The locals at Cat Cat village in Sapa for your Vietnamese phrases for travel

120+ Common Vietnamese Words and Phrases for Travel & Tourists

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Planning a trip to Vietnam this year? Review these common Vietnamese phrases for travel and tourists to help you get around a little easier. These Vietnamese words in English are the most essential ones you’ll need to make your visit a success!

We won’t lie – Vietnamese is not the easiest language for most Westerners to pick up. It uses the Latin alphabet we’re familiar with, but the tonal nature is hard to replicate. On top of that, Vietnamese folks speak fast! But just because it’s hard doesn’t mean it’s not worth trying. Most Vietnamese people who work in the service industry speak English, but it means a lot to them when tourists make an effort to speak their language. And it’s worth it to give something back, because the Vietnamese people are some of the warmest and kindest we’ve interacted with.

In this post, we’ve compiled some of the most common Vietnamese phrases for travel and tourists you’ll need when visiting Vietnam. Practice these Vietnamese words in English before your trip, and you’re guaranteed to put a smile on the face of a friendly local. And for more complicated conversations, there’s always Google Translate 😉

Looking for more guidance on where to go, what to do, and the best bars and restaurants in Vietnam? Check out all our Vietnam travel guides, including premade itineraries for Da Nang, Hoi An, Hue, Hanoi, Sapa, and Ninh Binh.

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Common Vietnamese Phrases for Travel and Tourists - At a Glance:

The Basics
Getting Around
Drinking and Dining
Shopping
At the Hotel
Numbers and Time
In an Emergency
Bonus: Colloquial Phrases
FAQs – Other Vietnam Travel Tips

Common Vietnamese Words and Phrases for Travel You Need to Know

We’ve broken up our list of common Vietnamese phrases for travel and tourists into logical categories below to help you digest things easier. Each word or phrase in English is followed by the equivalent in Vietnamese as well as a phonetic spelling afterwards, to help you pronounce it properly. As always with our blog, the foreign language words will be in italics. When relevant, we’ve included some helpful notes on when it’s appropriate (or not) to use the word or phrase.

A few important concepts before we get into things though:

Tone and speed – Vietnamese is a tonal language, meaning the pitch of your voice can change a word’s meaning. But don’t stress about getting it perfect – most locals will understand you from context even if your tone is a little off.
Polite particles and gender – Vietnamese isn’t a highly gendered language, but pronouns like anh for men and chị for women will come up in conversation. We’ve included notes for this when relevant in the translations below. You’ll also hear polite particles like ạ, dạ, and nhé pretty frequently. You don’t need to master any of these, but know that adding ạ to the end of any sentence will make it extra polite, perfect for monks or elders.

Alright – let’s get into the Vietnamese words in English you need to know to travel Vietnam like a pro!

The Basics

Let’s start off with something simple – everyday basics like “hello,” “goodbye,” “please,” and “thank you” – the most essential Vietnamese words in English for tourists!

Hello – Xin chào – seen CHOW
Goodbye – Tạm biệt – tahm BYEHT
See you later – Hẹn gặp lại – hen gup LIE
Nice to meet you – Rất vui được gặp bạn – zut vooee duhk gup BAN
Please – Làm ơn – lahm UHN
Thank you – Cảm ơn – gahm UHN
You’re welcome – Không có gì – khome caw zee
Yes – Vâng / Dạ – vuhng / yaa (polite)
No – Không – khome
Excuse me (passing) – Xin lỗi – seen LOEE
I’m sorry – Tôi xin lỗi – toy seen LOEE
I don’t understand – Tôi không hiểu – toy khome hee-OW
Can you repeat that? – Bạn nói lại được không? – ban noy LIE duhk khome
I don’t speak Vietnamese – Tôi không nói tiếng Việt – toy khome noy tee-eng vee-eht
Do you speak English? – Bạn nói tiếng Anh không? – ban noy tee-eng ANH khome
Are dogs allowed? – Cho chó vào được không? – chaw chaw vow duhk khome

If you spend time learning any Vietnamese words in English before your trip, we highly recommend it’s these ones. Being able to say “please” and “thank you” go a long way toward showing respect for the culture, and may result in you receiving better service or even just a smile.

Getting Around

Google Maps not working? These common Vietnamese phrases for travel will help you out in a pinch.

Where is…? – … ở đâu? – uh DOH
How do I get to…? – Đi đến… như thế nào? – dee den… nyoo TAY now
I’m lost – Tôi bị lạc – toy bee lack
Left – Trái – chigh
Right – Phải – figh
Straight ahead – Đi thẳng – dee tahng
Is it far? – Có xa không? – caw sah khome
Train – Tàu hỏa – tao hwah
Train station – Ga tàu – gah tao
Bus – Xe buýt – seh bweett
Bus station – Bến xe – ben seh
Airport – Sân bay – sun BYE
A ticket to… – Vé đi… – veh dee
One-way – Một chiều – moat chee-OW
Round-trip – Khứ hồi – koo hoy
When does it leave? – Bao giờ đi? – bow zuh dee
When does it arrive? – Bao giờ đến? – bow zuh den
Meter, please – Bật đồng hồ nhé – buht dome ho nyeh (Use in taxis)
Stop here – Dừng ở đây – yoong uh day

One of the easiest ways to travel around Vietnam is via motorbike taxi (xe ôm – seh ohm), but drivers can get a bit wild weaving between traffic! If you prefer a standard taxi, there are plenty of those as well, and they’re pronounced the same as in English. But either way, make sure to negotiate your fare up front, or that the taxi has a meter! Better yet, travel with Grab, Southeast Asia’s #1 rideshare app, like Uber. Rides on Grab will be cheaper than those you pick up on the street nearly 100% of the time, and sometimes by a wide margin.

Drinking and Dining

Vietnamese cuisine is divine. It’s diverse, delicious, and definitely one of our favorites. You won’t want to miss out on a bite of it, so here are the Vietnamese words in English you need to know to order it. If you’re visiting Da Nang, don’t miss our guide to the city’s best restaurants!

Restaurant – Nhà hàng – nya hang
A table for two – Bàn cho hai người – ban chaw hi ngooee
Menu – Thực đơn – thuuk dun
Excuse me (for attention) – Anh/Chị ơi – anh / chee oy (use anh when addressing a man and chi when addressing a woman)
I’d like to order… – Tôi muốn gọi… – toy moon goy
What do you recommend? – Bạn gợi ý món gì? – ban goy EE mawn zee
Where is the bathroom? – Nhà vệ sinh ở đâu? – nya vay sin uh DOH
Takeaway, please – Mang về nhé – mang vay nyeh
Can I pay? – Tính tiền nhé – ting tee-en nyeh
The bill/check – Hóa đơn – hwah dun
Water (still / sparkling) – Nước (lọc / có ga) – nook (lock / caw gah)
Wine (red / white) – Rượu vang (đỏ / trắng) – roo vang (daw / chang)
Beer – Bia – bee-ah
Silverware – Dụng cụ ăn – yoong koo un (in case you’re not so great with chopsticks)
Delicious – Ngon quá – ngawn kwah
Vegetarian – Ăn chay – un chigh

FYI – the tap water in Vietnam isn’t potable, so you’ll need to stick to bottled. But the good news is, the coffee is so incredible you won’t want to drink anything else. Check out our guide The 9 Best Cafes in Da Nang for the city’s best coffee shops and what to order.

Shopping

Whether you’re buying a souvenir or just some Advil at the market, here are some common Vietnamese phrases for travel and tourists to help you complete your purchase.

What is this? – Cái này là gì? – gigh nay lah zee
How much is this? – Cái này bao nhiêu? – gigh nay bow nyoo
Do you accept (credit cards / cash)? – Trả (bằng thẻ / tiền mặt) được không? – cha (bung teh / tee-en maht) duhk khome
Do you have change? – Có tiền thối không? – caw tee-en thoy khome
Do you have…? – Bạn có… không? – ban caw… khome
Where can I find…? – Tìm… ở đâu? – teem uh DOH
I’m just looking – Xem thôi – sem thoy
Can I try it on? – Tôi thử được không? – toy thuh duhk khome
I’ll take it – Tôi lấy cái này – toy lay gigh nay
Size – Kích cỡ – kick kuh
Small/medium/large – Nhỏ / vừa / lớn – nyaw / vuh / luhn
Open – Mở cửa – muh koo-ah
Closed – Đóng cửa – downg koo-ah

When shopping at the markets in Vietnam, don’t be afraid to haggle! This is common and expected, so a vendor’s opening offer is likely higher than what they expect to actually receive. Try saying “too expensive” (Đắt quá – daht kwah) or asking for a “discount” (Giảm giá được không? – zam zah duhk khome) to get the best deal. Also, make sure to keep plenty of cash – Vietnamese dong – on hand. While many vendors accept card, it’s not guaranteed, and those that do often charge a 3% markup.

At the Hotel

Checking in at the hotel always leads to a few key questions to facilitate your stay. Ask for extra towels and make sure you don’t miss breakfast with the Vietnamese words in English for tourists below.

Hotel – Khách sạn – kak san
Hostel – Nhà nghỉ – nya nghee
I have a reservation – Tôi có đặt phòng – toy caw daht fong
Do you have a room? – Còn phòng trống không? – cawn fong trohng khome
What time is checkout? – Mấy giờ trả phòng? – may zuh cha fong
What time is breakfast? – Ăn sáng lúc mấy giờ? – un sang look may zuh
Can we leave our bags? – Gửi hành lý được không? – goo-ee hang lee duhk khome
More towels – Thêm khăn – tem khan
Key – Chìa khóa – chee-ah kwah
Elevator – Thang máy – thang MY
Wi-fi password – Mật khẩu wifi – muht khow why-fy
Air conditioning – Máy lạnh – mye lane
Hot water – Nước nóng – nook nohm

We always use Booking.com to find the best hotels when traveling. Check out our premade itineraries in our Vietnam travel guides for hotel recommendations in each city!

Numbers and Time

Keeping track of time on vacation is key to making sure you don’t miss out on any of your activities! Use these Vietnamese words in English to make sure you get to the ticket office on time – and understand the price, too.

One – Một – moat
Two – Hai – hi
Three – Ba – bah
Four – Bốn – boh-n
Five – Năm – num
Six – Sáu – sow
Seven – Bảy – bye
Eight – Tám – tahm
Nine – Chín – cheen
Ten – Mười – mooee
Eleven – Mười một – mooee moat
Twelve – Mười hai – mooee hi (or trưa – chuh if you mean noon)
Twenty – Hai mươi – hi mooee
One hundred – Một trăm – moat chum
What time is it? – Mấy giờ rồi? – may zuh zoy
Today – Hôm nay – home nigh
Tomorrow – Ngày mai – ngigh my
This morning – Sáng nay – sang nigh
This afternoon – Chiều nay – chee-ow nigh
Tonight – Tối nay – toy nigh

In an Emergency

Sometimes, bad things happen. While we hope your vacation goes flawlessly, it’s best to be prepared with these common Vietnamese phrases for travel emergencies, just in case.

Help! – Cứu! – koo
Can you help me? – Giúp tôi với! – zoop toy voy
Can I borrow your phone? – Cho tôi mượn điện thoại? – chaw toy muhn de-en twye
Call the police! – Gọi công an! – goy kohng an
They took my bag! – Tôi bị mất túi! – toy bee muht too-ee
Call an ambulance! – Gọi xe cấp cứu! – goy seh cup koo
Emergency – Khẩn cấp – khun cup
I’m sick – Tôi bị bệnh – toy bee bayn
I need a doctor – Tôi cần bác sĩ – toy gun back see
Pharmacy – Hiệu thuốc – hee-ow thook
Hospital – Bệnh viện – bayn vee-en
I lost my passport – Tôi mất hộ chiếu – toy muht ho chee-oh (we really, really hope you don’t need this one)

Vietnam is a very safe country, but make sure to take common sense precautions, especially when you’re in crowded tourist areas. Wear a purse with a zipper, don’t keep your phone in your back pocket, and watch your drink. We also suggest you leave your passport locked in the safe at your hotel room to be extra secure.

Bonus: Colloquial Phrases

Want to really impress the locals? Move beyond the common Vietnamese phrases for travel and tourists and learn some of these colloquial ones to sling around. Dạ, in particular, is one you’ll hear all the time.

What’s up? – Sao rồi? – sao zoy
Really? – Thật hả? – tuht ha
No way! – Không đời nào! – khome doy now
Too hot! – Nóng quá! – nom kwah
…ok?/…correct? – Dạ – yaa (a polite “yes,” used constantly)
No worries – Không sao – khome sow
Let’s go – Đi thôi! – dee thoy
Cheers! – Một, hai, ba, dzô! – moat hi bah yo
Very good – Rất tốt – rut tote
Awesome – Tuyệt vời – twed voy
I’m stuffed – No quá rồi – noh kwah zoy
So beautiful! – Đẹp quá! – dep kwah
I love Vietnam – Tôi yêu Việt Nam – toy ew vee-eht nahm

FAQs - Other Vietnam Travel Tips

When Is the Best Time to Visit Vietnam?

The best time to visit Vietnam varies depending on which region you plan to visit:

Northern Vietnam (Hanoi, Sapa, Ha Long Bay) – spring or fall, depending on if you want green or golden rice paddies in Sapa. Avoid May to September, when there is heavy rain and humidity.
Central Vietnam (Da Nang, Hoi An, Hue) – December to April, when you can maximize your beach time with dry, warm weather. Avoid typhoon season from August to October.
Southern Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh, Mekong Delta) – December to April, for similarly sunny, less humid days. Avoid the wet season from May to November.

Which Destinations Should I Visit in Vietnam?

Vietnam is one of our favorite countries we have visited thus far. There are so many incredible cities to visit, and each one is so different! During our time there, we lived in Da Nang in Central Vietnam, and visited Hoi An, Hue, Hanoi, Sapa, and Ninh Binh. Check out our premade itineraries and travel guides for these cities below:

Other top destinations in Northern Vietnam include Ha Long Bay and the Ha Giang Loop. Next time we visit we’ll be hitting Southern Vietnam, with Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta at the top of our list.

Do I Need a Visa to Visit Vietnam?

Yes – Unlike many top tourist destinations, Vietnam does not provide a free visa-on-arrival for most countries. As such, you’ll need to apply for an e-Visa before arrival. You cannot enter Vietnam without an approved visa in advance, and you cannot apply for a visa from within Vietnam. Check out our Da Nang travel guide for more information on how to obtain the visa and its costs.

Are There Helpful Apps I Should Download Before I Visit Vietnam?

Absolutely! These are the top apps we recommend you download before your trip to Vietnam:

Airalo – having full use of your phone while traveling is incredibly important! ESim apps like Airalo make getting cell service anywhere you travel easy and affordable. If you haven’t used it before, you can use this Airalo code to get a discount on your first purchase.
Grab – another highly valuable app to download before you visit Vietnam is Grab, Southeast Asia’s #1 ridesharing app (like Uber). Requesting rides on Grab will be much cheaper than purchasing them on the street, and without any stress or haggling.
Google Translate – we recommend downloading the Vietnamese language for offline use on Google Translate, so you can always communicate even if you lose cell service.
Google Maps – for the same reason, we also recommend downloading the offline map of the city you’re visiting on Google Maps.

Which Travel Resources Should I Use to Plan My Trip to Vietnam?

For starters, use our site! Check out all of our Vietnam travel guides to help you decide where to go, what to do, and where to stay. We’ve got detailed itineraries and travel guides, plus recommendations on all our favorite bars, restaurants, and more.

Once you’re ready to plan your trip, we recommend the following resources:

Flights – we use Google Flights and Skyscanner to book our flights. These resources help you compare all the airlines at once, plus give you tips on the best times to purchase. I use their price tracking features religiously to make sure we get the best deal.
Hotels – we always use Booking.com for choosing hotel stays. We think they have the best prices, their star ratings are super reliable, and we love the perks we get with their rewards system.
Transit – if you’re traveling throughout Vietnam on anything other than planes – like trains, buses, or ferries – we recommend 12Go.Asia. This site is the most detailed and reliable to see all your route options within Vietnam. We found it particularly helpful when booking our bus to Ninh Binh and our sleeper train to Sapa.
Trip Planning – the most frequently opened app on our phone, regardless of our destination, is Wanderlog. This app makes travel planning SO easy. You can import all your flights, hotels, and transit information, add top sites to your itinerary, and even track and split your budget amongst your travel buddies. It also provides recommendations on where to visit and a map of all the attractions you plan to see, with transit time between each.

Do I Need Travel Insurance to Visit Vietnam?

While it’s not required, we highly recommend it. You never know when something might go wrong, and it’s best to be prepared. We use and recommend SafetyWing, which is an especially good option for those traveling for a month or more. For as little as $56, it covers everything from lost luggage to hospital stays – a heck of a deal if you encounter any emergencies while abroad.

Final Thoughts on Common Vietnamese Phrases for Travel & Tourists

That’s all she wrote for our list of common Vietnamese phrases for travel! We hope these Vietnamese words in English make your vacation go a little smoother. Showing your respect for the country you’re visiting by speaking the native tongue goes a long way to warming the locals to you, and can lead to special encounters that may become some of your fondest memories. Share your favorite memory from visiting Vietnam with us below!

After you’ve learned these essential Vietnamese words for tourists, make sure to check out our travel guides to make planning your vacation a breeze! We’ve got a premade itinerary for historic Hue, a full travel guide for trekking haven Sapa, and an itinerary and guide for our personal favorite destination, Ninh Binh. Our guides have everything you need to know about how to get there, where to stay, and what to see, plus loads of other helpful travel tips! Let us know where you want us to cover next!