15 Useful Vietnamese Phrases for Talking with a New Friend

Greetings: phrases 1–5

• Xin chào (sin chow) — Hello.
• Rất vui được gặp bạn (rut voo-ee duhk gap ban) — Nice to meet you.
• Bạn tên là gì? (ban ten la zee?) — What is your name?
• Bạn khỏe không? (ban khweh khom?) — How are you?
• Mình đang học tiếng Việt (ming dang hawk tee-eng vee-et) — I’m learning Vietnamese.

Keep talking: phrases 6–10

• Bạn sống ở đâu? — Where do you live? Ask for a general city or region, not an exact address.
• Bạn thích làm gì? — What do you like to do?
• Bạn thích món ăn nào? — What food do you like?
• Thật sao? — Really?
• Hay quá! — That’s great!

Help and closing: phrases 11–15

• Bạn có thể nói chậm hơn không? — Could you speak more slowly?
• Bạn có thể nói lại không? — Could you say that again?
• Cảm ơn bạn — Thank you.
• Xin lỗi — Sorry/Excuse me.
• Hẹn gặp lại — See you again.

Is bạn always the right pronoun?

Bạn works well for a friend or similar-age peer, but Vietnamese commonly uses relationship and age-based terms such as anh, chị, and em. The most natural option is to ask Mình nên gọi bạn là gì?—‘What should I call you?’—and use the name or form they prefer.

When pronunciation is difficult

An English approximation cannot represent every tone accurately. Say the phrase once, send the written Vietnamese in chat, and invite your friend to model the pronunciation. Corrections become a positive language exchange when both people welcome them.

Respectful conversation habits

Vocabulary and accents vary by region and person. You can ask where someone is from without treating one answer as representative of everyone. Avoid abruptly asking about private information, politics, or war before trust has developed.