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Vietnamese for free
Why learn Vietnamese?
Vietnamese is one of the 67 languages you can learn on Lingocard with frequency-ranked flashcards, spaced repetition, and live speaking partners. Build vocabulary and pronunciation at your own pace, on web and mobile.
In the US Foreign Service Institute ranking, Vietnamese is a Category III language - about 1100 class hours to professional working proficiency for English speakers. Vietnamese forms its own branch - learners commonly study it alongside Thai or Chinese.
The 50 most common Vietnamese words
Start with the words you will actually meet: learn these and you will recognize something in almost every Vietnamese sentence.
| # | Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | là | lah | be |
| 2 | của | koo-ah | of |
| 3 | và | vah | and |
| 4 | có | koh | have |
| 5 | không | khohng | not (negation) |
| 6 | tôi | toy | I |
| 7 | được | duhk | able |
| 8 | một | moht | one |
| 9 | người | nguh-ee | person |
| 10 | này | nahy | this |
| 11 | đó | doh | that |
| 12 | cho | chaw | give |
| 13 | với | vuh-ee | with |
| 14 | để | deh | for |
| 15 | cũng | koong | also |
| 16 | khi | khee | when |
| 17 | đã | dah | (completed-action particle) |
| 18 | sẽ | seh | will |
| 19 | anh | ahn | you |
| 20 | em | em | you |
| 21 | ta | tah | we |
| 22 | bạn | bahn | you |
| 23 | gì | zee | what |
| 24 | nói | noy | say |
| 25 | làm | lahm | do |
| 26 | đi | dee | go |
| 27 | thấy | tuhy | see |
| 28 | biết | byeht | know |
| 29 | muốn | mwohn | want |
| 30 | năm | nahm | year |
| 31 | ngày | ngahy | day |
| 32 | giờ | zuh | hour |
| 33 | tốt | toht | good |
| 34 | lớn | luhn | large |
| 35 | mới | muh-ee | new |
| 36 | việc | vyehk | work |
| 37 | nhiều | nyeh-oo | many |
| 38 | hai | hahy | two |
| 39 | trước | truhk | before |
| 40 | đâu | duh-oo | where |
| 41 | sao | sah-oo | why |
| 42 | rồi | roy | already |
| 43 | ở | uh | at |
| 44 | cùng | koong | together |
| 45 | nhà | nyah | home |
| 46 | sống | sohng | live |
| 47 | nay | nahy | today |
| 48 | khác | khahk | other |
| 49 | nhưng | nyuhng | but |
| 50 | vẫn | vuhn | still |
Useful phrases in Vietnamese
- Xin chào · sin chow · Hello / Good day
- Bạn khỏe không? · ban kweh khohng · How are you?
- Cảm ơn · gahm uhn · Thank you
- Làm ơn · lahm uhn · Please
- Tôi tên là... · toy ten lah · My name is...
- ... ở đâu? · uh doh · Where is...?
- Tạm biệt · tahm byeht · Goodbye
- Xin lỗi · seen LOY · Excuse me
- Tôi không hiểu · toy khohng HYEW · I don't understand
- Bạn có thể giúp tôi không? · bahn koh theh ZYOOP toy khohng · Can you help me?
- Cái này giá bao nhiêu? · kigh nigh zah bow NYEW · How much is it?
- Hẹn gặp lại ngày mai! · hehn gahp lie ngigh MY · See you tomorrow!
Learn Vietnamese with comprehensive language resources
- Pronunciation
- Numbers
- Verbs and adjectives
- Frequency dictionaries
- Basic sentences
- Thematic dictionaries
- Politeness
- Idioms
Learn Vietnamese, wherever you are
- AI-powered spaced repetition learning system on the go
- Audio processing for pronunciation
- Creation of visual language flash cards with images
- Search for speaking practice partners
- Frequency and thematic dictionaries for any language
- Alert system with exercise reminders
- Live video and messaging to facilitate learning
Join our global Vietnamese learning community
Collaborate with native Vietnamese speakers and fellow learners: exchange messages, correct each other's cards, and practice real conversation.
Send friend requests to the speakers you click with and build your own friends list - many practice partners become real friends.
Are you an educator? Teach Vietnamese online · Create an online Vietnamese school · Build a Vietnamese curriculum
Frequently asked questions about learning Vietnamese
How difficult is it to learn Vietnamese?
How difficult Vietnamese is depends on your background, but every language becomes manageable with consistent daily practice. Focusing on the most frequent words first means you can understand and say a lot early on. In the US Foreign Service Institute ranking, Vietnamese is a Category III language - about 1100 class hours to professional working proficiency for English speakers.
What should I learn first to reach a basic level in Vietnamese?
Start with the 100-500 most frequent words (free in our apps) and the thematic dictionaries most relevant to your daily life. Set clear goals and practise a few minutes every day - consistency is what produces results. Then connect with other learners to build confidence at your new basic level.
How long does it take to learn Vietnamese?
Most learners reach a comfortable conversational level in Vietnamese within 8-18 months of consistent daily study. Practising vocabulary with spaced repetition and speaking regularly speeds this up considerably. About 85 million people across 1 countries speak Vietnamese, so you will never run short of practice partners.
How do I improve my Vietnamese vocabulary?
Use the spaced-repetition and flashcard systems in the app. You can set daily, weekly, or yearly goals in our mobile apps and steadily reach the vocabulary size you’re aiming for.
Is Vietnamese pronunciation hard?
Every language has a few sounds that take practice, but Vietnamese pronunciation becomes consistent with regular listening and speaking. Hearing the language often matters more than memorising rules.
How do I get Free Vietnamese speaking practice?
Open the Practice or Friends page in the app, send practice requests, and start real conversations with other learners - don’t be shy! You can also mention that you want speaking practice when you create your account, and the platform will help match you with suitable partners.
Do I need to learn the Vietnamese alphabet first?
If Vietnamese uses a different script, learning it early unlocks reading - and it's usually faster than people expect. On Lingocard you'll find every alphabet, with example words, free.