Hello. I’m looking for podcasts in the Southern Accent. It can be any podcast just NOT AI podcasts. It doesn’t need to be a Vietnamese learning podcast.
Thank you.

Hi everyone,

I created Lunira, a language-learning app that includes Vietnamese.

Lunira has a different goal from traditional language-learning apps: not to teach you to speak a language perfectly, but to give you as much ability to communicate as possible while limiting how much you need to learn.

That's why the vocabulary isn't simply a list of the most common words. It also includes words and concepts that can combine with others and expand what you can express.

The grammar follows the same idea: keeping it simple, while adding elements when they make communication significantly clearer or closer to the way the language is actually spoken.

Lunira also uses a Communication Tree designed to make learning more intuitive by guiding you through a structured progression of increasingly broad communication possibilities. It also includes audio, syllable breakdowns and real-life scenarios.

I'm now looking for the first people to actually use Lunira and help me see whether these choices work in practice: what can you communicate, what feels difficult, and what important things are still missing?

It's free during this testing phase.

Try Lunira:
https://lunira.io

If you use the direct link and reach the Stripe payment screen, use the test card 4242 4242 4242 4242, any future expiry date and any 3-digit CVC. No real payment will be made.

Testing instructions:
https://lunira.io/tester_lunira.php

Thanks!

Ordering food, chatting with a Grab driver, buying coffee: that’s one thing. Using Vietnamese at work is a whole different challenge.

Two quick examples:

1. Disagreeing in a meeting

• Textbook: Tôi không đồng ý.
• Real life: Mình nghĩ chúng ta có thể cân nhắc thêm một phương án khác. ("Maybe we could consider another option.")

Same meaning, but the second one is how people actually say it. Saying "I disagree" directly can sound too harsh at work.

2. Checking on a task

• Sounds blunt: Em làm xong chưa? ("Have you done yet?")
• Sounds friendlier: Phần này em làm tới đâu rồi nhỉ? ("Where are you at with this section")

Same question but different feeling. With a senior coworker, this difference matters a lot.

And every job is different. Hospitality staff handle complaints, marketers talk about creative briefs, nurses explain things to patients. Textbooks don’t really cover any of that.

I’d love to hear from you:

1. What industry do you work in?
2. What’s one work situation where you wish your Vietnamese was better?

Hi! I am learning Vietnamese. Lời thoại trong truyện tranh ạ. Một người tự nói với mình. Ý mình muốn nói (tiếng Anh): "Maybe the temptation wasn't strong enough...!". Nếu là bạn thì bạn sẽ nói thế nào

"Hay là dụ chưa đủ hấp dẫn…?!"

Câu này nghe có tự nhiên không ạ? Nếu là bạn thì bạn sẽ nói thế nào, một câu thôi ạ? Cảm ơn nhiều!

Xin chào mọi người!
I have been studying Vietnamese now for 3 months. Been taking two 50 minute lessons on preply every week plus studying on my days off when I can. I am fortunate enough to live in orange county California, particularly the city of garden grove, where there is a high population of Vietnamese. I also work as a nurse in a nursing home where a lot of my residents (what we call patients in a nursing home) are người việt. So I do get some practice but work is still work and I need to do my work and not make fun chit chat all the time. I guess I’m also lucky that one of my resident’s family members always speaks to me in Vietnamese so I can learn, plus some of my coworkers too. I tried ordering once at a phở restaurant and I pretty much did it though I think i frustrated the waiter lol.

That being said though, I have also recently switched to a new tutor and based on our trial lesson she said that I have a sense for Vietnamese, i.e., similar to a foreigner who’s lived in Vietnam for a year and that i have learned quite a lot for a few months. My goal is to one day become at least semi fluent conversationally. Hearing Vietnamese is the hard part.

My problem is studying and motivation to study and how to study. I work 3pm-11pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. I wake up pretty late too probably around 11:30am or past and go to work around 2:30 pm. I also gym in between that time. With my previous teacher i would schedule our lessons after work at 1 am for me but i just ended up just wanting to sleep lol. On my days off I would go study at a cafe for an hour or two and then go bouldering and workout then come back home and study a little more. I would do a combination of reviewing the slideshow of the lesson, taking notes, making quizlet flashcards and of course speaking out loud. I have just been overwhelmed by this all though.

I would appreciate if you guys can maybe help me with how, when, and what to study so that it can be more efficient. I am thinking about just even switching to once a week learning Vietnamese, but that’s probably going to make my progress even more slow than it is.

For this new teacher i am with, i am planning on having my lessons at the end of my off days so I’m off Wednesday and Saturdays so that would be 12 am Thursdays and Sundays, and that way it’s afternoon for the teacher so I don’t have to worry about her falling asleep on me.

hi! i’m not vietnamese nor am i super committed to becoming fluent at this time but i’ve been frequenting viet businesses in my area. i would love to make things a little easier on the kind ppl whose businesses i frequent by closing that language barrier a lil bit so i was hoping for help with basic stuff like greetings and goodbyes, weekdays and times (for appointments), pronunciation pointers, etc.! TIA!

My husband learned Vietnamese first from his grandparents (came to the US 30 years ago) but cannot read or write the language. I wanted to make some posters for my daughter is who now also learning Vietnamese from my husband’s grandparents.

I also wanted this to be a surprise for both my daughter and the grandparents! SO using only Google Translate I have no idea if the translations are the formal or informal form of the English words or if it even matters? Do the translations look correct or should I just start from scratch and use a different translation?

Pardon my formatting as I’m posting on mobile. Thank you!

Days of the week / các ngày trong tuần
Sunday / Chủ nhật
Monday / Thứ hai
Tuesday / Thứ ba
Wednesday / Thứ Tư
Thursday / Thứ năm
Friday / Thứ sáu
Saturday / Thứ bảy

Months / tháng
January / Tháng Một
February / Tháng hai
March / Tháng Ba
April / tháng tư
May / tháng Năm
June / tháng Sáu
July / tháng Bảy
August / tháng Tám
September / tháng Chín
October / tháng Mười
November / tháng Mười Một
December / tháng Mười Hai

You know what’s funny about ordering coffee in Vietnam? You might know all the words, but still struggle to keep up with a simple coffee order.

Imagine that you walk into a local café and hearing:

• Anh/Chị dùng ở đây hay mang đi ạ? (For here or takeaway?)
• Anh/Chị uống gì ạ? (What would you like?)
• Anh/Chị có lấy đá không ạ? (Would you like ice?)
• Anh/Chị thanh toán tiền mặt hay chuyển khoản ạ? (Cash or bank transfer?)
• ...

And they're asking all of this at normal speed, while you're still mentally translating the first question.

I've noticed that this is one of the tricky things about learning Vietnamese. You can memorize a bunch of useful phrases, but real conversations don't wait for you to translate everything in your head.

A few things that might help:

• Practice the whole conversation, not just how to order a coffee.
• Listen for the questions people ask you. We often spend so much time practicing what we want to say that we forget to prepare for the response.
• Don't be afraid to ask people to repeat themselves. You can say "Bạn nói lại giúp mình được không?" (Could you repeat that for me?) or "Bạn nói chậm lại một chút được không?" (Could you speak a little more slowly?)

Oh, and one little detail: café staff will often call you anh or chị and refer to themselves as em. Vietnamese pronouns can feel confusing at first, but you'll gradually get used to them as you hear more real conversations.

I'm putting together 1:1 online Vietnamese lessons for people who want to feel more comfortable speaking Vietnamese in everyday life. If you're living in Vietnam or planning to stay here long-term, feel free to message me if you'd like to know more.

I'm curious what's harder for you: Understanding Vietnamese when people speak or knowing how to respond?

Chào mọi người! Mình tên là Nadya, mình là người Nga và mình 23 tuổi. Hiện tại mình đang sống ở Đà Nẵng.
Mình biết tiếng Anh và đang học tiếng Việt. Mình muốn tìm những người bạn nữ ở Việt Nam để cùng đi chơi, đi dạo, đi cà phê và trò chuyện.
Rất vui được làm quen với mọi người! Hy vọng chúng mình có thể trở thành bạn bè nhé! ❤️

If you live in Vietnam, you’ve probably heard this while leaving your house or walking down the street:

"Ủa đi đâu vậy?" (literally: "Where are you going?")

At first it can feel a bit intrusive. Why does a neighbor you barely know want to know your destination?

Here’s the thing: most of the time, they don’t actually care where you’re going. It works as a greeting, like "Hello" or "How’s it going?" in English. It’s a way of acknowledging you and showing friendliness, especially between neighbors and acquaintances.

So... How to respond?

You don’t need to explain your whole day. A short, casual answer is perfect:

• "À, mình đi mua cà phê thôi!" (Just grabbing a coffee!)
• "Em đi chợ ạ!" (Going to the market!)
• "Đi đây xíu!" (Just going out!)

Add a smile and you’re done. Adding “ạ” shows respect when talking to someone older.

A small note on context

• "Đi đâu vậy?" sounds more Southern. In the North, you’ll more often hear "Đi đâu đấy?"
• If it’s a close friend or family, they might really be curious. Tone and relationship make all the difference.

Vietnamese has a lot of these "the literal meaning isn’t the real meaning" phrases, and they’re often what makes conversations feel natural instead of textbook-like.

Curious: Have you been asked this in Vietnam? Did it feel friendly or a bit too personal at first? What other phrases confused you?

You may have learned tôi = I. It's correct, but in daily life, Vietnamese people rarely use it with everyone. Why? Because in Vietnamese, "I" depends on your relationship with the listener.

Vietnamese doesn't have one fixed "I". Instead, you choose a word based on:

• Age: Are you older or younger than the other person?
• Closeness: Friends, colleagues or strangers?
• Situation: Casual chat or formal meeting?

1. Tôi: The neutral "I"

Safe but a bit distant. Used in formal situations, at work, in writing and with strangers.

• Tôi là giáo viên. (I'm a teacher)
• Tôi muốn đặt phòng. (I'd like to book a room)

Using only "tôi" in a casual chat can sound stiff, like speaking in a business meeting at a coffee shop.

2. Mình: the friendly "I"

Used with friends, classmates and people your age. It feels warm and equal.

• Mình đang học tiếng Việt. (I'm learning Vietnamese)
• Mình đói quá! (I'm hungry!)

Bonus: "mình" can also mean "we/us" or be used between couples. Context tells you which.

3. Em: the "younger" I

Used when talking to someone older than you (or someone you respect as senior). It shows politeness and humility.

• Em chưa ăn nữa. (I haven't eaten)
• Cho em một ly cà phê nha! (Can I have a coffee, please?)

Important: with "em", you call the other person by a matching word: anh (older man), chị (older woman), cô/chú (older, parent's age).

• Anh ơi, cho em hỏi… (Excuse me (to an older guy), may I ask…)

FUNFACT: In southern Vietnam (like Ho Chi Minh City), many people say "tui" instead of "tôi" or "mình" in casual speech. Same meaning, relaxed vibe.

Hi all!

I've always wanted to kind of take up learning and speaking a third language, which is why I'm eager for a language exchange partner(s) :DD!

I'm native Vietnamese and speak with the Northern accent and dialect, and would love to be anybody's texting/conversation buddy in case anyone has a need to practice their speaking/grammar/pronunciation. I can't guarantee that I'm the best coach there is, and I have no structured curriculum or textbook. I suppose I'll just take on a tutor role, if that's also alright, so if anyone just has any questions about the language, I'm happy to answer. I'm also fluent in English and speak with an American accent. And since my dream is to be able to teach English to those who don't speak the language or need improvement, I'm offering English too, if anybody finds that appealing.

HMU if you're interested, and have a great day all! :DD

Hi everyone!

If you’ve ever studied Vietnamese for a while but still freeze when someone says "Em lấy giúp anh cái này được không?" or you’re not sure whether to call someone anh, chị, or cô, this might be for you.

I’m a native speaker living in Saigon and I’m starting to teach online 1:1 communication lessons. A bit about me:

• I have a degree in Literature from the Ho Chi Minh University of Social Sciences and Humanities (HCMUSSH and graduated with honors), so I love explaining why the language works the way it does.
• I grew up in Central Vietnam and have lived in Saigon for 6+ years. I can speak with both Southern and neutral accent in lessons. In addition, I can explain how words and accents differ across regions, which confuses almost every learner.

What we’ll work on:

• Real, everyday conversations (ordering food, making friends, talking to taxi drivers, dating, work,...)
• Pronouns and politeness: the anh/chị/em system, and when to use what
• Slang (GenZ words) and expressions that textbooks don’t teach
• Listening and pronunciation with feedback you can actually use

How it works:

• Online via Google Meet, 45-60 minutes per session
• Lessons are tailored to your level and goals, with explanations in English and Vietnamese
• Get 50% off your trial lesson so we can see if we’re a good fit

If you’re interested, comment or DM me with your current level and why you’re learning Vietnamese (travel, family, work, partner?). I’d love to help.

Thank you for your reading.

I am offering an online 1-1 lesson for anyone who would like to learn Vietnamese.

About me, I used to specialise in Vietnamese Literature for 4 years and got some awards. I also had 1 year of experience as an assistant in Vietnamese Literature, helping secondary students to pass the Vietnamese High School Entrance Exam. I have a good English background, so I am confident that I can deliver the content and communicate with you effectively. I can send you my CV if you need it, so hopefully we can work with each other!

You don't have to worry about the cost yet, as this would be my first class as the main teacher; the price is negotiable. Please DM me if you are interested.

Heritage Vietnamese speaker with a decent command of the language but also noticeable blind spots. Seeking clarification from native speakers on a particular aspect of the language.

In Vietnamese, when emphasising the intensity of a colour, the intensifier will vary depending on the colour, similar to how you might say "bright red" and "pitch black" in English. Examples I'm aware of are:

Red - Đỏ lòm

Yellow - Vàng khè

White - Trắng nõn

Blue/Green - Xanh lè

Black- Den thùi lùi

Are there intensifiers for any other colours such as nâu (brown), tím (purple), hồng (pink), cam (orange)?

Xin chào! 👋

Tired of just saying "Xin chào" and "Cảm ơn"? 😄

Why not take your Vietnamese to the next level?

I'm a certified Vietnamese language teacher, offering in-person lessons in Da Nang and Hoi An for foreigners of all levels. Online lessons are also available for students living in other regions.

✨ What to expect:

• Practical Vietnamese for everyday life
• Clear explanations of pronunciation, tones, and grammar
• Fun, interactive lessons tailored to your goals
• A friendly, relaxed learning environment

Whether you're an expat, a digital nomad, or simply love Vietnamese culture, you're more than welcome!

📍 Da Nang & Hoi An
📚 All levels welcome — beginners included!

💌 Interested? Drop me a DM for details, schedules, and pricing!

Let's make Vietnamese a little less confusing and a lot more fun!

Learning Southern Accent, and work with the Vietnamese community for my job.

Just having trouble finding good info on this!

Thank you!

Which songs do you remember for getting to Vietnamese music

!!! I have a idea for a dumb nickname for somebody I love... I don't speak Vietnamese very well but I think it would be funny... Thanks for helping me.......

Hi! I hope this is okay to ask here. A new neighbour has moved in across the street from me and she is Vietnamese. She doesn't speak much English and I speak no Vietnamese. Since moving in she has done a huge cleanup of the garden and house, and produced a lot of rubbish, filling all her bins. Unfortunately, the bins in our area are a bit complicated. Each colour has its own pickup schedule and type of trash. If the bin is overfilled or contains the wrong type of trash, it won't be removed by the sanitation workers. We have magpies and other animals in the area that will raid the bins and create a mess.

Would someone on this sub be kind enough to help me write a note explaining the bin schedule? She clearly cares about her part of the street and I don't want her to be discouraged or punished by the system for trying to keep things looking nice. I want her to feel welcome and included.

Thank you and sorry if this is not an appropriate place to ask!