Northern vs Southern Vietnamese: 32 Southern Phrases
In the South you say dạ (yah) for a polite yes. Where the North says vào for in, the South says vô (yoh), and nha (nyah) takes the place of nhé to soften a request. Below are 32 Southern phrases in seven groups, from the first greeting to saying goodbye. Each card gives the Northern form where it differs.
Southern Vietnamese Phrases for Saigon
Teaches 32 everyday Southern Vietnamese phrases for Saigon and Southern families, with the Northern form where it differs. Covers the polite yes, family terms of address, food words, softeners and how to leave a gathering.
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Greet and Answer Yes
| Vietnamese | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dạ. | yah (low, short) | Yes (polite). Say it to people you speak to with respect, such as elders, in-laws and customers. In the South dạ is the default polite yes. The North also uses vâng. Southern speakers say the d like a y. | |
| Ừa. | uh-ah (falling) | Yeah (casual). Use it with friends your age or younger, never with elders. Southern form. The North more often says ừ. | |
| Đi đâu đó? | dee dow daw | Where are you off to? A greeting from neighbors and friends, not a real question. A vague answer is fine. Northern form: Đi đâu đấy? | |
| Ăn cơm chưa? | ang kuhm chuh-ah | Have you eaten yet? A greeting that shows care, used in both regions. An elder often adds con at the end when asking you. | |
| Dạ, con ăn rồi. | yah, kawng ang roy | Yes, I've eaten already. A polite reply to an elder. In the South you call yourself con with your parents' generation. The North more often says cháu. |
Choose Pronouns and Terms of Address
| Vietnamese | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| tui | tooy | I, me (casual). Southern form of tôi. Use it with friends your age. The North says tôi, tớ or mình. | |
| Dạ, con chào chú. | yah, kawng chow choo | Hello, uncle. Say it to a man about your parents' age. For a man older than your parents, use bác in place of chú. | |
| Dạ, con chào cô. | yah, kawng chow koh | Hello, auntie. Say it to a woman about your parents' age. Southern families also use dì for many women of that age, so follow what the family uses. | |
| Anh Hai | ahn hai | Eldest brother. In the South the eldest child is called Hai (two), the second is Ba (three), and so on. The North calls the eldest anh Cả. | |
| Ảnh đi làm rồi. | ahn dee lahm roy | He went to work already. Ảnh is the Southern short form of anh ấy (he, an older brother figure). Likewise ổng, bả and chỉ. The North says anh ấy. |
Small Talk
| Vietnamese | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gì vậy? | yee yay | What? What is it? Casual, to friends. Southern speakers end questions with vậy where the North uses thế: Gì thế? To an elder, say dạ? with a rising voice instead. | |
| Cái này nhiêu tiền? | kai nai nyew tee-eng | How much is this? Nhiêu is the Southern short form of bao nhiêu. Northern form: Cái này bao nhiêu tiền? The full form is understood everywhere. | |
| Tui hổng biết. | tooy hohng bee-uhk | I don't know (casual). Hổng, also written hông, is the Southern spoken form of không. Northern form: Tôi không biết. To an elder, say Dạ, con hổng biết. | |
| Chị nói chậm chậm giùm em nha. | chee noy chum chum yoom em nyah | Could you speak a bit slower for me? To a woman a little older than you. Swap chị for anh with a man. Giùm and nha are Southern. Northern form: Chị nói chậm hơn giúp em nhé. |
Words That Differ from the North
| Vietnamese | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vô đi. | yoh dee | Come on in, or go ahead. Vô is the Southern word for vào (to enter). A host says it at the door. Southern speakers say the v like a y. | |
| ly | lee | Glass, cup. Southern word. The North says cốc. | |
| chén | chen | Rice bowl. Southern word. The North says bát. | |
| Mắc quá. | mak wah | Too expensive. Mắc is the Southern word. The North says đắt quá. | |
| ba má | bah mah | Mom and Dad, parents. Southern words. The North says bố mẹ. |
Soften and React
| Vietnamese | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Đợi em chút nha. | duh-ee em chook nyah | Wait for me a moment, okay? Nha softens a request. It is the Southern form of the Northern nhé. | |
| Hông sao đâu. | hohng sow dow | No problem. It's okay. Southern spoken form. Northern form: Không sao đâu. | |
| Trời đất ơi. | chuh-ee duhk uh-ee | Oh my goodness. Shows surprise, good or bad. Very common in the South. The shorter trời ơi is heard everywhere. | |
| Vậy hả? | yay hah | Really? Is that so? Southern form. The North says thế à? Southern speakers say the v like a y, so it sounds like yậy hả. | |
| Được rồi. | duh-uhk roy | Okay, that's fine. Cũng được (that works too) is also common. In the South the hỏi and ngã tones sound alike, so cũng sounds like củng. |
Eat Together
| Vietnamese | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Em ơi. | em uh-ee | Excuse me (to a server younger than you). Use it to call staff in a restaurant or café. For staff older than you, say anh ơi or chị ơi. | |
| Ngon quá trời luôn. | ngawng wah chuh-ee loo-ung | This is so delicious. Quá trời is a Southern way to say very much. Northern speakers more often say ngon quá. | |
| Ăn nhiều vô nha con. | ang nyew yoh nyah kawng | Eat more. What an aunt or grandparent says to you at the table. Vô here means more or in. | |
| Một, hai, ba, dô. | mohk, hai, bah, yoh | One, two, three, cheers. The table toast. Dô comes from vô. Online you also see it written zô or dzô. |
Say Goodbye
| Vietnamese | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Con cám ơn cô chú. | kawng kahm uhn koh choo | Thank you, auntie and uncle. Cám ơn is the common Southern spelling and sound. The North writes and says cảm ơn, and a Northern speaker would say cháu, not con. | |
| Dạ, con xin phép về. | yah, kawng sin fep yay | Excuse me, I'll head home now. The polite way to leave a family gathering. Say it to the eldest people present. Northern speakers say cháu in place of con. | |
| Bữa nào gặp lại nha. | buh-uh now gup lai nyah | See you again some day. Bữa is the Southern word for day here. Northern form: Hôm nào gặp lại nhé. | |
| Về cẩn thận nha con. | yay kuhng tuhng nyah kawng | Get home safely. What an elder says as you leave. Answer with dạ. |
Frequently asked questions
What is the main difference between Northern and Southern Vietnamese?
Sound and a set of everyday words. The South merges the hỏi and ngã tones and says v, d and gi like a y. Some words differ too. The South says vô, ly and chén where the North says vào, cốc and bát. Both regions write the same language.
Do Northern and Southern speakers understand each other?
Yes. A few words can cause a pause, like mắc for expensive, which the North calls đắt. Context usually clears it up.
Is the audio on these cards in a Southern accent?
No. The audio is Google text-to-speech with a Northern Vietnamese voice. The pronunciation guide on each card follows Southern speech, so read it with the audio.
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