ONE WORD A DAY BLOG
Learn Vietnamese culture and history through stories and insights centred around a daily word
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Hotels in Vietnamese – “Nhà Nghỉ” vs “Khách Sạn”
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Learn the pronunciation, meaning, and crucial differences between hotels (*khách sạn*) vs. motels (*nhà nghỉ*) in Vietnam
“So F**king Awesome!” in Vietnamese, and Other Slangs for Emphasis
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Vãi is “very” in Vietnamese. But, the more fun slang is to say “Vãi đái”, which is like “so f**king awesome”.
Giời ơi! – How to say “Oh My God!” in Vietnamese
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“Ối giời ơi”, or just “giời ơi” is pronounced like “zoi oi”. It means “Oh my God!” or “Oh Heavens!” in Vietnamese. People love to hear it.
What does “Đi đi mau” mean in Vietnamese?
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Đi đi mau translates to “go go, quickly!” in Vietnamese, like “Let’s go!” in English, or “Hurry up! Let’s move!”
How to Say Uncle and Auntie in Vietnamese
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Uncle and Aunt are polite words used to refer to elder strangers, like “sir”/ “madam”. However, Vietnamese has more than 6 words for aunt & uncle.
“Cheers!” in Vietnamese
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When Vietnamese men are drinking, their version of “Cheers!” is: Một, hai, ba, dô! which translates to “one, two, three, go!”
How to say “I don’t understand” in Vietnamese
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Tôi không hiểu – Two of the most useful expressions in Vietnamese are I don’t understand and I don’t know.
How to Pronounce the Vietnamese Name Dương
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Dương is not pronounced with a “d”. It is pronounced like zoo-ung in North Vietnam, and like yoo-ung in South Vietnam.
Good Bye – Pronounce “Tạm Biệt” in Vietnamese [AUDIO]
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Good bye is Tạm biệt in Vietnamese. The challenge for English speakers is to not say it with a joyful high-pitch intonation, but with a down-tone
How to say “Yes” and “No” in Vietnamese?
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Vietnamese has many different way of saying “yes”, just Like in English when you say “yes sir” to someone older, and “yah” to someone younger. Vietnamese has có, ừ,…
Cảm ơn – How to say “Thank you” in Vietnamese [Audio]
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Cảm ơn sounds somewhat like “gam un”, including a clear articulation that separates the two words. Không có gì means “you’re welcome”.
Đẹp Quá – How to Say Beautiful in Vietnamese?
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There are many ways to say “beautiful”, “cute”, “handsome”, “hot” in Vietnamese. Xinh quá for pretty women; đẹp trai quá for handsome men. Nóng Bỏng is for a sexy…
What Does “Một Hai Ba” Mean in Vietnamese?
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Một Hai Ba is Vietnamese for One Two Three. It is approximately pronounced like “Mut” (down-tone) “Hi” (as in Hi!) “Ba” (like a sheep). Audio lessons included.
“Ấy” – The Most Useful Word in Vietnamese
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The Vietnamese word “ấy” is a versatile and useful word in Vietnam. It is like the English catch-all word “thing”. But, it also has a lot of other uses.
How to Pronounce the Vietnamese Name “Ngo”
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The most common Anglicized pronunciation of the Vietnamese family-name Ngô is “No/Know”. However, the correct pronunciation requires some careful study of the VIetnamese “ng” sound.
The Vietnamese “nha” is like the Canadian “eh?”
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The Vietnamese word Nha is like the Vietnamese equivalent of the Canadian “… eh?” or “… okay?” It transform an imperative statement into a question. It is cute and…
How to say “I am Vegetarian” in Vietnamese?
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If you want vegetarian food at a Vietnamese restaurant, just say “Ăn chay“, which is Vietnamese for “I am vegetarian”. Vietnam is great for Vegetarians.
How to Pronounce the Vietnamese Letter “G”?
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The Vietnamese letter g is pronounced like “g” as in “goat”, when it is followed by any vowel other than i. “Gi” is pronounced like “z” as in “zebra”,…
Common Greetings in Vietnamese
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Xin Chao is the most generic way to say “Hello” in Vietnamese. It can be used with everyone (formal or informal). There are many other ways to greet people…
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