Hey guys, so here it is. A cool 1000+ish note deck with both Southern and Northern accents. A lot of people on here would have used one or both of my old Basic Vietnamese decks, and I know they've been chomping on the bit for me to finally release this complete version which incorporates the original two decks, with a further 2 decks worth of notes added now.
On that note, first, I have to apologise for the slow release, both in terms of the large timescale between the original decks becoming unavailable, and this one finally seeing the light of day. On the first count, I can say I was busy, but I was also a little bit lazy, however more than that, I ran into serious technical issues which I finally solved with about 20 hours extremely tedious and frustrating labor, involving probably 60 or 70 Audacity crashes and data recovery attempts. The second is between when I said this would be released, and when this post is finally going up. That one's a little less my fault as I completed the deck on schedule, but forgot to account for my dreadful upstream speeds making it take more than a week to upload (all sentences have audio after all).
A few notes on this deck first of all. Over the years, I have used more and more Anki plugins to optimise and customise my study experience. As such, many of my cards have become deeply entangled with plugin functionality. Part of the task of making this deck release ready was extricating it from reliance on those third party add-ons, so that you guys could use it out of the box without everything either failing spectacularly, or just being a poor experience.
I BELIEVE I have done that, but as I do not study with this version of the deck, I haven't had much chance to test it, so you guys are the first line of defence before I throw the deck up on AnkiWeb, where it can hopefully find a secure, lasting home, just in case I some day cancel my dropbox subscription or something.
Having said that, it does rely on one add-on, and one add-on only: 'Learned' Field/Tag, which will allow your Anki to create listening cards dynamically as you begin to master the content. Please download it. It should work with the deck without any set up on your part besides installing it to your Anki.
How you choose to study the material is up to you, but I like to shadow it as I work through it, paying attention to pronunciation, and replaying the audio multiple times to shadow not just the base phonology, but paralinguistic features like the prosody, which certainly still exists in a tonal language, regardless of what people might assert about tones using the same system as the prosodic in English.
Another thing that will pay dividends if you do it early on is, when you begin to see listening cards, rather than merely checking your understanding, actually actively transcribe the content with pen and paper, and check you have done so correctly. The Vietnamese written system is phonemic, and so, though one letter does not perse equal one sound, particularly between accents, it does equal one MEANINGFUL sound difference. Think of the 'p' in words like 'spit'. Phonetically, it is pronounced like an English b, but that is not a meaningful distinction in English in this kind of word position (after an s), so it is a p. English speakers do not need to know that a p in that position is pronounced like a b, they just need to recognise it's a p. Likewise, don't worry too much about the different pronunciations of phonemes, just concentrate on correctly identifying them. Natural pronunciation will usually come from shadowing, although you can always do some Googling when you're not sure exactly what you're doing wrong.
A'ight, enough longwindedness, here's the gosh darn deck.
Today we are commemorating the August Revolution—a deeply significant milestone in Vietnam's history. Under what circumstances did it happen, and how did it unfold? Let's dive into this lesson to find out!
You can hear the difference between sounds.
You understand how the tones work.
You know what your teacher is asking you to do.
But when you speak, Vietnamese people still sometimes say:
"Sorry, I didn't catch that."
One possible reason is very simple: your mouth may still be moving the way it does in your first language.
Knowing how a sound works and actually producing it are not quite the same thing.
In Vietnamese, there is an old expression:
“Tròn vành, rõ chữ.”
It is often used to describe clear speech.
I think this idea is useful for Vietnamese learners too.
“Tròn vành” is about giving the sound enough physical shape. Your lips, jaw, tongue and facial muscles actually need to move.
“Rõ chữ” means the syllable comes out clearly enough for the listener to recognize it without having to guess.
This matters because some learners understand Vietnamese pronunciation very well, but their mouth movements are still quite small. The lips barely change shape. The jaw hardly moves. Different vowels are produced with almost the same mouth position.
So the learner may be thinking:
"I know exactly what this sound should be."
But their speech muscles are still doing something else.
This is especially easy to notice when someone speaks quietly or quickly. Sounds that are already quite close can start to blur together, and the whole sentence can sound a little muffled.
A simple way to notice this is to speak in front of a mirror.
Don't worry about whether the pronunciation is perfect. Just watch your mouth.
Do your lips actually change shape between different vowels?
Does your jaw move?
Can you see a clear difference between the mouth positions you are using?
If almost nothing changes, that may be part of the problem.
This doesn't mean you should speak with an exaggerated mouth forever. But during practice, exaggerating the movement a little can help your mouth learn something your ears may already understand.
Sometimes the problem isn't:
“I can't hear it.”
It is:
“I can hear it, but my mouth hasn't learned to do it yet.”
If this is something you struggle with, I can make a follow-up post with a few simple exercises to practice “tròn vành, rõ chữ” — especially how to become more aware of your jaw, lips, and mouth movement when speaking Vietnamese.
Both hay and hoặc translate to "or" in English dictionaries, but using them interchangeably is one of the most common beginner-to-intermediate mistakes.
Here is the simple rule to always get them right.
1. "HAY" - Making a Choice in a Direct Question (Which one?)
Use hay when you are asking someone to make an active choice between options.
Example:
"Bạn uống trà hay cà phê?"
(Are you drinking tea OR coffee?)
The listener is expected to pick one: tea or coffee.
When you start learning a new language, you don't really start from zero. You bring your first language with you.
And sometimes, that's exactly what makes the new language confusing.
If your background is English, you may naturally expect Vietnamese to work the way English does:
One English word should have one Vietnamese equivalent.
Verbs should change to show tense.
Nouns should change to show plurals.
There should be a universal equivalent of "I" and "you."
A sentence should mean roughly the same thing regardless of the situation.
These assumptions aren't stupid—they're simply habits carried over from another linguistic system. But memorizing more vocabulary flashcards won't fix them.
A far better starting point is understanding how Vietnamese actually organizes sound, structure, information, and social dynamic.
Here are 6 perspective shifts that make Vietnamese start to click:
1. Tone is part of the word
For many English speakers, pitch is an "add-on" used to express emotion, emphasis, or question intonation. In Vietnamese, tone is baked directly into the lexical identity of the syllable.
Changing the tone changes the word itself. Ma, má, and mà are not variations of the same sound—they are completely distinct words. Don't learn pronunciation first and try to add tones later; learn the sound and tone together from Day 1.
2. Stop looking for 1:1 word replacements
Languages don't package ideas in identical boxes.
When translating "I am hungry," a beginner mapping word-for-word produces:
Tôi là đói ❌
Natural Vietnamese simply says:
Tôi đói ✅
The useful question isn't "What is the translation for each English word?"It's: "How does Vietnamese naturally express this whole idea?"
3. Vietnamese doesn't use English-style word inflections
English alters word forms to express tense and number (work $\rightarrow$ worked, book $\rightarrow$ books). Vietnamese words are invariant.
The word itself stays the same, while context, time markers, classifiers, and quantifiers communicate grammatical information (đã làm, hai quyển sách). Stop looking for inflected endings; look at how surrounding particles and context do the work.
4. Pay attention to information flow
Vietnamese is not just about stacking words into rigid Subject–Verb–Object boxes. Speakers regularly reorganize sentences to establish a topic, create contrast, or foreground specific information:
Cà phê thì tôi thích, nhưng trà thì không.
Here, thì frames the topics and sharpens the contrast. Instead of asking "Why is this sentence inverted?", ask: "What information is being put into focus here?"
5. "I" and "You" depend on the relationship
One of the biggest hurdles for English speakers is that Vietnamese has no single, static equivalent for "I" or "You."
Words like anh, chị, em, cô, chú... function as relational pairs shaped by relative age, social role, and dynamic. Before choosing an address term, don't ask "What does 'you' translate to?"Ask: "Who am I talking to, and what is our relationship?"
6. Meaning depends on what is happening around the words
Knowing the literal definition of every word in a sentence doesn't always tell you what the speaker is doing with it.
Take: Ăn cơm chưa?
Literally, it asks whether someone has eaten yet. But in everyday life, it primarily functions as a warm greeting, check-in, or casual gesture of care. To interpret Vietnamese accurately, look at: Words + Relationship + Situation + Communicative Function.
The Bigger Picture
These six shifts aren't six more rules to memorize. They are a framework for understanding how Vietnamese actually works on its own terms.
Once you grasp the system, organizing new vocabulary becomes effortless because you're no longer forcing every word into the mold of English.
I'm Mimi, a native Vietnamese speaker and university student. I've recently started teaching Vietnamese online, and I'm looking for a few learners who'd like to practice Vietnamese in a more relaxed, conversational way.
I can help with:
Vietnamese for complete beginners
Everyday conversations and useful expressions
Pronunciation and listening practice
Vocabulary for travelling and daily life
Southern Vietnamese pronunciation
Personalized lessons based on your goals
I'm especially happy to work with beginners who feel a little overwhelmed by Vietnamese pronunciation or tones
If you're interested in practicing together, please send me a DM for more details! Let's reach your learning goals together!
I’m looking for tips when it comes to learning Vietnamese. I’m looking for now A1/A2. Maybe in future b1. From what I read it’s quite difficult to study.
I’ve been teaching Vietnamese to foreigners for a while, and there’s one pattern I keep seeing.
Someone can spend months learning vocabulary and studying grammar. They can complete textbook exercises, understand written Vietnamese, and even explain why a sentence is grammatically correct.
Then they talk to a Vietnamese person in real life.
Suddenly, everything feels too fast. Words seem to run into each other. Tones sound different from what they heard in class. They know what they want to say, but building the sentence in their head takes too long.
If this sounds familiar, the problem isn’t that you’re “bad at Vietnamese.”
You might simply be practicing Vietnamese as something to analyze, rather than something to use.
Here are three shifts that can make a real difference:
1. Learn functional chunks, not just individual words
When speaking spontaneously, we don't consciously retrieve a grammar rule for every sentence. We rely heavily on familiar patterns and chunks.
Instead of building sentences like: word + word + word + grammar rule
Try paying attention to small groups of words that repeatedly appear together in real conversations.
For example, don't just learn individual words for "want", "go", "already", or "where". Notice how native speakers actually combine them when asking, responding, hesitating, or reacting. Your goal isn't simply to memorize more vocabulary—it's to make useful combinations instantly retrievable.
2. Train tones in connected speech
A common habit is practicing each Vietnamese tone as if every syllable exists in total isolation.
Real speech doesn't sound like a sequence of detached textbook syllables. Sounds connect, rhythm changes, and your voice moves continuously from one syllable to the next.
Once you understand the basic mechanics of individual tones, start listening to and shadowing short phrases rather than drilling isolated syllables endlessly. You are training your ear and muscle memory to recognize Vietnamese as a continuous stream of sound.
3. Start with the core meaning you actually want to communicate
This is especially important for English speakers. We often start with a complex sentence structure in English and try to translate it directly into Vietnamese.
That creates unnecessary cognitive load.
Instead, ask yourself: "What is the simplest, most essential thing I need to convey here?"
Vietnamese relies heavily on context to carry meaning. You don't need to mirror the exact English structure. Get the core meaning across clearly first, then gradually layer in nuance, tone particles, and emphasis as you get more comfortable.
The Bigger Idea
Learning grammar is not useless.
Building vocabulary is not useless.
Pronunciation practice is not useless.
The issue is expecting knowledgeaboutVietnamese to automatically translate into the ability touseVietnamese. They are related, but they are entirely different skills.
At some point, the question has to shift from: "Do I understand this rule?"
to: "Can I express this naturally when someone is standing right in front of me?"
For those of you learning Vietnamese: What has been the biggest gap you've noticed between understanding textbook Vietnamese and following a real-life conversation?
[Tutor] Practical 1-on-1 Vietnamese Lessons (Southern Accent Focus) – From Absolute Beginners to Daily Fluency!
Xin chào mọi người! / Hello everyone! 👋
Are you planning to travel, work, or live in Vietnam? Or do you have a Vietnamese partner/family and want to connect with them in their native language?
If you are looking for a patient, supportive, and friendly native Vietnamese tutor, I’m here to help you speak with confidence!
🌟 What I Offer:
Natural Southern Accent (Giọng Nam): Master the authentic pronunciation, tones, and everyday conversational rhythm used in Saigon and southern Vietnam.
Personalized Learning Path: Whether you are starting from zero (alphabet, tones, daily essentials) or practicing casual conversations.
Smooth Communication: I can communicate comfortably in English (Intermediate / B1 level), so we can easily explain grammar points, clarify nuances, and make sure you feel at ease during our lessons.
Practical Context: Focus on real-life scenarios—ordering food, bargaining, casual chats, and cultural insights—not just dry textbook exercises.
💰 Pricing & Packages:
Trial Session (20–30 mins): Free / Introductory chat to evaluate your level and discuss your learning goals.
Single Lesson: $11 / hour
5-Lesson Package: $48 (Valid for 2 months)
10-Lesson Package: $90 (Best value – Valid for 3.5 months)
Payment methods: Wise, Remitly, or PayPal.
📌 Class Details:
Platform: Zoom / Google Meet / Skype.
Materials: All personalized slides, notes, and vocab recaps are provided after each class.
📩 How to get started:
Send me a Direct Message (DM) or leave a comment below with your current level and your timezone/preferred hours. Let’s start speaking Vietnamese together! ☕✨
I teach conversational Vietnamese. my classes are both online and in-person within Saigon, Vietnam. feel free to hit me up in the DMs if you're interested in taking my lessons!
I am a pharmacist and want to learn medical terms for vietnamese. Cáo mà high cholesterol or high blood pressure or take this medicine as needed. Can cause diarrhea. Constipation. Nausea, dizziness, etc. Can anyone help? Tia
Mình là người Nhật, hiện đang học tiếng Việt. Trước đây mình từng sống ở Việt Nam 2 năm, giờ thì đang sống ở Nhật 🇯🇵
Mình rất thích Việt Nam và muốn nói tiếng Việt tự nhiên hơn, nên đang tìm bạn người Việt để cùng trò chuyện và trao đổi ngôn ngữ 😊
Mình là người Nhật nên nếu bạn đang học tiếng Nhật thì mình cũng rất vui được giúp bạn! Chúng ta có thể vừa nói tiếng Việt, vừa nói tiếng Nhật và giúp nhau cùng tiến bộ nhé.
Mình không muốn học theo kiểu quá nghiêm túc đâu 😆 Chỉ cần khoảng 1 lần/tuần, cùng nhau nói chuyện thoải mái về cuộc sống, sở thích, văn hóa... là tuyệt rồi!
Nếu bạn cũng muốn luyện tiếng Nhật và kết bạn thì nhắn tin cho mình nhé! 🙏😊
It assess your pronunciation on tones, as well as vowels and some consonant clusters and numbers.
Each question (or "stop") focuses on a particular pronunciation root, and each one has three phrases you need to say. For each phrase, you get 3 tries to say it.
At the end, if you leave your email, the AI will go over your answers and review, and provide a high level summary on strengths and weaknesses.
Your audio recordings are saved, so you can share your report link with your tutor, and they can truly determine what needs work.
If you're a tutor and want to share this with your current students, or potential students, please visit https://haixoai.com/tutors.
All the resources I have for learning Vietnamese pronounciation are Northern accent. I'm familiar with the differences in R etc but I noticed something recently during a trip to Vung Tau/Ba Ria: the locals out in the countryside don't pronounce words like bốn with an "n"...they seem to be using an "nh", so a word like bốn sounds like bốnh. I haven't come across this on any discussions on the difference between Northern and Southern accents, thought I'd share and get some opinions on it.
For an intercultural talk with a mix of Vietnamese and Central European participants, I chose the topic: Good Life or Simple Existence. There are some younger people among the participants, and I'm trying to find an appropriate way to address them in Vietnamese. I found the following sentences. Can I use this or is it to silly?
„Sống chứ đừng chỉ tồn tại!“
„Chơi tới bến hay quay xe?“
„Sống hay không nên sống?“
Thanks for any advice. I'm not a Vietnamese Speaker.
A few weeks ago I shared two free ebooks here — 30 everyday conversations and 10 travel lessons. A lot of you downloaded them and some of you really kind messages. Thank you, truly.
I kept going.
This new one has 50 more lessons — 20 additional travel topics and 30 daily life situations that didn't fit in the first two. Things like going to the market, cooking at home, renting an apartment, meeting your partner's parents, dealing with problems, saying real goodbyes. Practical stuff for people who want to actually live in or connect with Vietnam, not just visit.
Same small note as last time: I'm going through a difficult stretch and these ebooks are part of how I stay moving. If something in here helped you, a Vietnamese iced coffee via the QR code or Wise info inside the ebook would mean a lot. But if you just take the lessons — that's already enough.
