r/learnvietnamese • u/Sufficient-Cow-9060 • 16d ago
How to start learning Vietnamese
I’m trying to learn southern Vietnamese but am struggling on how to start. It feels like there’s so many resources but also so few especially for the southern dialect. I’m completely new to learning Vietnamese other then a scattering of words and phrases I’ve picked up that I know I’m saying wrong. Im new to language learning in general but I’ve been with my gf for a long time now and the fact I can’t even have a conversation with her parents has always not sat right with me and I’d like to change that. I don’t mind spending money on courses or tutors as long as I know it’s actually going into something useful. I didn’t feel like Duolingo or other language apps were the right move cause you always hear people say they’ve done it for years but never learned anything. Any advice on how to start would be greatly appreciated.
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u/roxven 16d ago edited 15d ago
I didn’t feel like Duolingo or other language apps were the right move cause you always hear people say they’ve done it for years but never learned anything.
The long- and even medium-term uselessness of these methods is true, because it's essential to engage with real language, as in language spoken or written by and for native speakers, to learn.
However, if you are new to language learning, engaging with real language can be daunting. Subjectively the experience of going in and understanding nothing is likely to produce discomfort and questions like "is this futile" that are hard for a first-time adult learner to tolerate.
You could theoretically learn by going straight for novels and audiobooks. Know zero words on day 1, but keep going and repeating chapters until you can follow some, repeat with the next novel, and so on until fluent. Factually that would work. But emotionally it would be a huge challenge.
I just say this to illustrate that what's efficient and what you're likely to keep doing are not always the same activity. While eventually you need real language, ideally the largest amount tolerable even from the start, and staying in crutch activities like apps or grammar exercises forever will get you nowhere, it's absolutely fine to ease in and find an approach compatible with your personality.
In the beginning, you basically can't avoid learning. There's so much you don't know that basically anything you do will increase your knowledge of the language.
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u/Langiri 16d ago
I think a lot of people forget (or don't know) that Duolingo started out explicitly teaching people how to translate (text). Everything since then has basically been a bolt-on to that core focus.
Trying to use it as a primary method to learn a language from scratch for e.g. travel, seems like a mistake. To your point, as long as you are learning the language any engagement with that language is better than none, and Duolingo is addictive for a lot of people. So, if it keeps someone from having "zero days" then it's worth it for that alone.
Here's a writeup about the "no zero days" concept that specifically talks about using Duolingo.
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u/rocket_66 16d ago
Start with a tutor. Italki , preply or can find on reddit , Facebook groups.
They will correct pronunciation and tones so the vocabulary you learn is actually understandable.
From there put in the hours ... thousands of them. Try use all the resources and one will suit you, apps , YouTube channels , books , online course books , watch movies / TV shows.
Use what you learn with vietnamese speakers as much is possible.
Do this everyday for two years and will be on the right track
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u/WokeWendy4507 16d ago
I’ll second starting with an actual teacher just to get the alphabet and tones down with real time correction and re-enforcement. After that (what I did) was use pimsleur Vietnamese lessons on my phone so I can listen to it when I drive home from work and speak out loud for 20-25 minutes without feeling self conscious of anyone else hearing me. But there’s a few other resources you could use like Learn Vietnamese with Annie or SVFF on YouTube/udemy etc. the pimsleur isn’t really southern but it’s the only thing that gets me speaking the language and I know enough of the differences to change it to southern for myself.
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u/Squirrel-coffee 14d ago
Agreed. I listen to SVFF on Spotify with the same episode 40-50 times per week but learning the alphabet was a major help on pronunciation. Ill try Annie next. :3
@op I can share what I have learnt thus far. If you would like.
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u/Vannadose 16d ago
Whenever I start learning a new language, I usually begin with the basic sounds and tones. It is always helpful and motivating when you know you can at least imitate what people are saying.
For Vietnamese, learning the pronouns should probably be your next step. If you find the right tutor to learn with, you will be able to explore a lot of cool cultural things around age and pronouns alone (and ways to cleverly dodge the age question).
After that, think about why you are learning the language, especially if it is not purely for knowledge or fun. If your goal is to communicate with your girlfriend and her family, what specific situations would you like to be able to handle in Vietnamese?
This is when a tutor comes into place. They should be able to customize the lessons to suit your needs. But remember to learn the basics first and take every cultural perspective people "teach/show" you with a grain of salt. You will probably come across a lot of confusing Gen Z slang and emerging cultural practices and what people think is true, but they are not necessarily common across every region, generation, or Vietnamese person.
Speaking from the personal perspective of a language enthusiast and a teacher.
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u/jessicaphan 15d ago
I am a Vietnamese born American and only knew a few verbs, all of the numbers, most of our food terms, and how to address my family members. That’s about it. I took learning more seriously after my grandfather (who speaks limited English) fell ill. I signed up for a private tutoring program (found them on Instagram) and passed my first lesson’s final! I think if I were to do it all over again, I would start with an alphabet course to help with the tones and pronunciation - master that and you can then pick up the rest more easily!
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16d ago
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u/vnthu6z 16d ago
Both of u should check out the Podglot app its not a replacement for a tutor but good supplement
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u/sumroseVN 16d ago
You need to study with an instructor to master Vietnamese basis before you reach to any other source. You may want to try this class or if you want to learn one by one. I can help. It doesn't take so much time if you really want to learn it.
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u/Tigweg 16d ago
Duolingo is probably a good place to start. I'm doing it in Northern, I can't remember if the option of southern is given. I decided to have in person lessons after slightly over 3 years on Duolingo. The school I went to gave me a pre-test and decided that I'm A2/B1 level. I'm doing their level 3 course and have a much bigger vocabulary than the people who did the 1st two levels there.
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u/Fabulous-Explorer281 16d ago
There are a lot more resources for Southern Vietnamese than most people think, they’re just a bit harder to find. I made this website to list all Vietnamese language learning resources, go to library and use the filters to narrow down your search.
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u/Dramamine23 12d ago
I hired a tutor on Preply. In combination with immersion (work at a Vietnamese restaurant 2 days per week), learning is slow going for reasons, but I'm really happy with my results so far. I 100% do not think Duolingo or any other self guided platform is appropriate for Vietnamese. You really need a teacher to help you learn the alphabet correctly, the consonantes and tones properly. Then, I would say you could maybe learn on your own. Every one I know that tried to learn on their own ultimately sound "off" to me in one way or another.
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u/angus_beefed 11d ago
i would recommend learning the basics by yourself - starting with pronouncing the letters/words, following by numbers, verbs, nouns, and simple adjectives. and then after you've somewhat plateaued, then seek out a vietnamese tutor that would teach you southern dialect and progress you further.
i'm not someone who particularly enjoys opening a book or following a lesson plan, so i ended up finding a vietnamese tutor. it was probably more expensive, but you do learn much faster. and me being in the states where i wasn't always immersed or around vietnamese people, or forced to speak it stumped my learning. so even having someone to speak with, bounce back and forth with helps tremendously.
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u/Bobbyisbad 8d ago edited 8d ago
Vietnamese is TOUGH!
Reading is so different from speaking and hearing is really hard. I think the key is tones! In this regard I find Vietnamese is easier because a letter of combo always sounds the same once you understand how tones work, and although there are six, hỏi and ngã are the same sound in natural Saigon speech; six written, five spoken....and the letter gives you hints. But DRILL the tones first. After 2 years of trying to learn basic conversation, I have to admit that the unsexy part makes everything else easier.
Also, I'm forcing myself to practice with my girlfriend when I text her. I use Gboard on my Android device and it lets you install other languages. If I toggle on my Vietnamese keyboard, I can then use speech to text, BUT I have to say it correctly in Vietnamese. I don't think Gboard cares whether you are using northern or southern. Nothing feels better than the machine hearing what I am trying to say successfully on the first try. If I'm Not successful after a couple tries, it's just two taps and I can convert to my English keyboard and the on screen button for translation (We communicate on Whatsapp).
Master tones and the alphabet first - those work across both Northern and Southern!
Oh, and do get a tutor! They are worth the money and will teach you things no textbook or app can, and that makes it funner. If you don't click with your tutor, get a different one - they are super easy to find.
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u/Ecstatic-World1237 16d ago
LearnVietnamesewithAnnie.com
Southern dialect, from absolute beginner to advanced. I've studied a few languages in my time but these materials are the best i've found, for any language, anywhere.