Six tones
ma (ghost), má (cheek), mà (but), mả (tomb), mã (horse) and mạ (rice seedling) are six different words. Talvo marks the tone on every word, and you can replay any line the tutor says.
Vietnamese course · 27 languages in one app
Learn Vietnamese by speaking it
Vietnamese grammar is refreshingly simple: no conjugations, no plurals, no genders. The tones are what take practice, and practice means speaking. Talvo marks the tone on every word and gives you a tutor that waits for you to say it out loud.
First lesson free · iPhone and Mac, one subscription
Vietnamese · First phrasesXin chào!
sin chow
Hello!
ServerChào bạn, bạn uống gì?Hi, what would you like to drink?
Your first Vietnamese phrases
Twelve phrases for cafés, shops and meeting people, in the Northern (Hanoi) pronunciation Talvo teaches.
| Vietnamese | Roughly like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Xin chào! | sin chow | Hello! |
| Bạn khỏe không? | bahn khweh khohng? | How are you? |
| Tôi khỏe, cảm ơn. | toy khweh, gahm uhn | I'm fine, thank you. |
| Tôi tên là Sam. | toy ten lah sam | My name is Sam. |
| Rất vui được gặp bạn. | zuht vooy duhk gahp bahn | Nice to meet you. |
| Cho tôi một cà phê. | chaw toy moht kah feh | A coffee, please. |
| Bao nhiêu tiền? | bow nyew tee-en? | How much is it? |
| Tính tiền giúp tôi. | ting tee-en zoop toy | The check, please. |
| Nhà vệ sinh ở đâu? | nyah veh sing uh dow? | Where's the restroom? |
| Tôi không hiểu. | toy khohng hyew | I don't understand. |
| Bạn nói chậm lại được không? | bahn noy chuhm lai duhk khohng? | Can you speak more slowly? |
| Cảm ơn nhiều! | gahm uhn nyew | Thanks a lot! |
These respellings are only a rough guide: in Vietnamese, meaning depends on six tones that English letters can't show. Listen to the audio in Talvo and copy the melody.
A conversation you'll practice
An iced coffee in Hanoi. The tutor plays the server, and you answer out loud, tones and all.
ServerChào bạn, bạn uống gì?Hi, what would you like to drink?
YouCho mình một cà phê sữa đá.An iced coffee with condensed milk, please.
ServerUống ở đây hay mang đi?For here or to go?
YouUống ở đây.For here.
ServerBa mươi lăm nghìn nhé.That's thirty-five thousand.
Mistakes Talvo helps you fix
Pronouns depend on age
Words for I and you change with age and relationship: anh for an older man, chị for an older woman, em for someone younger. Bạn (friend) is the safe choice between peers.
Northern or Southern
Talvo teaches the Hanoi standard. In the south, d and gi sound like y instead of z, and some words differ, like nghìn and ngàn for thousand.
Time words instead of tenses
Verbs never change. Add đã for the past, đang for now and sẽ for the future: tôi đã ăn (I ate), tôi sẽ ăn (I will eat).
How Talvo teaches Vietnamese
- Northern (Hanoi) pronunciation, with the tone marked on every word
- Every unit, from beginner (A1) to advanced (C1), is written around your interests and the words you already know
- Role-play a café, a market, a taxi or meeting someone new. The tutor speaks first, waits for your answer and corrects you with the reason
- Use the live interpreter when you're talking with a native speaker for real
- Every new word goes into your review deck and comes back right before you'd forget it
Questions about learning Vietnamese
Northern or Southern Vietnamese?
Talvo teaches the Northern (Hanoi) standard used in news and textbooks. People in the south understand it, even though their accent and some words differ.
Is Vietnamese hard to learn?
The grammar is simple: no conjugations, no plurals, no genders, and it uses the Latin alphabet. The tones and some vowel sounds take practice, which is why speaking out loud matters so much.
Can I learn Vietnamese with Talvo for free?
Yes, to start. Your first lesson, three live-interpreter exchanges, your reviews and your deck are free. Talvo Pro unlocks unlimited lessons and conversations, and the yearly plan starts with a 7-day free trial.
Can I use Talvo on my Mac?
Yes. Talvo is a native app for iPhone and Mac, and one subscription covers both.
More language guides
Say your first Vietnamese sentence today.
The first lesson is free. It takes about five minutes.