Updated 11-26-11. 
I know there are folks out there who are looking for help with pronunciation of Vietnamese words and phrases, and are looking for accurate and easy to understand guidance and reference on how to properly pronounce certain words in Vietnamese. This post, which is Part 2 of this series, aims to help you with exactly what a word or phrase should sound like, in both Northern and Southern Vietnamese accents when appropriate.
Have a Vietnamese word or phrase you’d like to hear? Here’s what you do: Leave a comment to this post with the word(s) you would like to hear pronounced, and I’ll post a response with audio files demonstrating exactly how they should sound. Please include as much information about the words as you can, with maybe the context you found them in, their meanings (if you know), or where you encountered them. This is because with proper accent marks the same looking words may have different pronunciation and meanings altogether. This will help me say them correctly for you. This site is about pho first and foremost, but I’ll post answers to whatever inquiry received.
If you’re looking for more specific pronunciation, check out these posts:
- For the definitive guide to pronounce “pho” in complete conversational sentences with both English and Vietnamese audio: How to Pronounce Pho: You Can Say It, Pronounce Pho, Say: Phở…
- How to Order Pho in Vietnamese
Go to this link to find Part 1 of Pronunciation of Pho and Other Vietnamese Words and Phrases. A single sound can sometime confuse you even more than no sound at all. Therefore, I’m also providing full sentences to demonstrate how the words/phrases should really sound in everyday conversation. You should be able to recognize these sounds in both English and Vietnamese conversational sentences. I’ll start with something requested by Louie from the last comment from Part 1.
- Pronounce: “Người Rừng” which literally means “jungle people.”
- Southern accent (twice, slower then faster) then Northern (twice.)
- Pronounce the lady’s name: “Nguyệt.”
- Southern accent then Northern.
- Pronounce: “Tôi nấu ăn cho gia đình tôi” which means “I cook for my family.”
- Southern accent then Northern.
- Pronounce: “Bún chả giò chay” which means “Vermicelli noodles with Vegetarian Spring rolls.”
- Southern accent then Northern.
- Pronounce: “Heo xào xả ớt” which means “Pork sautéed in Hot and Spicy Lemongrass.”
- Southern accent then Northern.
- Pronounce: “Bò xào xả ớt” which means “Beef sautéed in Hot and Spicy Lemongrass.”
- Southern accent then Northern.
- Pronounce: “nước mắm” which means “fish sauce.”
- Southern similar to Northern, slow then faster.
- Pronounce: “con chó, con mèo, con khỉ” which means “the dog, the cat, the monkey.”
- Southern accent then Northern.
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
How do you ask a girl to marry you in Vietnamese?
Unule: That’s a tough one
In the old days, and even now in many places, you don’t ask a girl to marry you. Everything is arranged for you by your parents. Easy! As far as I know, there isn’t a formal way for a boy to propose to a girl. Our culture is such that if you go out, you are expected to become husband and wife. Yes even today! And for Vietnamese, by the time you feel you are ready for marriage, then you both would know, wouldn’t you?? And the matter is really handled very privately, not like what they show in the movies. Now asking a girl to marry you is more of a Western way anyway, so the younger generation is more open to this. Sounds like I’m dodging your question, but the reality is … hmm there isn’t a way that I can think of to say this in Vietnamese. If I translate the Western words into Vietnamese, it would sound very funny and out of place. Hope someone else reading this can help me out here, lol. If you do it the Western way and in English, it will be more romantic I think.
Now do you have a question about pho?
Hello,
How do you say, “May I have a refill on my drink?” and something like, “I am drinking”…iced tea, water, coke or whatever I’m drinking.
Thanks!
HI! i need help, very urgent!!! i hope you can help
i would need this in audio files, cause i work at the theatre and we are playing a piece which includes a lot of vietnamese dishes…
but as we dunno how to pronounce it the right way, i hope you can help me with the following:
bun chao gio chay
heo xao xa ot
bo xao xa ot
sate
bao-zi
bami pat
bami goreng
gai grob prio wan
phad med mamoang nüah
pa pra
gaeng kiau wang pag
pat thai gai
su ko ya ki
thannnnks so much
Hi caroline: Of the many words you requested, only the first 3 are Vietnamese. The 4th, sate, really comes from satay from Indonesia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satay). The first request is probably “Bún chả giò chay” which means “Vermicelli noodles with Vegetarian Spring rolls,” not bun chao gio chay (without the letter o.) All three can be heard in numbers 4, 5 and 6 above. Sorry I can’t help you with the rest.
Hello,
How would you say and pronounce “Aunt” in Vietnamese? I want to surprise my mother’s sister by calling her Aunt in her native language
Hi Mina: The word “Aunt” in Vietnamese depends on if the aunt is older or younger than your mother and where (what region) they live and/or are from. It could be “bác” for older, “cô” for younger, or could also be “dì” in many places in the South. So some clarification can help. Also it is considered rude to address your aunt by name, so instead you may want to address her as “Third Aunt” or “Fourth Aunt” depending on where she is in sequence with her siblings.
Reader Marty said:
Great site!!!
Have heard guys use the term “You bic?” for ‘Do you understand?’ I know it is half english and half Vietnamese can you give me the correct spelling of bic and the complete Vietnamese for ‘Do you understand?’
Pronunciation for a condiment used on Vietnamese food – nuc mom(?).
Also Vietnamese for dog, cat, monkey and monkey face.
Thanks,
Marty
Marty: The correct spelling of “bic” in the context of your question would be “biết” which translate to “know”, so that the meaning is more like “do you know?” rather than “do you understand?”
With respect to “nuc mom” which is fish sauce, the correct spelling is “nước mắm” and is pronounced as in #7 above.
The dog, the cat and the monkey are pronounced as “con chó, con mèo, con khỉ” in #8. Sorry, but I can’t do “monkey face,” unless you can tell me in what context this is used. It would help if you can provide a sample use for it.
Thanks for your requests!
This is great!
Thank you very much.
Marty
Really informative blog. Awesome.
Marisol Barner: thanks for the kind words about LovingPho! I’m glad the blog provided usual info for you.