Basic Vietnamese greetings and polite phrases
Updated · By the Chào team
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).
Essential phrases
| English | Vietnamese |
|---|---|
| Hello | Xin chào |
| Thank you | Cảm ơn (cám ơn) |
| Thank you very much | Cảm ơn nhiều |
| Sorry / Excuse me | Xin lỗi |
| Yes / No | Vâng (dạ) / Không |
| Goodbye | Tạm biệt |
| See you again | Hẹn gặp lại |
| How are you? | Bạn có khỏe không? |
Choosing the right pronoun
Vietnamese has no neutral "you". You pick a family word based on age and relationship:
- anh — a man a bit older than you
- chị — a woman a bit older than you
- em — someone younger than you
- bạn — a friend or peer; also the safe choice for strangers online
- ông / bà — an elderly man / woman
Adding ạ at the end of a sentence makes it more polite when speaking to someone older: Cảm ơn chị ạ.
Frequently asked questions
Do Vietnamese people say "xin chào" every day?
Xin chào is correct but a little formal. With people you know, "chào" + pronoun (chào anh, chào em) is more natural.