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Lesson 12: Basic greetings in Vietnamese

Summary: How to say Hello in Vietnamese? How to greet people and start conversations in Vietnamese? Let’s find out now to continue your Learn Vietnamese 30 Days.

Note:

  • If this is the first time you’re here, I recommend you read the instruction and start learning how to spell Vietnamese first.
  • Follow my blog for more lessons and support me to maintain/update this blog regularly.
Learn Vietnamese Lesson 12 - Basic Greetings In Vietnamese

1. How to say Hello in Vietnamese

Hello in Vietnamese - Learn Vietnamese 30 Days

Xin chào/ Chào

Thank you in Vietnamese - Learn Vietnamese 30 Days

Cảm ơn [pronoun]/
Cảm ơn

You're welcome in Vietnamese - Learn Vietnamese 30 Days

Không có chi

Goodbye in Vietnamese - Learn Vietnamese 30 Days

Tạm biệt/Bái bai

See you again in Vietnamese - Learn Vietnamese 30 Days

Hẹn gặp lại

Good or well in Vietnamese - Learn Vietnamese 30 Days

Khoẻ

Yes in Vietnamese - Learn Vietnamese 30 Days

Có

No in Vietnamese - Learn Vietnamese 30 Days

Không

And in Vietnamese - Learn Vietnamese 30 Days

Và

2. Positive and negative sentence in Vietnamese

2.1. Positive sentence in Vietnamese

With Adjective

Vietnamese: [Pronoun] + [adjective]


1
2

English: [I/you/etc.] + [am/are/is] + [adjective]

1


2

Note: Adjective in Vietnamese doesn’t need to go with a verb like English. The word-by-word translation of “Tôi khoẻ” is “I good”. It’s grammatically correct in Vietnamese.

With Verb

Vietnamese: [Pronoun] + [verb]


1
2

English: [I/you/etc.] + [am/are/is] + [verb]

1


2

Note: Verb and Adjective act similarly in Vietnamese.

2.2. Negative sentence in Vietnamese

With Adjective

Vietnamese: [Pronoun] + không + [adjective]


1
2
3

English: [I/you/etc.] + [am/are/is] + not + [adjective]

1


2
3

With Verb

Vietnamese: [Pronoun] + không + [verb]


1
2
3

English: [I/you/etc.] + [am/are/is] + not + [verb]

1


2
3

Example:

Vietnamese English
Tôi khoẻ. I’m good.
Chị ấy khỏe. She’s good.
Tôi không khoẻ. I’m not good.
Chú ấy không khỏe. He is not good.

Lesson 12 - Exercise 1&2

Quiz 1: How does Vũ tell Duy that he’s good in Vietnamese?



Quiz 2: How does Duy tell Vũ that he’s not good in Vietnamese?

3. How to say “How are you?” in Vietnamese?

3.1. Yes-No Question structure

With Adjective

Vietnamese: [Pronoun] + có + [adjective] + không?

1


2

English: [am/are/is] + [I/you/etc.] + [adjective]?




1
2

With Verb

Vietnamese: [Pronoun] + có + [verb] + không?

1


2

English: [am/are/is] + [I/you/etc.] + [verb]?




1
2

So, in general, to make a yes-no question in Vietnamese, you just say “Someone + có + action/feeling + không?”

3.2. How are you in Vietnames

As you learned that “khỏe” means “good/well” in Vietnamese, how are you in Vietnamese is:

Vietnamese English
[Pronoun] + có + khỏe + không? How [am/are/is] [I/ you/ he/ etc.]?
(Word-for-word translation: Are you good?)
⇒ Có, [pronoun] + khỏe.
⇒ Không, [pronoun] + không + khỏe.		 ⇒ [I/you/etc.] + [am/are/is] + good.
⇒ [I/you/etc.] + [am/are/is] + not + good.

Example:

Vietnamese English
Bạn có khoẻ không?
⇒ Có. Tôi khoẻ.		 How are you? (Are you good?)
⇒ I’m good.
Chú có khoẻ không?
⇒ Không. Chú không khoẻ.		 How are you? (Are you good?)
⇒ I’m not good.
Andy có khoẻ không?
⇒ Có. Anh ấy khoẻ.		 How is Andy? (Is Andy good?)
⇒ He’s good.
Bạn và Andy có khỏe không?
⇒ Không. Chúng tôi không khỏe.		 How are you and Andy? (Are you good?)
⇒ We’re not good.

Lesson 12 - Exercise 3

Quiz 3: Choose the correct response for Thao in this conversation.

  • Hà: Chào Thảo, bà Vân có khỏe không?
  • Thảo: [...] . Cảm ơn Hà!

4. Dialog

Andy and Min conversation - Learn Vietnamese 30 Days

Vietnamese English
Andy Xin chào Min. Bạn có khỏe không? Hi, Min. How are you?
Min Chào Andy. Có, tôi khỏe. Cảm ơn bạn. Bạn có khoẻ không? Hi, Andy. I’m good, thank you. How are you?
Andy Có, tôi khỏe. Cảm ơn bạn! I’m good, too. Thank you!
Min Tạm biệt. Hẹn gặp lại! Goodbye. See you again!
Min Bái bai. Hẹn gặp lại! Bye. See you again!
Suki and Phong conversation - Learn Vietnamese 30 Days

Vietnamese English
Phong Xin chào cô Suki. Cô có khỏe không? Hi, Suki. How are you?
Suki Chào Phong. Có, cô khỏe. Cảm ơn em. Em có khoẻ không? Hi, Phong. I’m good, thank you. How are you?
Phong Có, em khỏe. Cảm ơn cô! I’m good, too. Thank you!
Suki Không có chi. Tạm biệt và hẹn gặp lại! You’re welcome. Goodbye and see you later!
Phong Tạm biệt cô. Hẹn gặp lại! Bye. See you again!
Mrs. Van and Nam conversation - Learn Vietnamese 30 Days

Vietnamese English
Nam Xin chào cô Vân. Cô có khỏe không? Hi, Mrs. Van. How are you?
Vân Chào Nam và Linh. Không, cô không khỏe.
Các con có khoẻ không?		 Hi, Nam and Linh. I’m not good.
How are you?
Nam Có, chúng con khỏe. Cảm ơn cô! We’re good, too. Thank you!
Vân Không có chi. Tạm biệt các con. Hẹn gặp lại! You’re welcome. Goodbye. See you again!
Nam Tạm biệt cô. Hẹn gặp lại! Bye. See you again!

Well-done my friends! You started your very first conversation in Vietnamese. In the next lesson, we will learn more how to ask what’s your name in Vietnamse and how to tell people your name.


Tạm biệt và hẹn gặp lại!

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Location: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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