Essential Vietnamese Phrases
Every phrase in the Vietnamese travel deck, free to read and grouped by situation. Each row shows how to say it and what it means. Three play native audio here.
Essential Vietnamese Travel Phrases: Tourist Survival Kit
Master 100 must-know Vietnamese phrases for tourists and travelers visiting Vietnam. Perfect for short trips, these beginner-friendly flashcards cover essential vocabulary for ordering food, getting around, shopping, and basic greetings. Learn practical Vietnamese phrases that locals use everyday - no complicated grammar or regional dialects
130 cards with native audio. Read them all free on the deck page.
See every card in this deckPro
Study this deck with Pro
Every card with native-speaker audio and a built-in spaced-repetition study system, plus every other deck on the site.
That is $3.33 a month, billed yearly.
Secure checkout by Stripe. Yearly plan starts with a free trial; cancel anytime.
- Every language and subject, all decks
- Native audio on every card
- Spaced-repetition study with progress tracking
- iPhone app Premium included: unlimited own-phrase cards and custom subjects
- Cancel anytime from your account
Hear every phrase, not just three
The list below stays free. Pro adds native-speaker audio on all 130 phrases, an example sentence per card, and a review schedule that brings each one back before you forget it.
Secure checkout by Stripe. Yearly plan starts with a free trial; cancel anytime.
Greetings
| Vietnamese | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xin chào | sin chow | Hello | |
| Cảm ơn | kahm uhn | Thank you | |
| Không có gì | khong koh zi | You're welcome | |
| Xin lỗi | seen loy | Sorry | |
| Chúc mừng | chook muhng | Congratulations | |
| Chúc ngủ ngon | chook ngoo ngon | Good night | |
| Tên tôi là... | ten toy lah... | My name is... | |
| Tôi đến từ... | toy den tuh... | I am from... | |
| Tôi khỏe | toy kweh | I am well/fine | |
| Tôi không khỏe | toy khong kweh | I am not well | |
| Xin phép | seen fehp | Excuse me | |
| Chúc may mắn | chook mai mahn | Good luck | |
| Rất tiếc | ruht tee-ehc | I'm sorry | |
| Tạm biệt | tahm byeet | Goodbye | |
| Hẹn gặp lại | hen gap lai | See you again | |
| Chúc ngon miệng | chook ngon mee-eng | Enjoy your meal | |
| Rất vui | ruht vooi | Very happy/pleased |
Directions
| Vietnamese | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ở đâu? | uh dow | Where? | |
| Bên trái | ben chai | Left | |
| Bên phải | ben fai | Right | |
| Bản đồ | bahn doh | Map | |
| Thẳng | thahng | Straight |
Transportation
| Vietnamese | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taxi | tahk see | Taxi | |
| Ga | gah | Train station | |
| Sân bay | sun bai | Airport | |
| Xe buýt | seh boos | Bus |
Shopping
| Vietnamese | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Giảm giá | zahm zah | Discount | |
| Mua | mooa | Buy | |
| Chợ | chuh | Market | |
| Rẻ | reh | Cheap | |
| Bao nhiêu? | bao nyew | How much? | |
| Đắt quá | daht kwah | Too expensive |
Time
| Vietnamese | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sớm | suhm | Early | |
| Muộn | moohn | Late | |
| Hôm nay | home nay | Today | |
| Ngày mai | ngai mai | Tomorrow | |
| Hôm qua | home kwah | Yesterday | |
| Mấy giờ? | may zuh? | What time? |
Places
| Vietnamese | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biển | bee-en | Sea | |
| Đường phố | dung foh | Street | |
| Chùa | choo-ah | Pagoda | |
| Bưu điện | boo deen | Post office | |
| Bãi biển | bai bee-en | Beach | |
| Công viên | kong vee-en | Park | |
| Núi | nooi | Mountain | |
| Đền | den | Temple |
Accommodation
| Vietnamese | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Khách sạn | khahch sahn | Hotel |
Weather
| Vietnamese | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lạnh | lahnh | Cold | |
| Trời mưa | choy mooa | It's raining | |
| Nóng | nahng | Hot |
Emergency
| Vietnamese | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Giúp tôi | yoop toy | Help me | |
| Bệnh viện | benh vee-en | Hospital | |
| Tôi bị lạc | toy bee lack | I am lost |
Activities
| Vietnamese | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bơi | buh-oi | Swim | |
| Đi bộ | dee boh | Walk | |
| Chụp ảnh | choop ahnh | Take a photo |
Basic
| Vietnamese | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vâng | vahng | Yes | |
| Tôi | toy | I | |
| Bạn | bahn | You | |
| Nhà vệ sinh | nya veh sinh | Toilet | |
| Số | soh | Number | |
| Điện thoại | deen thoai | Phone | |
| Internet | een-teh-net | Internet | |
| Chậm lại | chahm lai | Slower | |
| Được | duhk | Okay | |
| Tên | ten | Name | |
| Địa chỉ | dee ah chee | Address | |
| Tiền | teen | Money | |
| Ngân hàng | nguhng hahng | Bank | |
| Mở | muh | Open | |
| Đóng | dong | Closed | |
| Nhỏ | nyoh | Small | |
| Đẹp | dehp | Beautiful | |
| Nhanh | nyanh | Fast | |
| Cẩn thận | cuhn thuhn | Be careful | |
| Thật tuyệt vời | thuh-t t-wee-et vuh-oi | Wonderful | |
| Tuyệt vời | t-wee-et vuh-oi | Excellent | |
| Không sao đâu | khong sao dow | It's alright | |
| Tôi thích | toy teek | I like | |
| Tôi không thích | toy khong teek | I don't like | |
| Có lẽ | coh leh | Maybe | |
| Chắc chắn | chahc chuhn | Certainly | |
| Chắc là | chahc lah | Probably | |
| Đúng | dung | Correct | |
| Sai | sai | Wrong | |
| Chờ | chuh | Wait | |
| Tuyệt hảo | t-wee-et hao | Perfect | |
| Không sao | khong sao | It's okay | |
| Lớn | luhn | Big | |
| Không vấn đề | khong vuhn deh | No problem | |
| Tôi không hiểu | toy khong hyew | I don't understand | |
| Dừng lại | yuhng lai | Stop | |
| Tôi cần... | toy kuhn... | I need... | |
| Tôi muốn... | toy moo-ohn... | I want... | |
| Nói chậm thôi | noi cham toy | Speak slowly | |
| Có thể | koh teh | Can/May | |
| Không | khong | No |
Feelings
| Vietnamese | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vui | vooi | Happy | |
| Buồn | boohn | Sad | |
| Sợ | suh | Afraid | |
| Mệt | meht | Tired |
Food
| Vietnamese | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nhà hàng | nya hahng | Restaurant | |
| Bia | bee-ah | Beer | |
| Ăn | ahn | Eat | |
| Ngon | ngon | Delicious | |
| Phở | fuh | Pho (noodle soup) | |
| Ăn chay | ahn chai | Vegetarian | |
| Không cay | khong kai | Not spicy | |
| Bún chả | boon cha | Bun Cha (grilled pork with noodles) | |
| Ăn trưa | ahn chuh-ah | Lunch | |
| Ăn tối | ahn toy | Dinner | |
| Cá | kah | Fish | |
| Rau | rao | Vegetables | |
| Quả | kwah | Fruit | |
| Ly | lee | Glass | |
| Nước | nuhk | Water | |
| Đường | dung | Sugar | |
| Cà phê | kah feh | Coffee | |
| Bánh mì | banh mee | Banh Mi (Vietnamese sandwich) | |
| Ăn sáng | ahn sang | Breakfast | |
| Thìa | tee-ah | Spoon | |
| Đũa | doo-ah | Chopsticks | |
| Thịt | teet | Meat | |
| Muối | moo-oi | Salt | |
| Dao | dao | Knife |
Health
| Vietnamese | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Đau | dow | Pain | |
| Thuốc | thook | Medicine |
Numbers
| Vietnamese | Pronunciation | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Một | moht | One | |
| Hai | hai | Two | |
| Ba | bah | Three |
Frequently asked questions
How many Vietnamese phrases do I need to get by as a traveler?
A core of about 30 to 50 phrases — greetings, numbers, directions, ordering food, and shopping — covers the vast majority of everyday tourist situations in Vietnam.
Is Vietnamese pronunciation hard for English speakers?
Vietnamese is tonal, so the same syllable can mean different things depending on pitch. The romanized pronunciations here get you close; hearing native audio for each phrase is the fastest way to get the tones right.
Do people in Vietnam speak English?
In major tourist areas and hotels you will find some English, but knowing a handful of Vietnamese phrases makes daily interactions — markets, taxis, street food — far smoother and friendlier.
Keep learning Vietnamese
More free guides and decks to get you speaking.