Tones you can see
Pitch curves, slow audio and animated lips that shape each sound.
5 minutes a day
Learn Vietnamese, one tone at a time.
Hear every word, see how your mouth should move, and practise speaking with short daily lessons built for real conversations.
Free · No credit card · Same account on web and mobile
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má
sắc · mother's cheek
Starts mid and rises sharply to a high pitch.
Built for the hard parts of Vietnamese
Review that sticks
Spaced repetition brings each word back right before you forget it.
Five-minute lessons
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Answers to common questions
See all- How many tones does Vietnamese have?Vietnamese has six tones: ngang (level), huyền (falling), sắc (rising), hỏi (dipping), ngã (broken rising) and nặng (heavy, cut short). The tone is marked on the main vowel of each syllable and changes the meaning completely — ma, mà, má, mả, mã and mạ are six different words.
- How many letters are in the Vietnamese alphabet?The Vietnamese alphabet (chữ Quốc ngữ) has 29 letters. It uses the Latin script without f, j, w and z, and adds seven letters of its own: ă, â, đ, ê, ô, ơ and ư. On top of the letters, five tone marks show how each syllable is pitched.
- How do you count to ten in Vietnamese?One to ten in Vietnamese is một, hai, ba, bốn, năm, sáu, bảy, tám, chín, mười. Bigger numbers are built logically: 20 is hai mươi ("two tens"), 100 is một trăm and 1,000 is một nghìn (một ngàn in the south). A few sound changes — mốt, lăm, tư — are the only irregular parts.
- What are classifiers in Vietnamese?A classifier is a small word placed between a number (or "this/that") and a noun: hai con mèo (two cats), một cái bàn (one table). Vietnamese cannot go straight from a number to a noun. Con is used for animals, cái for most objects, and a few others for specific shapes.
- How do you say hello in Vietnamese?The standard way to say hello in Vietnamese is "xin chào". In everyday speech people say "chào" plus a pronoun that fits the listener's age and gender: chào anh (to an older man), chào chị (to an older woman), chào em (to someone younger) or chào bạn (to a friend your age).
- How do you type Vietnamese accents on a keyboard?Most people type Vietnamese with the Telex input method, built into Windows, macOS, iOS and Android. Double or combine letters for the special vowels (aa → â, aw → ă, dd → đ, ow → ơ, uw → ư) and add s, f, r, x or j after a word for the tone: "vieetj" becomes "việt".
Frequently asked questions
Is Chào free?
Yes. The alphabet, tones and the lessons of the course are free to learn on the web and in the app.
Who is Chào for?
Chào is built for English and Chinese speakers learning Vietnamese from zero — travellers, people with Vietnamese family or partners, and anyone moving to Vietnam.
Does Chào teach the northern or southern accent?
Recordings and lessons use the standard northern (Hanoi) pronunciation, which keeps all six tones distinct. Guides point out where the southern accent differs.
Can I learn on the website and on my phone?
Yes. Your account, streak, gems and progress are the same on the website and in the iOS and Android apps.
How much time do I need each day?
Lessons take about five minutes. You choose a daily goal (5 to 30 minutes) when you start, and the app suggests a weekly plan from it.
Practise it out loud with Chào
Five-minute lessons, audio for every word, speaking practice and smart review — on the web and on your phone.