Useful Vietnamese phrase and vocabulary for tourists to Halong
Tourists coming to Vietnam might find the language of this country very interesting or rather strange in term of pronunciation, provincial accent, and spelling. The reason might lie inside a comprehensive system of carets that make works with the same spelling varying with different pronunciation, not to mention meanings. In order to make your trip to Halong specifically, and Vietnam in general become more exciting, this article will show you some basic tourism phrases and vocabulary.
1. Essential Vietnamese phrase to use in Halong:
• Xin chào (cin chow, cin in incinerate): Hello or Hi
• Cảm ơn (calm on,): Thank you
• Không (kh-o-ng, ng like in sing): No, Thanks!
• Bao nhiêu tiền (bow nieu tien): How much is this?
• Đắt quá (dut wa, dut like in Dutch): Too expensive!
• Tôi nghỉ tại (toi ng-i tie): My hotel address is…
• Tôi muốn (toi moo-unt): I want to have…
• Đẹp quá (dep wa, depth without th): So beautiful!
• Bạn khỏe không? (barn kh-o-air kh-o-ng): How are you?
• Bạn tốt quá! (barn tot wa): It’s nice of you
• Không sao (kh-o-ng siao): No problem or It’s ok.
• Bạn chỉ đường giúp (ban chi duong jup): Can you show me the way to…?
• Tôi muốn xem (toi moo-unt x-em, em in embark): I want to see…
• Tôi muốn đi (toi moo-unt dee): I want to go to…
• Không m-our (kh-o-ng m-our, our in tour): I don’t want to buy it.
• Tôi hút thuốc nhé (toi hoot thuoc nhe): Can I smoke here?
• Em ơi (iem oi): Hey buddy! I’m calling you!, Hey missy! (friendly tongue)
• Tôi không biết bơi (toi kh-o-ng bet boi): I don’t know how to swim
• Cứu tôi với (kyu toi voi): Somebody help me!
• Ôi dời ơi (oi zoi oi): Oh My God!
• Ngon quá (ng-on wa): It’s so tasty!
• Nguy hiểm quá (nuya him wa): It’s too dangerous!
2. Essential vocabulary:
• Đảo (n): isle, island
• Vịnh (n): gulf, bay
• Du thuyền (n): yacht
• Thạch nhũ (n): stalactite, stalagmite
• Cảng (n): port, harbour
• Nước (n): water, country
• Hang (n): cave, den, hole, burrow
• Hải sản (n): sea-foods
• Biển (n): sea
• Tàu (n): ship
• Khách sạn (n): hotel
• Lễ tân (n): receptionist
• Làng chài (n): fishing-village
