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| Ho Chi Minh - Customs & Culture |
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The Vietnamese language, being tonal, is exceptionally difficult to speak. There are six tones, which means that a single word can be spoken in six different ways to mean six different things. Occasionally, this can cause embarrassment, but for the most part, the Vietnamese are very forgiving. Many--even in remote villages--speak basic English, and those who don't will patiently try to understand what you are trying to say.
As with many Asian languages, you need to be aware of honorific pronouns when you greet a person. This can be confusing, no matter how long you've been speaking the language, because the word you choose depends not only on the age of the person, but on their relationship with you. The following phrases are very basic. Pronunciation is provided in parenthesis.
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| Vietnamese |
English |
| Chau (chow) |
Hello |
| Chau Ong Smith (chow bah Smith) |
Hello Mr. Smith (if the man is older than you or in a more prestigious position than you are) |
| Chau Co Smith (chow co Smith) |
Hello Miss Smith (if the woman is young; even if she is married, this is a safe greeting) |
| Ong (or Ba, Anh, Co) khoe khong (own khway-eh kowm) |
How are you? |
| Cam on (cam un) |
Thank you |
| Khong hieu (kowm hee-you) |
I don't understand |
| Ten toi la... (tain toy la) |
My name is... |
| Bao nhieu? (bow new) |
How much? |
| Toi muon mua... (toy moo-on moo-ah) |
I'd like to buy... |
| Nuoc suoi (nook sooey) |
Bottled water |
| O dau...? (uh dow) |
Where is...? |
| Cong an (kowm an) |
Police |
| Khach san (kak san) |
Hotel |
| Buu dien (boo dee-en) |
Post office |
| Nam (nam) |
Man |
| Nu (noo) |
Woman
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Counting in Vietnamese
1 = mot (mote)
2 = hai (hi)
3 = ba (bah)
4 = bon (bone)
5 = nam (nam)
6 = sau (sow--as in female pig)
7 = bay (bye)
8 = tam (tam)
9 = chin (chin)
10 = muoi (moo-ee)
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