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Beginner Start: First Vietnamese Questions

A calm first page for complete beginners who need a few useful Vietnamese questions before they can relax at the table.

Beginner Starting Point

Start here if you know almost nothing yet

On day one, a few basic questions, one short answer, and a little core vocabulary are enough.

First questions

  • What is your name? Bạn tên là gì?
  • What country are you from? Bạn là người nước nào?
  • How old are you? Bạn bao nhiêu tuổi?
  • Where do you live? Bạn sống ở đâu?
  • How long have you lived here? Bạn sống ở đây bao lâu rồi?
  • What do you do for work? Bạn làm nghề gì?
  • Where do you work? Bạn làm việc ở đâu?

1. What is your name?

Simple answer: Tôi tên là Linh.

2. What country are you from?

Simple answer: Tôi là người Việt Nam.

Việt Nam Vietnam Mỹ America Anh England Úc Australia Hàn Quốc Korea Nhật Bản Japan

3. How old are you?

Simple answer: Tôi 25 tuổi.

một one hai two ba three bốn four năm five sáu six bảy seven tám eight chín nine mười ten

4. Where do you live?

Simple answer: Tôi sống ở Đà Nẵng.

thành phố city quận district căn hộ apartment nhà house

5. How long have you lived here?

Simple answer: Tôi sống ở đây hai năm rồi.

tuần week tháng month năm year hai năm two years

6. What do you do for work?

Simple answer: Tôi là giáo viên.

giáo viên teacher sinh viên student kỹ sư engineer nhà thiết kế designer

7. Where do you work?

Simple answer: Tôi làm ở công ty.

công ty company văn phòng office trường học school ở nhà from home

Pro tip

  • Use only two or three questions at first. That is enough.
  • After each answer, repeat one key word so your partner knows you are following.
  • If you forget the full question, show the page and read slowly.
  • At the meetup, tell the host you are starting from zero so they can seat you with patient partners.

What To Do With These Questions

Pick three questions before the meetup. Read them once or twice, then keep this page open on your phone.

At the table:

  1. Ask one question slowly.
  2. Listen for one or two familiar words in the answer.
  3. Ask the next question.
  4. Smile and keep going even if your pronunciation is not perfect.

Good First Goal

Your goal is not to sound fluent. Your goal is to ask a few real questions and understand a little more than last time.