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Basic Vietnamese Greetings and Everyday Phrases

Vietnamese pronunciation runs on six tones, so exact pitch matters more than in many languages — but these eight phrases will get you through most everyday interactions even with an imperfect accent.

Xin chào (sin chow) — Hello

The all-purpose greeting for any time of day. Adding a person's title after it, like "chào anh" (to a young man) or "chào chị" (to a young woman), sounds noticeably more natural and polite than "xin chào" alone.

Cảm ơn (gahm uhn) — Thank you

The basic thank-you. For more emphasis, "cảm ơn nhiều" (gahm uhn nyee-oh) means "thank you very much."

Làm ơn (lahm uhn) — Please

Placed before a request to soften it, similar to how "please" works in English, e.g. "làm ơn cho tôi..." ("please give me...").

Vâng / Dạ (vuhng / yah) — Yes

"Dạ" is the softer, more polite version used especially by younger speakers or in southern Vietnam, while "vâng" is more common in the north; both are safe to use.

Không (khohng) — No

Also doubles as the basic word for "not" placed in front of a verb, so you will hear it constantly beyond just answering questions.

Xin lỗi (sin loy) — Sorry / Excuse me

Used both to apologize and to politely get someone's attention, such as calling over a server at a restaurant.

Tạm biệt (tahm byet) — Goodbye

The standard farewell; among friends, the more casual "hẹn gặp lại" (hen gahp lai, "see you again") is also common.

Rất vui được gặp bạn (zut vwee duhk gahp bahn) — Nice to meet you

A slightly longer phrase, but useful right after being introduced to someone new.

Tones change the meaning entirely

Vietnamese uses six tones, and the same string of letters said with a different pitch pattern can mean a completely different word. Native speakers are generally still able to follow a foreigner's intended meaning from context even with flat, non-tonal pronunciation, so it is worth attempting these phrases rather than skipping them out of fear of getting the tone wrong.

North and south use different everyday words

Vietnamese has noticeable regional differences between the northern (Hanoi-based) and southern (Ho Chi Minh City-based) dialects, including some everyday vocabulary and pronunciation. The phrases above are understood nationwide, even where a few local variants also exist.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to worry about getting the tones exactly right?

Not for basic travel purposes. Context, gestures, and a friendly tone usually carry the meaning even with imperfect tones, and most Vietnamese speakers are used to hearing an imperfect accent from learners.

Is Vietnamese written with Chinese characters?

No, not anymore. Vietnamese is written with a Latin-based alphabet called Quốc Ngữ, developed a few centuries ago, though it uses extra accent marks to represent tones and sounds that don't exist in English.