Vietnamese person to write them down for you. This may seem obvious, but always include the location of your starting point! Any directions you’re given will be relative to the exact place you’re starting from.

Man lost on a dusty road, looking at a road map and scratching his head

23- Close – gần

This word is always a good one to hear when you have your heart set on a very relaxing day in the sun. It means there’s only a short distance to travel, so you can get there in a heartbeat and let the tanning commence. Remember to grab your Nook Book – learning is enhanced when you’re feeling happy and unencumbered. Being close to ‘home’ also means you can safely steal maximum lazy hours and leave the short return trip for sunset! 

A smiling woman lying in a hammock on the beach

24- By – bằng

This word identifies the position of a physical object beside another object or a place. A Bed and Breakfast can be ‘by the sea’ if it’s in close proximity to the sea. 

‘By’ can also be used to describe the best mode of transport for your route, as in:

“You can get there by bus.”

25- Surrounding – xung quanh

If something is surrounding you, it is on every side and you are enclosed by it – kind of like being in a boat. Of course, we’re not talking about deep water here, unless you’re planning on going fishing. Directions that include this word are more likely to refer to the surrounding countryside, or any other features that are all around the place you’re looking for.

A polar bear stuck on a block of ice, completely surrounded by water.

26- All sides – mọi phía

Another useful descriptive Vietnamese term to know is ‘all sides’. It simply means that from a particular point, you will be able to see the same features to the front, back and sides of you. It doesn’t necessarily imply you’ll be completely surrounded, just more-or-less so. Say, for example, you’re visiting the winelands for the day. When you get there, you’ll see vineyards on all sides of you. How stunning! Don’t neglect to sample the local wines – obviously. 

27- Next to – kế bên

The person giving you directions is probably standing next to you. The place being described as ‘next to’ something is in a position immediately to one side of it. It could refer to adjoining buildings, neighbouring stores, or the one-legged beggar who sits next to the beautiful flower vendor on weekdays. ‘Next to’ is a great positional term, as everything is next to something! 

“Excuse me, Ma’am.  Where is the train station?”

“It’s that way – next to the tourist market.”

28- Above – ở trên

This is the direction you’ll be looking at if you turn your head upwards. Relative to where your body is, it’s a point higher than your head. If you’re looking for the location of a place that’s ‘above’ something, it’s likely to be on at least the first floor of a building; in other words, above another floor.

‘Above’ could also refer to something that will be visible overhead when you get to the right place. For example, the road you’re looking for might have holiday decorations strung up from pole to pole above it. In the cities, this is very likely if there’s any kind of festival going on.

View from below of a carnival swing, with riders directly above the viewer

29- Under – dưới

Under is the opposite of above, and refers to a place that lies beneath something else. In the case of directions in Vietnamese, it could refer to going under a bridge – always a great landmark – or perhaps through a subway. In some parts of the world, you can even travel through a tunnel that’s under the sea!

Of course, you might just be missing your home brew and looking for an awesome coffee shop that happens to be under the very cool local gym you were also looking for. Nice find!

2. Getting directions in Vietnamese

The quickest and easiest way to find out how to get where you’re going is simply to ask someone. Most people on the streets of Vietnam won’t mind being asked at all and will actually appreciate your attempt to ask directions in Vietnamese. After all, most tourists are more inclined to ask in their own language and hope for the best. How pedestrian is that, though?

Asking directions

I know, I know – you normally prefer to find your own way without asking. Well, think of it like this: you obviously need to practice asking questions in Vietnamese as much as you need to practice small talk, counting, or ordering a beer. Since you can’t very well ask a complete stranger if they would please help you count to five hundred, you’ll have to stick with asking directions!

We spoke earlier about body relative directions and these tend to be the ones we use most. For example:

“Turn left.”

“Go straight.”

“Turn right.” 

Remember, too, that your approach is important. Many people are wary of strangers and you don’t want to scare them off. It’s best to be friendly, direct and get to the point quickly.  A simple ‘Hi, can you help me?” or “Excuse me, I’m a bit lost,” will suffice. If you have a map in your hand, even better, as your intentions will be clear. 

The bottom line is that if you want to find your way around Vietnam with ease, it’s a good idea to master these basic phrases. With a little practice, you can also learn how to say directions in Vietnamese. Before you know it, you’ll be the one explaining the way!

3. Conclusion

Now that you have over thirty new directional phrases you can learn in Vietnamese, there’s no need to fear losing your way when you hit the streets of Vietnam. All you need is a polite approach and your own amazing smile, and the locals will be excited to help you. It’s a chance for them to get better at explaining things to a foreigner, too. Most will enjoy that!

I advise keeping a few things handy in your day pack: a street map, a highlighter, a small notebook and pen, and your Vietnamese phrasebook. It would be useful to also have the Vietnamese WordPower app installed on your phone – available for both iPhone and Android

Here’s a quick challenge to get you using the new terms right away. Can you translate these directions into Vietnamese?

“It’s close. Go straight ahead to the top of the hill and turn left at the corner. The building is on the right, opposite a small bus stop.”

You’re doing amazingly well to have come this far! Well done on tackling the essential topic of ‘directions’ – it’s a brave challenge that will be immensely rewarding. Trust me, when you’re standing at a beautiful location that you found just by knowing what to ask in Vietnamese, you’re going to feel pretty darn good.

If you’re as excited as I am about taking Vietnamese to an even deeper level, we have so much more to offer you. Did you know that we’ve already had over 1 billion lesson downloads? I know – we’re blown away by that, too. It’s amazing to be bringing the world’s languages to people who are so hungry for learning. Let me share some of our best options for you:

  • If you haven’t done so already, grab your free lifetime account as a start. You’ll get audio and video lessons, plus vocabulary building tools. 
  • My favorite freebie is the word of the day, which will arrive in your inbox every morning. Those are the words I remember best!
  • Start listening to Vietnamese music. I’m serious – it really works to make the resistant parts of the brain relax and accept the new language. Read about it here for some tips.
  • If you enjoy reading, we have some great iBooks for your daily commute.
  • If you have a Kindle and prefer to do your reading on a picnic blanket,  there are over 6 hours of unique lessons in Vietnamese for you right there.

That’s it for today! Join VietnamesePod101 to discover many more ways that we can offer you a truly fun and enriching language learning experience. Happy travels!

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Essential Vocabulary for Life Events in Vietnamese

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What is the most defining moment you will face this year? From memories that you immortalize in a million photographs, to days you never wish to remember, one thing’s for certain: big life events change you. The great poet, Bukowski, said, “We are here to laugh at the odds and live our lives so well, that death will tremble to take us.” The older I get, the more I agree with him!

Talking about significant events in our lives is part of every person’s journey, regardless of creed or culture. If you’re planning to stay in Vietnam for more than a quick visit, you’re sure to need at least a few ‘life events’ phrases that you can use. After all, many of these are shared experiences, and it’s generally expected that we will show up with good manners and warm wishes.

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Table of Contents

  1. Life Events
  2. Marriage Proposal Lines
  3. Talking About Age
  4. Conclusion

1. Life Events

Do you know how to say “Happy New Year” in Vietnamese? Well, the New Year is a pretty big deal that the whole world is in on! We celebrate until midnight, make mindful resolutions, and fill the night sky with the same happy words in hundreds of languages. No doubt, then, that you’ll want to know how to say it like a local!

Big life events are not all about fun times, though. Real life happens even when you’re traveling, and certain terminology will be very helpful to know. From talking about your new job to wishing your neighbors “Merry Christmas” in Vietnamese, here at VietnamesePod101, we’ve put together just the right vocabulary and phrases for you.

1- Birthday – sinh nhật

If you’re like me, any excuse to bring out a pen and scribble a note is a good one. When there’s a birthday, even better: hello, handwriting!

Your Vietnamese friend will love hearing you wish them a “Happy birthday” in Vietnamese, but how much more will they appreciate a thoughtful written message? Whether you write it on their Facebook wall or buy a cute card, your effort in Vietnamese is sure to get them smiling! Write it like this:

Chúc mừng sinh nhật

Older Woman Blowing Out Candles on a Birthday Cake Surrounded by Friends.

Now that you know the words, I challenge you to put them to music and sing your own “Happy birthday” song in Vietnamese! It’s not impossible to figure out even more lyrics, once you start discovering the language from scratch.

2- Buy – mua

If there’s a special occasion, you might want to buy somebody a gift. As long as you’ve checked out Vietnamese etiquette on gift-giving (do a Google search for this!), it will be a lovely gesture. If you’re not sure what to buy, how about the awesome and universally-appealing gift of language? That’s a gift that won’t stop giving!

Two Women at a Counter in a Bookstore, One Buying a Book

3- Retire – nghỉ hưu

If you’re planning to expand your mind and retire in Vietnam, you can use this word to tell people why you seem to be on a perpetual vacation!

Retirement is also a great time to learn a new language, don’t you think? And you don’t have to do it alone! These days it’s possible to connect to a vibrant learning community at the click of a button. The added benefit of a Daily Dose of Language is that it keeps your brain cells alive and curious about the world. After all, it’s never too late to realize those long-ignored dreams of traveling the globe…

4- Graduation – tốt nghiệp

When attending a graduation ceremony in Vietnam, be prepared for a lot of formal language! It will be a great opportunity to listen carefully and see if you can pick up differences from the everyday Vietnamese you hear.

Lecturer or University Dean Congratulating and Handing Over Graduation Certificate to a Young Man on Graduation Day.

5- Promotion – sự thăng chức

Next to vacation time, receiving a promotion is the one career highlight almost everyone looks forward to. And why wouldn’t you? Sure, it means more responsibility, but it also means more money and benefits and – the part I love most – a change of scenery! Even something as simple as looking out a new office window would boost my mood.

6- Anniversary – ngày kỉ niệm

Some anniversaries we anticipate with excitement, others with apprehension. They are days marking significant events in our lives that can be shared with just one person, or with a whole nation. Whether it’s a special day for you and a loved one, or for someone else you know, this word is crucial to know if you want to wish them a happy anniversary in Vietnamese.

7- Funeral – đám tang

We tend to be uncomfortable talking about funerals in the west, but it’s an important conversation for families to have. Around the world, there are many different customs and rituals for saying goodbye to deceased loved ones – some vastly different to our own. When traveling in Vietnam, if you happen to find yourself the unwitting observer of a funeral, take a quiet moment to appreciate the cultural ethos; even this can be an enriching experience for you.

8- Travel – đi du lịch

Travel – my favorite thing to do! Everything about the experience is thrilling and the best cure for boredom, depression, and uncertainty about your future. You will surely be forever changed, fellow traveler! But you already know this, don’t you? Well, now that you’re on the road to total Vietnamese immersion, I hope you’ve downloaded our IOS apps and have your Nook Book handy to keep yourself entertained on those long bus rides.

Young Female Tourist with a Backpack Taking a Photo of the Arc de Triomphe

9- Graduate – tốt nghiệp

If you have yet to graduate from university, will you be job-hunting in Vietnam afterward? Forward-looking companies sometimes recruit talented students who are still in their final year. Of course, you could also do your final year abroad as an international student – an amazing experience if you’d love to be intellectually challenged and make a rainbow of foreign friends!

10- Wedding – đám cưới

One of the most-loved traditions that humans have thought up, which you’ll encounter anywhere in the world, is a wedding. With all that romance in the air and months spent on preparations, a wedding is typically a feel-good affair. Two people pledge their eternal love to each other, ladies cry, single men look around for potential partners, and everybody has a happy day of merrymaking.

Ah, but how diverse we are in our expression of love! You will find more wedding traditions around the world than you can possibly imagine. From reciting love quotes to marrying a tree, the options leave no excuse to be boring!

Married Couple During Reception, Sitting at Their Table While a Young Man Gives a Wedding Speech

11- Move – chuyển

I love Vietnam, but I’m a nomad and tend to move around a lot, even within one country. What are the biggest emotions you typically feel when moving house? The experts say moving is a highly stressful event, but I think that depends on the circumstances. Transitional periods in our lives are physically and mentally demanding, but changing your environment is also an exciting adventure that promises new tomorrows!

12- Be born – được sinh ra

I was not born in 1993, nor was I born in Asia. I was born in the same year as Aishwarya Rai, Akon, and Monica Lewinsky, and on the same continent as Freddy Mercury. When and where were you born? More importantly – can you say it in Vietnamese?

13- Get a job – có việc làm

The thought of looking for a job in a new country can be daunting, but English speakers are in great demand in Vietnam – you just have to do some research, make a few friends and get out there! Also, arming yourself with a few Vietnamese introductions that you can both say and write will give you a confidence boost. For example, can you write your name in Vietnamese?

Group of People in Gear that Represent a Number of Occupations.

14- Die – chết

Death is a universal experience and the final curtain on all other life events. How important is it, then, to fully live before we die? If all you have is a passport, a bucket list, and a willingness to learn some lingo, you can manifest those dreams!

15- Home – nhà

If home is where the heart is, then my home is on a jungle island completely surrounded by the turquoise ocean. Right now, though, home is an isolation room with a view of half a dry palm tree and a tangle of telephone wires.

If you’re traveling to Vietnam for an extended stay, you’ll soon be moving into a new home quite unlike anything you’ve experienced before!

Large, Double-Story House with Lit Windows.

16- Job – công việc

What job do you do? Does it allow you much time for travel, or for working on this fascinating language that has (so rightfully) grabbed your attention? Whatever your job, you are no doubt contributing to society in a unique way. If you’re doing what you love, you’re already on the road to your dream. If not, just remember that every single task is one more skill to add to your arsenal. With that attitude, your dream job is coming!

17- Birth – sự ra đời

Random question: do you know the birth rate of Vietnam?

If you’re lucky enough to be invited to see a friend’s baby just after they are born, you’ll have all my respect and all my envy. There is nothing cuter! Depending on which part of the country you’re in, you may find yourself bearing witness to some pretty unexpected birth customs. Enjoy this privilege!

Crying Newborn Baby Held By a Doctor or Nurse in a Hospital Theatre

18- Engaged – đính hôn

EE Cummings said, “Lovers alone wear sunlight,” and I think that’s most true at the moment she says “yes.” Getting engaged is something young girls dream of with stars in their eyes, and it truly is a magical experience – from the proposal, to wearing an engagement ring, to the big reveal!

In the world of Instagram, there’s no end to the antics as imaginative couples try more and more outrageous ways to share their engagement with the world. I love an airport flashmob, myself, but I’d rather be proposed to on a secluded beach – salt, sand, and all!

Engagement customs around the world vary greatly, and Vietnam is no exception when it comes to interesting traditions. Learning their unique romantic ways will inspire you for when your turn comes.

Speaking of romance, do you know how to say “Happy Valentine’s Day” in Vietnamese?

19- Marry – kết hôn

The one you marry will be the gem on a shore full of pebbles. They will be the one who truly mirrors your affection, shares your visions for the future, and wants all of you – the good, the bad and the inexplicable.

From thinking up a one-of-a-kind wedding, to having children, to growing old together, finding a twin flame to share life with is quite an accomplishment! Speaking of which…

2. Marriage Proposal Lines

Marriage Proposal Lines

Ah, that heart-stopping moment when your true love gets down on one knee to ask for your hand in marriage, breathlessly hoping that you’ll say “Yes!” If you haven’t experienced that – well, it feels pretty darn good, is all I can say! If you’re the one doing the asking, though, you’ve probably had weeks of insomnia agonizing over the perfect time, location and words to use.

Man on His Knee Proposing to a Woman on a Bridge.

How much more care should be taken if your love is from a different culture to yours? Well, by now you know her so well, that most of it should be easy to figure out. As long as you’ve considered her personal commitment to tradition, all you really need is a few words from the heart. Are you brave enough to say them in Vietnamese?

3. Talking About Age

Talking about Age

Part of the wonder of learning a new language is having the ability to strike up simple conversations with strangers. Asking about age in this context feels natural, as your intention is to practice friendly phrases – just be mindful of their point of view!

When I was 22, I loved being asked my age. Nowadays, if someone asks, I say, “Well, I’ve just started my fifth cat life.” Let them ponder that for a while.

In Vietnam, it’s generally not desirable to ask an older woman her age for no good reason, but chatting about age with your peers is perfectly normal. Besides, you have to mention your birthday if you want to be thrown a birthday party!

4. Conclusion

Well, there you have it! With so many great new Vietnamese phrases to wish people with, can you think of someone who has a big event coming up? If you want to get even more creative, VietnamesePod101 has much to inspire you with – come and check it out! Here’s just some of what we have on offer at VietnamesePod101:

  • 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…!
  • 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!
  • 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!

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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Talk About the Weather in Vietnamese Like a Native

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Did you know that every minute of the day, one billion tons of rain falls on the earth? Hard to believe, considering the climate crisis! Of course, all that rain is not equally shared across the planet.

So, would you mention this fascinating fact to your new Vietnamese acquaintance? Well, small talk about local weather is actually a great conversation-starter. Everyone cares about the weather and you’re sure to hear a few interesting opinions! Seasons can be quite unpredictable these days and nobody knows the peculiarities of a region better than the locals.

VietnamesePod101 will equip you with all the weather vocabulary you need to plan your next adventure. The weather can even be an important discussion that influences your adventure plans. After all, you wouldn’t want to get caught on an inflatable boat with a two-horsepower motor in Hurricane Horrendous!

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Table of Contents

  1. Talking about the weather in Vietnam
  2. Words for the first day of spring
  3. Do You Know the Essential Summer Vocabulary?
  4. Must-Know Autumn vocabulary
  5. Winter
  6. VietnamesePod101 can prepare you for any season.

1. Talking about the weather in Vietnam

Talking About Weather

If you’re like me, your day’s activity plan is likely to begin with a strong local coffee and a chat about what the sky is doing. After all, being prepared could be the difference between an amazing day and a miserable one! Luckily, it’s not difficult to comment on Vietnamese weather – just start with these simple words and phrases.

1- The rain is falling on the street – Mưa đang rơi trên đường phố.

Watercolor artists, take out your paints! You might not be able to venture out on foot today, but just embrace the rain as part of your Vietnamese experience. When the rain stops, the air will be clean and colours vibrant.

2- The snow has covered everything – Tuyết bao phủ mọi vật.

A fresh blanket of snow is irresistibly beautiful. Pull on your boots and beanie, and leave your tracks in this foreign landscape. Don’t resist the urge to build a snowman – you need this!

3- Fluffy cloud – mây mịn như bông

When you’re waiting for a warm beach day, fluffy white clouds in a blue sky are a good sign. Don’t forget your sunscreen, as clouds will intensify the UV rays hitting your skin.

Fluffy White Cloud in Clear Blue Sky

4- The water froze on the glass – Nước đã đóng băng trong ly.

Night temperatures can get chilly and might freeze the condensation on your windows. A good way to clear them up is with warm salt water.

5- The heavy rain could cause flash flooding – Cơn mưa lớn này có thể sẽ gây lụt.

If you’re visiting Vietnam in the wet season, it’s important to stay informed when heavy rain sets in, so keep an eye on the weather radar. Avoid river activities and rather spend this time making a home-cooked meal and brushing up on your Vietnamese weather words.

Heavy Rain in a Park

6- Flood – lũ lụt

If you do get caught in a flood, your destination should no longer be ‘home’, but the nearest high ground.

7- The typhoon has hit – Bão đang tiến vào đất liền.

Not all countries experience typhoons, but you need to know when to prepare for one! It will be very scary if you’ve never experienced one before. Your local neighbours are the best people to advise you on where to take shelter, as they’ve been doing it for generations. Be sure to get the low-down at the first sign of rough weather!

8- Check the weather report before going sailing – Kiểm tra bản tin thời tiết trước khi nhổ neo.

When planning an outdoor activity, especially on a body of water, always be prepared for a change in the weather. Ask your hotel receptionist or neighbour where you can get a reliable daily weather report, and don’t forget your sweater!

Two Men on Sailboat

9- Today’s weather is sunny with occasional clouds – Thời tiết hôm nay nắng thỉnh thoảng có mây.

Sunny weather is the dream when traveling in Vietnam! Wake up early, pack the hats and sunblock and go and experience the terrain, sights and beautiful spots. You’ll be rewarded with happy vibes all around.

10- A rainy day – ngày mưa

Remember when you said you’d save the Vietnamese podcasts for a rainy day? Now’s that day!

11- Scenic rainbow – cầu vồng

The best part about the rain is that you can look forward to your first rainbow in Vietnam. There’s magic in that!

12- Flashes of lightning can be beautiful, but are very dangerous – Những tia sét có thể rất đẹp nhưng cũng rất nguy hiểm.

Lightning is one of the most fascinating weather phenomena you can witness without really being in danger – at least if you’re sensible and stay indoors! Did you know that lightning strikes the earth 40-50 times per second? Fortunately, not all countries experience heavy electric storms!

Electric Storm

13- 25 degrees Celsius – hai mươi lăm độ C

Asking a local what the outside temperature will be is another useful question for planning your day. It’s easy if you know the Vietnamese term for ‘degrees Celsius’.

14- His body temperature was far above the usual 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit – Thân nhiệt của anh ấy cao hơn rất nhiều so với mức bình thường là chín mươi tám phẩy sáu độ Fa-hen-rít.

Although the Fahrenheit system has been replaced by Celsius in almost all countries, it’s still used in the US and a few other places. Learn this phrase in Vietnamese in case one of your companions develops a raging fever.

15- Clear sky – trời quang

Clear skies mean you’ll probably want to get the camera out and capture some nature shots – not to mention the great sunsets you’ll have later on. Twilight can lend an especially magical quality to a landscape on a clear sky day, when the light is not filtered through clouds.

Hikers on Mountain with Clear Sky

16- Light drizzle – mưa phùn nhẹ

Days when it’s drizzling are perfect for taking in the cultural offerings of Vietnam. You could go to the mall and watch a Vietnamese film, visit museums and art galleries, explore indoor markets or even find the nearest climbing wall. Bring an umbrella!

17- Temperature on a thermometer – nhiệt độ trên nhiệt biểu

Because of the coronavirus, many airports are conducting temperature screening on passengers. Don’t worry though – it’s just a precaution. Your temperature might be taken with a no-touch thermometer, which measures infrared energy coming off the body.

18- Humid – ẩm ướt

I love humid days, but then I’m also a water baby and I think the two go
together like summer and rain. Find a pool or a stream to cool off in – preferably in the shade!

Humidity in Tropical Forest

19- With low humidity the air feels dry – Với độ ẩm thấp không khí sẽ rất khô.

These are the best days to go walking the hills and vales. Just take at least one Vietnamese friend with you so you don’t get lost!

20- The wind is really strong – Cơn gió rất mạnh.

A strong wind blows away the air pollution and is very healthy in that respect. Just avoid the mountain trails today, unless you fancy being blown across the continent like a hot air balloon.

21- It’s windy outside – Bên ngoài trời nhiều gió.

Wind! My least favourite weather condition. Of course, if you’re a kitesurfer, a windy day is what you’ve been waiting for!

Leaves and Umbrella in the Wind

22- Wet roads can ice over when the temperature falls below freezing – Những con đường ướt có thể đóng băng khi nhiệt độ xuống dưới không độ.

The roads will be dangerous in these conditions, so please don’t take chances. The ice will thaw as soon as the sun comes out, so be patient!

23- Today is very muggy – Hôm nay rất oi bức.

Muggy days make your skin feel sticky and sap your energy. They’re particular to high humidity. Cold shower, anyone? Ice vest? Whatever it takes to feel relief from the humidity!

24- Fog – sương mù

Not a great time to be driving, especially in unknown territory, but keep your fog lights on and drive slowly.

Fog on a Pond with Ducks

25- Hurricane – cơn bão

Your new Vietnamese friends will know the signs, so grab some food and candles and prepare for a night of staying warm and chatting about wild weather in Vietnam.

Palm Trees in a Hurricane

26- Massive tornado – cơn lốc xoáy to

If you hear these words, it will probably be obvious already that everyone is preparing for the worst! Definitely do whatever your accommodation hosts tell you to do when a tornado is expected.

27- It’s cloudy today – Hôm nay trời có mây.

While there won’t be any stargazing tonight, the magnificent clouds over Vietnam will make impressive photographs. Caption them in Vietnamese to impress your friends back home!

Cloudy Weather on Beach with Beach Huts

28- Below freezing – dưới không độ

When the temperature is below freezing, why not take an Uber and go shopping for some gorgeous Vietnamese winter gear?

Woman with Winter Gear in Freezing Weather

29- Wind chill – gió lạnh

Wind doesn’t change the ambient temperature of the air, it just changes your body temperature, so the air will feel colder to you than it actually is.

30- Water will freeze when the temperature falls below zero degrees celsius – Nước sẽ đóng băng khi nhiệt độ xuống dưới không độ C.

If you’re near a lake, frozen water is good news! Forgot your ice skates? Don’t despair – find out where you can hire some. Be cautious, though: the ice needs to be at least four inches thick for safe skating. Personally, I just slide around on frozen lakes in my boots!

Thermometer Below Freezing Point

31- Waiting to clear up – đợi thời tiết quang đãng

Waiting for the weather to clear up so you can go exploring is frustrating, let’s be honest. That’s why you should always travel with two things: a scintillating novel and your Vietnamese Nook Book.

32- Avoid the extreme heat – tránh trời cực nóng

Is the heat trying to kill you? Unless you’re a hardened heatwave hero, definitely avoid activity, stay hydrated and drink electrolytes. Loose cotton or linen garb is the way to go!

Hand Holding a Melting Ice Cream

33- Frost – sương giá

Frost is water vapour that has turned to ice crystals and it happens when the earth cools so much in the night, that it gets colder than the air above it. Winter is coming!

34- Rain shower – trận mưa rào

Rain showers are typically brief downpours that drench the earth with a good drink of water.

35- In the evening it will become cloudy and cold – Vào buổi tối, trời sẽ trở nên u ám và lạnh.

When I hear this on the Vietnamese weather channel, I buy a bottle of wine (red, of course) and wood for the fireplace. A cold and cloudy evening needs its comforts!

Snow in the Park at Night

36- Severe thunderstorm – cơn giông dữ dội

Keep an eye on the Vietnamese weather maps if it looks like a big storm is coming, so you’ll be well-informed.

37- Ice has formed on the window – Băng đã hình thành trên cửa sổ.

You could try this phrase out on the hotel’s helpful cleaning staff, or fix the problem yourself. Just add a scoop or two of salt to a spray bottle of water – that should work!

38- Large hailstones – những cục mưa đá lớn

As a kid, I found hail crazy exciting. Not so much now – especially if I’m on the road and large hailstones start pummeling my windscreen!

Large Hailstones on a Wooden Floor

39- Rolling thunder – sấm dền

The rumble of rolling thunder is that low-volume, ominous background sound that goes on for some time. It’s strangely exciting if you’re safely in your hotel room; it could either suddenly clear up, or escalate to a storm.

40- Sleet – mưa tuyết

Sleet is tiny hard pieces of ice made from a mixture of rain and melted snow that froze. It can be messy, but doesn’t cause major damage the way hail does. Pretty cool to know this word in Vietnamese!

2. Words for the first day of spring

You know the feeling: your heart skips a beat when you wake up and spring has sprung! Spring will reward you with new blossoms everywhere, birdsong in the air, kittens being born in the neighborhood and lovely views when you hit the trails. Pack a picnic and ask a new Vietnamese friend to show you the more natural sights. Don’t forget a light sweater and a big smile. This is the perfect time to practice some Vietnamese spring words!

Spring Vocabulary

3. Do You Know the Essential Summer Vocabulary?

Summer! Who doesn’t love that word? It conjures up images of blue skies, tan skin, vacations at the beach and cruising down the coast in an Alfa Romeo, sunglasses on and the breeze in your hair. Of course, in Vietnam there are many ways to enjoy the summer – it all depends on what you love to do. One thing’s for sure: you will have opportunities to make friends, go on picnics, sample delicious local ice-cream and maybe even learn to sing some Vietnamese songs. It’s up to you! Sail into Vietnamese summer with this summer vocab list, and you’ll blend in with ease.

Four Adults Playing on the Beach in the Sand

4. Must-Know Autumn vocabulary

Victoria Ericksen said, “If a year was tucked inside of a clock, then autumn would be the magic hour,” and I agree. Who can resist the beauty of fall foliage coloring the Vietnamese landscape? Birds prepare to migrate; travelers prepare to arrive for the best weather in Vietnam.

The autumnal equinox marks the moment the Sun crosses the celestial equator, making day and night almost equal in length. The cool thing about this event is that the moon gets really bright – the ‘harvest moon’, as it’s traditionally known.

So, as much as the change of season brings more windy and rainy days, it also brings celebration. Whether you honor Thanksgiving, Halloween or the Moon Festival, take some time to color your vocabulary with these Vietnamese autumn words.

Autumn Phrases

5. Winter

Winter is the time the natural world slows down to rest and regroup. I’m a summer girl, but there are fabulous things about winter that I really look forward to. For one, it’s the only season I get to accessorize with my gorgeous winter gloves and snug down coat!

Then, of course, there’s ice skating, holiday decorations and bonfires. As John Steinbeck said, “What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness?” Get ready for the cold season with our list of essential Winter words!

Skier Sitting in the Snow

6. VietnamesePod101 can prepare you for any season.

Now that you know how to inquire and comment on the weather in Vietnam, you
can confidently plan your weather-ready travel itinerary. How about this for an idea: the next
time you’re sitting in a Vietnamese street café, try asking someone local this question:

“Do you think the weather will stay like this for a few days?” If you loved learning these cool Vietnamese weather phrases with us, why not take it a step further and add to your repertoire? VietnamesePod101 is here to help!

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How To Find a Job in Vietnam

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Four years ago I went to the Philippines to travel for the first time. I was so in love with the country that I couldn’t help but try to find a job there. I thought it was a nice country to live in and work in. A year later I got selected to join a short project in the Philippines for six months and, at the same time, that was when I started working for VietnamesePod101 as well. 

If you visit Vietnam and decide to stay for an extended period, you should research how to find a job in Vietnam. Unless you’re a freelancer working remotely most of the time, you must somehow find a job or do something for a living when being abroad. 

An expats satisfaction survey conducted in January 2021 shows that Vietnam is one of the top 10 countries where foreigners are happiest with both work and personal lives in 2021. Vietnam has become an extremely expat-friendly country in terms of job security and a stable local economy. It is surprisingly easy to find a job, especially when you’re a native English speaker, even with or without a degree. 

In this article, I’m going to reveal all the job possibilities and the other non-teaching jobs that you can take into consideration in Vietnam based on my four year-experience using English as the second language in my work. There will also be some conditions such as a Vietnamese visa and other requirements which need to be fulfilled and hopefully, you will have a clear idea of what fits you most before deciding to move to Vietnam.

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  1. The job market in Vietnam overview
  2. Regular Hiring Procedure
  3. Language Teaching Jobs
  4. Blue-collar Jobs
  5. Office Jobs
  6. Health, science, and technology-related jobs:
  7. Start your own business
  8. Conclusion

1. The job market in Vietnam overview

Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Danang, and Binh Duong are some of the cities that attract native English speakers most for their varieties of jobs. There are foreign companies or companies with foreign capital based in these cities as well. Therefore, the very first target if you aim for a chance of finding jobs in Vietnam should be in these places. The second city level that provides job options as well might be cities like Quang Ninh, Bac Ninh, Hue, Dong Nai, Vung Tau, and so on. The salary range can be smaller due to the smaller size of the city, but benefits are as good as in big cities since they want to attract strong candidates.

A Picture of Hanoi from Above

Due to great economic growth in recent years, Vietnam has opened up many diverse professions for not only locals but also expatriates. Aside from the very common teaching jobs in Vietnam, there are foreigners working as IT engineers, digital marketers, chefs, or managerial roles in big corporations. Accordingly, numerous job search websites have been launched to help candidates reach employers easier. Here is a list of websites and pages that you can absolutely take a look at when thinking of searching for a job in Vietnam. 

  • TopCV: Top CV was initially a website that provides resume templates. Later on, they connected with a wide network of employers and are currently recruiting tons of people and become one of the leading websites in the industry. 
  • Vietnamworks: There are thousands of jobs with attractive incomes from top companies in Vietnamworks. It’s easy to apply, jobs are of a good standard with high salaries, and there are attractive benefits. It’s also constantly updated with new work every day.
  • Timviecnhanh: A partner of over 500,000 businesses, bringing many chances of getting a job for job seekers, Timviecnhanh has been a prestigious recruitment site in Vietnam and it’s very easy to sign up also.
  • MyWork: Among job search websites in Vietnam, MyWork is a trusted, effective and prestigious job search page for candidates and employers. They also provide a hotline with a free consultation.
  • CareerLink: CareerLink is Top 10 E-commerce enterprises in 2015 with over 22,000 attractive jobs.
  • LinkedIn: a social network that focuses on businesses or professional individuals who need to connect for finding jobs and currently recruiting. A social networking site designed for the business community, LinkedIn’s goal is to allow users to network with people they know professionally.
  • Facebook: Last but not least, there are a few big Facebook Groups in Vietnam where you can find job opportunities such as Hanoi Massive Job or Saigon Massive where you can ask anything related to the city. 

2. Regular Hiring Procedure

Submitting a resume until getting a job can take approximately a week to a month. The usual hiring process in Vietnam is similar to everywhere else in the world, depending on the complexity of the job. It includes: 

  • Step 1 : Duyệt hồ sơ (Screen resume)
  • Step 2 : Liên hệ phỏng vấn (Contact for an interview)
  • Step 3 : Phỏng vấn với nhà tuyển dụng (Interview with employer)
  • Step 4 : Nhận thư mời làm việc (Receive offer letter)
  • Step 5 : Ký thoả thuận thử việc (Sign probation agreement)
  • Step 6 : Ký hợp đồng chính thức (Sign official contract)

The probation period in Vietnam usually takes 2 months for regular positions and 1 month for managerial positions due to the lack of strong candidates. Employees who are on probation period are entitled to a wage. It may, however, equal 75-80% of a regular employee’s compensation and may not include any bonuses or benefits. 

Volunteers can get paid sometimes depending on the project and organization. I may share with you more details about volunteering jobs in another article but within the framework of this one, I’m going to mostly discuss jobs that you officially get paid for.

A Resume

3. Language Teaching Jobs

Vietnam’s education industry has been one of the leading markets in Asia for its potential and growth over the past years. Due to the high expectation of Vietnamese parents for their children’s English skills, as well as the requirement of adults’ English ability for many jobs, thousands of English centers were opened to meet the need for language learning.

Being an English teacher, therefore, has become the number one chance of getting a great life in Vietnam for native English speakers these days. Some of the most popular English centers throughout Vietnam are Apolo, Apax, Wall Street English, Language Link, VUS, Ames, ILA, CEC, Ocean Edu, and Amslink. The regular hourly rate that you might have seen ranges from $15 to $40 depending on the center and class type. Basic requirements include native English speakers with TESOL, TEFL, CELTA, or BA. English speakers that come from countries using English as the second language can possibly find a job in Vietnam as an English, math or science teacher in local schools as well. Benefits vary from business visas, work permits, health insurance, to paid holidays.

A Teacher Pointing at the Blackboard

A regular hiring process usually includes 3 steps

  • Interview with the Human Resource Department
  • Interview with the Academic Department
  • Demo class

Teaching experience is highly recommended but not a must when looking for teaching jobs in Vietnam. The training system in Vietnam is not flush with fancy video training or materials but it’s enough to provide you with the necessary tools and teaching techniques. At big and reputed English centers, the academic manager is often a native English speaker. However, in some smaller centers, this responsibility can be taken by a Vietnamese speaker. 

To find a job in Vietnam as an English teacher, there is a chance of finding available positions in the English center that you’ve targeted directly, so you can avoid commission from agencies. On the other hand, some people may prefer working through agencies (Ex: New Way) because all the procedures and paperwork such as getting a Vietnamese visa can be fully taken care of. Another tip to get a teaching job in Vietnam is doing research beforehand because it will help when negotiating salaries with employers.

Knowing basic Vietnamese will help you understand the main difficulties of Vietnamese students, letting you make better teaching strategies. Bear in mind that teaching in public schools can be a little tiring due to the high student number as opposed to teaching in private English centers. Plus, you might be requested to do office hours or admin tasks in both environments which is perfectly common in Vietnam. 

4. Blue-collar Jobs

Nhân viên bán hàng (sales person), giao hàng (delivery guy), bảo vệ (security guard), phụ bếp (kitchen assistant), or tài xế (driver) are considered blue-collar jobs in Vietnam.

Although the job title is not prestigious, blue-collar jobs in Vietnam contain a few advantages that are relatively suitable for people who don’t have a good deal of expertise:

  • Dễ dàng tìm kiếm (Easy to search)
  • Không yêu cầu bằng cấp và kinh nghiệm (Does not require qualifications and experience)
  • Không đòi hỏi tay nghề cao (Does not require high skills)
  • Không cần biết ngoại ngữ (Does not need to foreign languages)

However, there are undoubtedly several cons that blue-collar workers might face such as: 

  • Không phù hợp với người nước ngoài (Not suitable for foreigners)
  • Lương thấp (Low salary)
  • Không có cơ hội thăng tiến (No promotion opportunities)

Aside from the websites mentioned above, ViecLamTot is one of Vietnam’s first job-posting platforms specializing in blue-collar labor. In addition, ChoTot, Grab, Beamin, Shopee are platforms and marketplaces that provide numerous job opportunities in Vietnam for this group of workers as well. Blue-collar jobs require a lot of Vietnamese speaking and working under poor conditions. As a result, it’s not a good option for native English speakers in this case. 

5. Office Jobs

Office jobs are often common everywhere in the world due to their stability and commitment. In Vietnam, some of the regular office jobs that you may see are: 

  • Lễ tân khách sạn (Receptionist)
  • Trợ lý văn phòng (Office assistant)
  • Nhân viên hành chính (Admin staff)
  • Kế toán (Accountant)
  • Giám đốc vận hành (Operations Manager)
  • Trưởng phòng nhân sự (HR Manager)
  • Nhân viên chăm sóc khách hàng (Customer Service Officer)
  • Quản trị viên bán hàng (Sales admin)

Being an expat can be a huge advantage as an office worker due to the low percentage of Vietnamese adults who are proficient in English. Besides, the pros seem to be attractive for people who don’t have high demands in terms of work conditions. 

  • Nói tiếng Anh là một lợi thế (English speaking is an advantage)
  • Công việc ổn định (Stable job)
  • Thời gian làm việc cố định (Fixed working time)
  • Phúc lợi tốt (Good benefits)
  • Có cơ hội thăng tiến (Promotion opportunity)

On the other hand, there are a few cons that might make you consider learning Vietnamese and improving your speaking skills before applying for this kind of job, because it will help you adapt better to the environment. 

  • Mức lương trung bình (Average salary)
  • Sử dụng nhiều tiếng Việt (Using a lot of Vietnamese)
  • Ưu tiên người VIệt Nam với các vị trí thấp (Priority is given to Vietnamese in low positions)
  • Các vị trí cấp cao ở các công ty nước ngoài thường ưu tiên tuyển dụng người nước ngoài (Senior positions in foreign companies often prioritize recruiting foreigners)

6. Health, science, and technology-related jobs:

6 People in Different Professions

If none of the jobs mentioned above seems to interest you, here is the list of occupations in other fields that you can also consider when looking for a job in Vietnam.

  • Thiết kế (Designer)
  • Chuyên viên y tế công cộng (Public Health Specialist)
  • Giáo viên môn khoa học (Science Teacher)
  • Kỹ sư dữ liệu (Data Engineer)
  • Kỹ sư công nghệ thông tin (IT engineer)
  • Người thử nghiệm (Tester)
  • Bác sĩ (Doctor)
  • Y tá (Nurse)
  • Công việt viết lách (Writing job)

The medical industry always has a shortage of professors and doctors due to the high level of expertise and great work pressure. It happens in science, technology, and other specialized industries as well. Since these kinds of jobs require more experience than others especially in special areas, there are certain advantages in the industry such as:

  • Lương cao (High salary)
  • Phúc lợi tốt (Good benefits)
  • Môi trường làm việc chuyên nghiệp (Professional working environment)
  • Cơ hội thăng tiến rõ ràng (Clear promotion opportunities)
  • Mở rộng mạng lưới chuyên môn (Potential to expand professional network)

However, based on the complexity of the work, challenges may exist:

  • Yêu cầu kinh nghiệm và kiến thức chuyên môn (Requires experience and professional knowledge)
  • Áp lực cao (High pressure)
  • Trách nhiệm lớn (Great responsibility)
  • Yêu cầu đảm bảo tiến độ (Requirement to ensure progress)

The fact is, there are a large number of experts and specialists working in these fields in Vietnam and achieving a lot of success. Working with head-hunting companies such as HR Channels, Navigos Group, Man Power, or HR2B can also be a good option in this case because they have a wide connection with different big companies and corporations where they don’t often use regular job search platforms to post available important positions.

7. Start your own business

Ribbon Cutting

There are two ways to legally start a business in Vietnam as an expat, which are through direct and indirect foreign investment. Direct foreign investment entails forming a joint venture or a 100% foreign-owned company with a Vietnamese partner. Indirect foreign investment, on the other hand, entails purchasing shares in Vietnamese corporations.

Either way of investment, the four types of taxes to be aware of are:

  • Thuế thu nhập doanh nghiệp (Corporate Income Tax) – CIT : 20%
  • Thuế thu nhập cá nhân (Personal Income Tax) –  PIT : 5-35%
  • Thuế VAT (Value Added Tax) : 0-10%
  • Thuế nhà thầu nước ngoài (Foreign Contractor Tax) – FCT: varies according to the business sector

For many company areas, a beginning capital of $10,000 USD is a good place to start before investing in Vietnam. However, choosing the right market and your partners can also be challenging due to cultural differences. There was an English teacher that I know in Hanoi who is now having a very successful business. He shared with me that he started by joining a small capital with one of his acquaintances for a small bar in the old quarter. Getting more experience in running businesses in Vietnam, he now owns a few other bars and pubs with similar concepts that attract a lot of young people. “Choosing the right partner is the key” – he said. And I believe it’s true in every situation. 

8. Conclusion

You now have a basic understanding of the working environment in Vietnam, and it’s up to you to decide what to do next.

Working in other countries can be challenging initially, but it will be a lifetime experience for people who want to explore the world. Vietnam, fortunately, is an amazing country where lots of expats have already built successful careers. Nevertheless, learning about the culture or etiquette before traveling to Vietnam is essential and I will share it more with you in a near-future article.

On top of that, learning the Vietnamese language gives you many chances of getting good jobs in Vietnam not only to improve your career but also your personal life when living here. Are you ready to work in Vietnam? Don’t forget to check out VietnamesePod101 before applying for a job. We provide you with tons of lessons, audio files, vocabulary lists, or flashcards and you can also sign up for a free lifetime account to master your language.

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