Rosetta Stone logo
    • Rosetta Stone logo

    Learn Vietnamese with Rosetta Stone

    See current deals

    Have you ever dreamed of learning Vietnamese? You’re not alone. Spoken by more than 90 million people worldwide, Vietnamese is the national language of Vietnam and an important bridge to one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing regions. It offers rich cultural traditions, a unique tonal system, and direct access to Vietnamese history, cuisine, and daily life.

    Still, getting started can feel overwhelming. But here’s the good news: learning Vietnamese is a deeply rewarding experience. With the right approach, you’ll soon see real progress.

    Why learn Vietnamese?

    Mastering a second language brings countless benefits, and Vietnamese is both practical and culturally enriching. Whether your goal is personal growth, career development, or travel, Vietnamese can open new doors.

    Top reasons to learn Vietnamese

    • Career opportunities: Vietnam’s economy is rapidly growing, with increasing international trade and business.
    • Sharpen your mind: Learning a tonal language develops listening precision and cognitive flexibility.
    • Cultural immersion: Enjoy Vietnamese literature, music, and film in the original language.
    • Enhance your travels: Explore Vietnam with confidence — from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to small towns and villages.
    • Family and friends: Connect deeply with Vietnamese-speaking relatives and communities.
    • Global community: Vietnamese is spoken by large diaspora communities across the U.S., Europe, and Australia.

    Vietnamese language basics

    Where is Vietnamese spoken?

    Vietnamese is the official language of Vietnam, and it’s also spoken by millions abroad. It belongs to the Austroasiatic language family but has been heavily influenced by Chinese and French.

    How long does it take to learn Vietnamese?

    Consistency matters most. With just 15 minutes a day, you can begin basic conversations in weeks. Fluency takes time, but Rosetta Stone helps you start speaking early and naturally.

    A traveler speaking Vietnamese with a street vendor at a bustling market in Hanoi’s Old Quarter.

    Vietnamese proficiency: from beginner to advanced

    Beginner

    Focus on pronunciation and essentials:

    • Greetings and introductions

    • Asking basic questions

    • Talking about people and things

    • Learning pronouns and classifiers (một cái bàn – one table)

    Intermediate

    Build on the basics:

    • Explore verb phrases (Vietnamese verbs do not conjugate for tense)

    • Expand vocabulary

    • Learn sentence particles for nuance

    Advanced

    Approach fluency by refining skills:

    • Master idiomatic expressions

    • Understand regional variations (Northern vs. Southern speech)

    • Study specialized vocabulary (business, technology, literature)

    Core Vietnamese skills

    Pronunciation tips

    Vietnamese uses the Latin alphabet with diacritics, but its tones make pronunciation distinct:

    • Six tones (Northern dialect):

    The same syllable can mean different things depending on tone. For example, ma can mean “ghost,” “mother,” “but,” or “rice seedling,” depending on tone.

    ma (ghost)má (mother)mạ (rice seedling)
    • Regional variation:

    Northern dialect (Hanoi) has 6 tones; Southern dialect (Ho Chi Minh City) merges some tones, resulting in 5.

    • Final consonants:

    Words often end in -m, -n, -ng, or -c, and these endings must be pronounced clearly.

    Two female friends walking through the mountains of northern Vietnam with a Vietnamese male tour guide.

    Vocabulary and origins

    Vietnamese vocabulary includes many Chinese loanwords and French influences (like cà phê from French café). English speakers will find some borrowed words familiar.

    Useful phrases

    Start with essentials like:

    • Xin chào (Hello)Xin chào
    • Bạn khỏe không? (How are you?)Bạn khỏe không?
    • Tạm biệt (Goodbye)Tạm biệt

    Vietnamese verbs

    Vietnamese verbs don’t conjugate. Instead, time is indicated by particles or context:

    • Tôi đi (I go)
    • Tôi đã đi (I went)
    • Tôi sẽ đi (I will go)

    Nouns and classifiers

    Vietnamese nouns don’t have gender or plural endings. Instead, classifiers show type and number:

    • một con chó (one dog)
    • hai cái ghế (two chairs)

    Regional variations

    • Northern Vietnamese (Hanoi): Considered the standard form; has six tones.
    • Southern Vietnamese (Ho Chi Minh City): Simplifies tones and has different vocabulary.
    • Central Vietnamese: Has its own unique sounds and words, less widely taught internationally.

    Best ways to learn Vietnamese

    • Online: Learn anytime, anywhere with Rosetta Stone online or mobile app. Sign up now!
    • Classroom learning: Great for structured and guided practice.
    • Private tutoring: Personalized feedback accelerates progress. Browse Vietnamese tutors on Wyzant.
    • Tandem partners: Practice with native speakers in a language exchange.
    • Immersion: Living in Vietnam provides the fastest learning path.

    Media and tools to support learning

    • Books: Start with bilingual readers or children’s stories.
    • Music & podcasts: Vietnamese pop and folk music help you tune your ear to tones.
    • TV & movies: Watch Vietnamese dramas or films with subtitles.

    Learn Vietnamese with Rosetta Stone

    Rosetta Stone’s language experts have designed a learning journey that balances structure with flexibility:

    Speak from lesson one

    Voice recognition and native audio help you start speaking immediately.

    Understand grammar clearly

    Simple, practical explanations guide you through unique features.

    Spaced repetition

    Built-in reviews help reinforce your learning.

    Cultural context

    Learn about Vietnamese food, traditions, and festivals alongside the language.

    A family sitting together at a riverside café in Ho Chi Minh City, speaking Vietnamese and laughing over coffee and pastries.

    Take the first step

    Rosetta Stone offers a free first lesson to help you get started. Whether you’re learning for travel, family, or cultural enrichment, Vietnamese is an excellent choice — and Rosetta Stone is here to support you every step of the way.

    Get started

    What’s included with your subscription

    Achieve fluency faster with Rosetta Stone’s expert-designed Dynamic Immersion courses.

    Perfect your accent with TruAccent speech recognition technology and sound like a native speaker.

    Access to Rosetta Stone on web or mobile—learn anytime, anywhere!

    What our customers are saying

    Customer photo for review of Rosetta Stone.

    I absolutely love the approach that Rosetta Stone utilizes. It feels like a natural and fun way to learn a new language. I also appreciate that I’m able to squeeze lessons in when I only have 10 minutes… and it’s a more productive and enjoyable activity than getting sucked into online scrolling just to distract myself. Why not learn a new language instead?

    - Turner
    Customer photo for review of Rosetta Stone.

    I have been using Rosetta Stone for over 30 years. By far, this is the best application for language learning. There are no language crutches, only immersion. You learn in a natural way and move forward quickly. Apps with games are fun, but you learn more slowly, and you are always “translating,” not immersing. Rosetta Stone makes language learning interesting and efficient.

    - Graham