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Vietnamese tones

Submitted byxuanvi onThu, 06/01/2017 - 16:29

There are six tones in Vietnamese including: low constricted tone (thanh nặng), falling tone (huyền), level tone (ngang), rising tone (sắc), falling rising tone (hỏi) and high rising tone (ngã). Because southern Vietnamese makes falling rising tone and high rising tone the same, we will work on five tones only.

You may find them confusing and too difficult to pronounce. However, Vietnamese tones are actually similar to intonation in English. And you still use them in everyday English.

Some common mistakes you can make learning Vietnamese

Submitted byxuanvi onFri, 02/26/2016 - 21:50

Some embarrasing mistakes you can make learning Vietnamese

01. Calling your wife/husband/friends' mother a "ghost".

Má with low constricted tone (Mother) vs Ma with level tone (Ghost)

02. Calling your wife/husband/friends' uncle a "dog" or "breasts".

Chú with "ch" initial consonant (Uncle in father's side) vs dú with "y" initial consonant.

Cậu with low constricted tone (Uncle in mother's side) vs Cẩu with falling rising tone (A dog)

Everyday Vietnamese

Submitted byadmin onWed, 02/03/2016 - 01:04

1, Trời ơi: Oh my God

  • Trời ơi, you’re so beautiful: Compliment someone
  • Trời ơi, why am I so unlucky like this?: Complaint or lament

Ơi: is a function word which is used when you call someone or to attract someone’s attraction.

2, Bó tay (Tie/Bind hands): Give up doing something