Note: "You" can
not be directly translated to Vietnamese, since it depends on the relationship
between the speaker and the audience. Many phrases are are translated
without this pronoun. For example, "How are you" is literally
translated as "Healthy or not?" It is generally impolite to
speak to a person without directly addressing them unless they're a subordinate,
but Vietnamese usually don't take offense when foreigners omit this.)
Hello.
Chào. (jow)
Hello. (on the phone)
Á-lô. (AH-loh)
How are you? (Are you healthy?)
Khỏe không? (kweah kohng?)
Fine, thank you. (I am healthy, thank you.)
Khoẻ, cảm ơn. (kweah, gam uhhn)
What is your name? (formal, to an older man)
Ông tên là gì? (ohng theyn la yi)
What is your name? (formal, to an older woman)
Bà tên là gì? (ba theyn la yi)
What is your name? (very informal, to a man)
Anh tên là gì? (ayng theyn la yi)
What is your name? (very informal, to a woman)
Cô tên là gì? (goh theyn la yi)
My name is ______ .
Tôi tên là ______ . (Thoye theyn la _____ .)
Please.
Làm ơn cho tôi. (lam uhhn jaw thoye)
Thank you.
Cảm ơn. (gam uhhn)
You're welcome.
Không sao đâu. (kohng sao doh)
Yes.
Vâng (affirmative). (vuhng); Dạ (affirmative,
respectful) (ya'a) ; Đúng (correct) (duhn)
No.
Không. (kohng)
I'm sorry.
Xin lỗi. (seen loh'EE)
Goodbye.
Chào. (jow)
I can't speak Vietnamese [well].
Tôi không biết nói tiếng Việt [giỏi lắm]. (thoy
kohng bee-IT noh-Y thee-IHNG vee'it [yi-oh-i lahm])
Do you speak English?
Biết nói tiếng Anh không? (bee-IT noh-Y thee-IHNG
ayng kohng)
Is there someone here who speaks English?
Có ai đây biết nói tiếng Anh không? (GAW ai
dey bee-IT noh-Y thee-IHNG ayng kohng)
Help!
Cứu (tôi) với! (gih-OO (thoy) vuh-y!)
Look out!
Cẩn thận! (guhn tuh'n!)
I don't understand.
Tôi không hiểu. (thoy kohng hee-oh)
Where is the toilet?
Cầu tiêu ở đâu? (goh thee-oh uh duh-oh) (this
phrase may be considered impolite)
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