27 May 2025

Vietnamese Phrases by Context

Greetings & Politeness

Saying hello

Vietnamese has a range of greetings depending on time, social context, and how well you know someone. This post covers how to say hello, goodbye, and politely address others in real life.

Casual and Contextual Greetings

Many people know “xin chào” as the Vietnamese word for "hello", but this sounds overly formal and robotic when used in daily life. Native speakers almost never say it outside of formal writing or scripted announcements.

Instead, the natural way to greet someone is to say “Chào” followed by a pronoun or kinship term, depending on your relationship to them.

Here are some common examples:

Chào em – Hi (to someone younger or a romantic partner)
Chào anh – Hi (to an older male)
Chào chị – Hi (to an older female)
Chào các bạn – Hi everyone (friendly, plural)

You can also use family terms, even when the person isn’t your literal family:

Chào mẹ – Hi Mum
Chào ba – Hi Dad
Chào cô – Hi (to a woman about your mother’s age, or a female teacher)
Chào chú – Hi (to a man about your father’s age)

These kinship terms are a huge part of Vietnamese communication — they show respect, warmth, and social awareness. They’re used not just for relatives, but for almost everyone: strangers, in-laws, neighbors, even shopkeepers.

Which term you choose depends on relative age, gender, and social position, not just biology.

For a deeper breakdown of how this system works (and why it’s so different from English), see my Vietnamese pronouns page.

Time-Based Greetings

In Vietnamese, time-based greetings do exist, but they’re used much less often than in English. Most people simply greet each other with chào plus a pronoun or kinship term (like chào anh, chào em).

That said, if you want to greet someone more formally or just match the time of day, the structure is:

Chào buổi + [time of day]

Chào buổi sáng – Good morning
Chào buổi chiều – Good afternoon
Chào buổi tối – Good evening

Here, buổi means "part of the day". These are polite and grammatically correct, but they can sound a bit stiff or overly formal in casual conversation — especially if you’re already close to the person.

Introducing Yourself

When meeting someone for the first time in Vietnamese, it's common to keep things short and polite — but warm. Introductions often rely on a mix of stating your name, where you're from, and showing humility (especially about your language skills). Here's how to navigate that.

My name is…

The most straightforward way to say your name is:

Tôi tên là Jon – My name is Jon

You can also ask:

Em tên là gì? – What’s your name?

If you want to be extra friendly or offer a nickname, say:

Tôi là Jonathan, nhưng bạn có thể gọi tôi là Jon → I'm Jonathan, but you can call me Jon

Note: tôi is a neutral pronoun suitable for polite conversation. If you're already familiar or younger, you might use mình instead of tôi in casual speech.

I'm…

To talk about where you're from, there are a few options depending on the emphasis:

Tôi là người Anh – I’m British → Literally: I am a person of England
Tôi đến từ nước Anh – I come from England → Slightly more formal or explanatory
Tôi sống ở Vương quốc Anh – I live in the United Kingdom → Use this if you're talking about long-term residence

To refer to your relationship with someone:

Tôi là chồng của cô ấy – I’m her husband → Useful when introducing yourself in relation to your wife

And to show you're trying (and set realistic expectations):

Tôi đang học tiếng Việt – I’m learning Vietnamese → A great phrase to earn patience and goodwill

Meeting People

To say "Nice to meet you," the go-to phrase is:

Rất vui được gặp bạn – Nice to meet you → Literally: Very glad to meet you

You can level it up with more formality:

Rất hân hạnh – It's a pleasure → Polite, slightly formal — good for meeting older people or in-laws

If you want to clarify whether you've met before:

Mình gặp nhau lần đầu, phải không? – This is our first time meeting, right?

To ask someone about themselves:

Bạn làm nghề gì? – What do you do for a living?
Bạn bao nhiêu tuổi? – How old are you? (Note: This is common and not rude in Vietnamese culture.)

Introducing Others

When you're bringing someone into a conversation or introducing them to others, use đây là… ("this is…").

Đây là vợ tôi – This is my wife
Đây là bạn tôi – This is my friend
Đây là mẹ tôi – This is my mother

If you want to clarify someone’s nationality:

Đây là người Việt Nam – This person is Vietnamese

Clarifying or Apologizing

It’s helpful — and humble — to warn people that your Vietnamese might not be perfect:

Xin lỗi, tôi nói tiếng Việt chưa tốt – Sorry, my Vietnamese isn’t good yet

Or ask for help understanding:

Bạn có thể nói chậm lại không? – Can you speak more slowly?
Bạn có thể lặp lại không? – Can you repeat that?

These not only make you easier to understand, they also show that you're trying sincerely — and that goes a long way with native speakers.

Saying Goodbye

Here are some common ways to say goodbye in Vietnamese, depending on the level of formality or closeness:

Tạm biệt – Goodbye (standard, polite)
Gặp lại sau nhé – See you later (nhé softens the tone)
Hẹn gặp lại – Hope to see you again (slightly formal)
Chào tạm biệt – Goodbye (softer, friendlier than just tạm biệt)
Đi đây – I'm heading out (casual, for close relationships)
Ở lại vui vẻ nhé – Stay well / Have fun while I’m gone

Polite Add-ons and Tone

To sound polite or affectionate:

Add “ạ” at the end: “Chào anh ạ” (respectful)
Use softening phrases like “nhé”, “nha” with friends or partners

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Don’t say “xin chào” to people you know

It sounds overly formal, robotic, or like you're reading from a textbook. Native speakers rarely use xin chào in everyday conversation — it’s more common in scripted media, announcements, or when addressing a crowd.

Avoid using the wrong pronoun or kinship term

Vietnamese is relationship-sensitive. Using the wrong word for "you" can come off as rude, awkward, or just confusing. For example, calling someone em when they’re clearly older can be seen as disrespectful.

Be cautious with “bạn”

While bạn technically means “friend”, it’s often used as a neutral, catch-all “you” in textbooks. In real life, chào bạn can sound distant, cold, or overly formal unless you're addressing someone your own age you don’t know well.

Don’t default to English-style greetings

Things like “Good morning!” or “Hello!” in English rely on time or tone, but Vietnamese often prioritizes who you're speaking to, not when. Saying chào buổi sáng to your wife every morning might sound weirdly stiff or theatrical.

Don’t guess someone’s status or age if you can avoid it

If you're not sure whether to say anh, chị, cô, chú, etc., it’s better to ask their age (politely) or let them lead. Guessing wrong can create awkwardness or even offense, especially with older Vietnamese.

Practice

Translate or roleplay:

You’re meeting your wife’s uncle in the evening.
You bump into a friend in the morning.
You’re ending a call with your mother-in-law.
Xin chào – Hello
Chào em / anh / chị – Hi (to specific person)

Appreciation

Cảm ơn – Thank you
Cảm ơn nhiều – Thanks a lot
Cảm ơn vì bữa ăn – Thank you for the meal
Cảm ơn em đã giúp – Thanks for helping
Rất cảm ơn – Truly grateful

Apology

Xin lỗi – Sorry / Excuse me
Anh xin lỗi – I’m sorry (from older male)
Em xin lỗi – I’m sorry (from younger)
Tha lỗi cho anh – Forgive me
Tôi không cố ý – I didn’t mean to

Introducing Yourself

My name is…

Tôi tên là Jon – My name is Jon
Em tên là gì? – What’s your name?
Anh có thể gọi em là… – You can call me…
Tên tiếng Việt của tôi là… – My Vietnamese name is…

I'm…

Tôi là người Anh – I’m British
Tôi đến từ Anh – I’m from England
Tôi sống ở Rugeley – I live in Rugeley
Tôi là chồng của em – I’m your husband
Tôi đang học tiếng Việt – I’m learning Vietnamese

At Home / Domestic Life

Daily Routines

Em ăn chưa? – Have you eaten yet?
Anh mệt quá – I’m really tired
Em dậy chưa? – Are you awake yet?
Ngủ ngon nhé – Sleep well
Đánh răng đi – Go brush your teeth

Chores / Household Tasks

Đừng quên rửa bát – Don’t forget to wash the dishes
Đổ rác giùm anh – Take out the trash for me
Em dọn phòng đi – Clean your room
Hôm nay ai nấu cơm? – Who’s cooking today?
Máy giặt hỏng rồi – The washing machine’s broken

Asking Questions

Basic Questions

Cái này là gì? – What is this?
Ở đâu? – Where?
Khi nào? – When?
Tại sao em buồn? – Why are you sad?
Bao nhiêu tuổi rồi? – How old are you?

Clarifying or Confirming

Em nói lại được không? – Can you say that again?
Anh nghe không rõ – I didn’t hear clearly
Có đúng không? – Is that right?
Đây là cái gì? – What’s this thing?
Em hiểu không? – Do you understand?

Shopping & Travel

Buying Things

Bao nhiêu tiền? – How much is it?
Tôi muốn mua cái này – I want to buy this
Cái này rẻ quá – This is so cheap!
Cái kia mắc quá – That one’s too expensive
Có giảm giá không? – Is there a discount?

Getting Around

Nhà vệ sinh ở đâu? – Where’s the toilet?
Tôi bị lạc – I’m lost
Tôi muốn đi đến [place] – I want to go to [place]
Em có thể chỉ đường không? – Can you show me the way?
Xe buýt ở đâu? – Where’s the bus?

Emergencies

Health

Giúp tôi! – Help me!
Tôi bị đau bụng – I have a stomachache
Tôi bị sốt – I have a fever
Tôi cần bác sĩ – I need a doctor
Gọi cấp cứu! – Call an ambulance!

Other Emergencies

Tôi mất ví rồi – I lost my wallet
Có người bị thương – Someone is hurt
Có trộm! – There’s a thief!
Tôi không biết đang ở đâu – I don’t know where I am
Làm ơn giúp tôi – Please help me

Affection / Flirting

Affectionate

Em dễ thương quá – You’re so cute
Anh nhớ em – I miss you
Anh yêu em – I love you
Em là cả thế giới của anh – You are my whole world
Ngủ ngon, công chúa của anh – Sleep well, my princess

Flirty / Playful

Em nhìn đẹp quá trời – You look stunning
Ai cho em xinh vậy? – Who let you be this cute?
Muốn hôn em quá – I really want to kiss you
Em là người đặc biệt – You’re someone special
Đừng nhìn anh kiểu đó – Don’t look at me like that