Everyday Vietnamese for Easy Travel
Just learning a handful of practical phrases will help you order food more easily.
Travelling in Vietnam is one of those experiences where a few simple words can completely change your day.
While English is spoken in many tourist areas, most everyday interactions still happen in Vietnamese.
You don’t need to be fluent — just learning a handful of practical phrases will help you order food more easily, navigate markets, and connect with locals in a more authentic way.
Below are some of the most useful phrases you’ll actually use in real life situations.
Basic Everyday Essentials
These are the simple, high-frequency phrases you’ll hear and use constantly while travelling.
From greeting people to asking prices, these are the foundations that make daily interactions smoother.
Xin Chào (Sin Chow) — Hello
Cảm Ơn (Gam Un) — Thank You
Tạm Biệt (Tam Bee-et) — Goodbye
Bạn khỏe không? (Ban khoe khom?) — How are you?
Tôi khỏe, cảm ơn. (Toy khoe, gam un) — I am fine, thank you.
Bao Nhiêu Tiền? (Bao Nyew Tien?) — How Much?
Có, làm ơn (Koh, lam un) — Yes, please
Vâng, làm ơn (Vung, lam un) — Yes, please (more polite/formal)
Không, cảm ơn (Khom, gam un) — No, thank you
Useful Numbers & Money in Vietnamese
When travelling in Vietnam, you’ll constantly come across numbers in markets, taxis, street food stalls, and shops.
At first, the prices can look quite large, but that’s just because Vietnamese currency uses thousands and hundreds of thousands as standard.
Getting familiar with a few basic numbers will help you follow prices, understand totals, and feel more confident when paying.
Basic Numbers (1–10)
Một (Mot) — 1
Hai (Hai) — 2
Ba (Ba) — 3
Bốn (Boon) — 4
Năm (Nam) — 5
Sáu (Sow) — 6
Bảy (Bye) — 7
Tám (Tam) — 8
Chín (Chin) — 9
Mười (Moo-oi) — 10
Key Money Numbers You’ll Hear Often
Hai mươi (Hai moo-oi) — 20
Ba mươi (Ba moo-oi) — 30
Bốn mươi (Boon moo-oi) — 40
Năm mươi (Nam moo-oi) — 50
Một trăm (Mot cham) — 100
Một nghìn (Mot neen) — 1,000
Mười nghìn (Moo-oi neen) — 10,000
Một trăm nghìn (Mot cham neen) — 100,000
Một triệu (Mot ch-ee-oh) — 1,000,000
Quick Tip
Don’t worry when you hear large numbers — even simple meals or drinks are often priced in the tens or hundreds of thousands of VND.
Once you get used to it, it becomes very straightforward to follow.
Food & Drink Phrases (The Important Ones)
Food is a huge part of travelling in Vietnam, and you’ll quickly notice that dishes can vary in spice, sweetness, and ingredients depending on where you are.
Things can come too spicy, too sweet, or with ingredients you might want to avoid.
These phrases help you adjust meals to your taste so you can actually enjoy what you’re eating without guesswork.
Không Cay (Khom Kai) — Not Spicy
Ít Cay (It Kai) — A Little Spicy
Không Đường (Khom Doong) — No Sugar
Ít Đường (It Doong) — Less Sugar
Không Đá (Khom Dah) — No Ice
Ít Đá (It Dah) — Less Ice
Không Nước Mắm (Khom Nook Mam) — No Fish Sauce
Không Thịt Heo (Khom Tit Heo) — No Pork
Không Thịt Bò (Khom Tit Bor) — No Beef
Tôi Ăn Chay (Toy Un Chai) — I Am Vegetarian
Có Thực Đơn Chay Không? (Kor Thook Dun Chai Khom?) — Do You Have A Vegetarian Menu?
Cho Tôi Xem Thực Đơn (Cho Toy Sem Thook Dun) — Can I See The Menu?
Tính Tiền, Làm Ơn (Ting Tien, Lam Un) — The Bill, Please
Quick Note on Pronunciation
Vietnamese pronunciation can vary slightly between the north and south of the country, so you may hear small differences in how words sound depending on where you are.
The phonetic spellings above are simplified guides to help travellers get by in real conversations — not perfect linguistic pronunciation, but close enough to be understood and useful in everyday situations.
A few simple words can change the way you experience a place.
In Vietnam - like many other countries in Southeast Asia - even basic effort with the language is often met with warmth, patience, and a smile.
I’ll be putting together more simple, practical phrase guides like this from the different countries I travel through — just the basics you actually need in real everyday situations.
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