Is Vietnamese language tough to master?

IMO, Tieng Viet is somewhat similar to Cantonese, not all though.

Some Cantonese words are of similar pronunciation as Tieng Viet, like ho chieu (Passport), chinh phu (Government) bao hiem (Insurance), etc. The lists goes on......

Wow, Lee, you amazed me

I'm also a cantonese, so it should be added advantage.

I am getting want translation dictionary soon, hopefully this weekend.

Thanks.

henrylamcs wrote:

Wow, Lee, you amazed me

I'm also a cantonese, so it should be added advantage.

I am getting want translation dictionary soon, hopefully this weekend.

Thanks.

Im still an amateur in Tieng Viet.

Im Cantonese too. Interact more with Vietnamese & you'll learn Tieng Viet in no time, just like me learning Hokkien during NS. I picked that dialect during NS. I know nuts about it before that...

I think, vietnamese grammar is simple.
Pronunciation surprises foreigners just at the beginning (it doesn't matter for native American, Chinese, Thai, Russian, Dutch...after 1 month, it would be ok but it does for Japanese, Indian, Filipino)
Speaking Vietnamese is easy, but listening is rather tough.

Ha_vietnamese wrote:

I think, vietnamese grammar is simple.
Pronunciation surprises foreigners just at the beginning (it doesn't matter for native American, Chinese, Thai, Russian, Dutch...after 1 month, it would be ok but it does for Japanese, Indian, Filipino)
Speaking Vietnamese is easy, but listening is rather tough.

I beg to differ man. I cant understand a word unless I listen properly.....

wow, it's nice to hear that you guys are interested in Vietnamese. I'm a 100% Vietnamese. I am willing to help if you want to learn Vietnamese. I'm studying linguistics at the moment in Sydney but I will be back to HCMC soon.

girl_like_me wrote:

wow, it's nice to hear that you guys are interested in Vietnamese. I'm a 100% Vietnamese. I am willing to help if you want to learn Vietnamese. I'm studying linguistics at the moment in Sydney but I will be back to HCMC soon.

Actually what do you learn in linguistics? I only know its the scientific study of human language.

ah, how do I say? Haha, let me list the units I have done so far. Phonetics and phonolgy. Grammar, meaning and discourse. Language and culture in contact. Language for specific purpose. Pragmatics. Language and cognition. Second language acquisition.

girl_like_me wrote:

ah, how do I say? Haha, let me list the units I have done so far. Phonetics and phonolgy. Grammar, meaning and discourse. Language and culture in contact. Language for specific purpose. Pragmatics. Language and cognition. Second language acquisition.

To be honest with you, Its very profound. I think I will fail it.....

where are you now? In Singapore or HCM city?

girl_like_me wrote:

where are you now? In Singapore or HCM city?

Im in Singapore, dropping by HCMC next month....

I think I am going to enrol in learning Vietnamese language. It should be interesting It's like a kid learning ABC...........

henrylamcs wrote:

I think I am going to enrol in learning Vietnamese language. It should be interesting It's like a kid learning ABC...........

Hope you can speak well after the course........

henrylamcs wrote:

I think I am going to enrol in learning Vietnamese language. It should be interesting It's like a kid learning ABC...........

Where you going to enrol ?

laidbackfreak wrote:

henrylamcs wrote:

I think I am going to enrol in learning Vietnamese language. It should be interesting It's like a kid learning ABC...........

Where you going to enrol ?

I am getting some assistance from the locals in locating such classes. Worst come to worst, I will attend the nursery class for children

lostsouls wrote:

henrylamcs wrote:

I think I am going to enrol in learning Vietnamese language. It should be interesting It's like a kid learning ABC...........

Hope you can speak well after the course........

That will definitely take a "while" for sure..............

henrylamcs wrote:

laidbackfreak wrote:

henrylamcs wrote:

I am getting some assistance from the locals in locating such classes. Worst come to worst, I will attend the nursery class for children

It's a fefect choice for you, Henry. Because word coupling has a basic meaning in grammar vietnamese. And the class for kid is professional about it. The teachers who teaching kids to learn vietnamese, they know the most fastest the ways to teaching vietnamese for you. If you can be proficiency to word coupling, it's prove that you can understand so good near 1/2 vietnamese. Remember, attention to alphabet of vietnamese. You still can speaking by E if you can not remember so good alphabet, but if you can not remember so good vietnamese alphabet, you will never understand vietnamese.
Don't be shy, Let's confidence to go.

henrylamcs wrote:

That will definitely take a "while" for sure..............

If you have interest, you will pick it up in no time, bro.......

thorny_rose wrote:

henrylamcs wrote:

laidbackfreak wrote:

I am getting some assistance from the locals in locating such classes. Worst come to worst, I will attend the nursery class for children

It's a fefect choice for you, Henry. Because word coupling has a basic meaning in grammar vietnamese. And the class for kid is professional about it. The teachers who teaching kids to learn vietnamese, they know the most fastest the ways to teaching vietnamese for you. If you can be proficiency to word coupling, it's prove that you can understand so good near 1/2 vietnamese. Remember, attention to alphabet of vietnamese. You still can speaking by E if you can not remember so good alphabet, but if you can not remember so good vietnamese alphabet, you will never understand vietnamese.
Don't be shy, Let's confidence to go.

Hi Rose, you are getting me excited now

lostsouls wrote:

henrylamcs wrote:

That will definitely take a "while" for sure..............

If you have interest, you will pick it up in no time, bro.......

Not so much of an interest, rather, I have time to spare in the evening. And hopefully, such classses do conduct in the evening.

henrylamcs wrote:

lostsouls wrote:

henrylamcs wrote:

That will definitely take a "while" for sure..............

If you have interest, you will pick it up in no time, bro.......

Not so much of an interest, rather, I have time to spare in the evening. And hopefully, such classses do conduct in the evening.

Actually you can pick it up during work or gathering with friends, etc.

Last time in NS, I know nuts about Hokkien. After my BMT, I can speak. I think the more you associate with Vietnamese, the easier to pick up, rather than stressing yourself to go courses when its more difficult.

I have a Scottish Chinese friend living there for over a year. He never attend any courses & he can speak fluently now when I met him few months back.

No harm going to courses to as you can learn to write Tieng Viet.

henrylamcs wrote:

laidbackfreak wrote:

henrylamcs wrote:

I think I am going to enrol in learning Vietnamese language. It should be interesting It's like a kid learning ABC...........

Where you going to enrol ?

I am getting some assistance from the locals in locating such classes. Worst come to worst, I will attend the nursery class for children

let me know what you find out, it's something I will be undertaking soon I hope.

laidbackfreak wrote:

henrylamcs wrote:

laidbackfreak wrote:

Where you going to enrol ?

I am getting some assistance from the locals in locating such classes. Worst come to worst, I will attend the nursery class for children

let me know what you find out, it's something I will be undertaking soon I hope.

Will do that. I need company too..............

lostsouls wrote:

henrylamcs wrote:

lostsouls wrote:

Last time in NS, I know nuts about Hokkien. After my BMT, I can speak. I think the more you associate with Vietnamese, the easier to pick up, rather than stressing yourself to go courses when its more difficult.
I have a Scottish Chinese friend living there for over a year. He never attend any courses & he can speak fluently now when I met him few months back.

Vietnamese is not like that, mate. So many foreign say that vietnamese is more difficult to learn than many others language. It's because knowledge very widely and deeply. If you have just learned in book or from your friends and don't understand about grammar of it, you will can not speak and not understand anypeople speak. It has not yet been mention to pronunced dialects of every province. They are full diffirent. Vietnamese like us, sometimes difficult or can not understand, too. Diffcult to  understand everypeone speak if they used to own language of their province, with out when they write.
@henrry: Trying up, Vietnamese is better for your work in Vietnam

thorny_rose wrote:

Vietnamese is not like that, mate. So many foreign say that vietnamese is more difficult to learn than many others language. It's because knowledge very widely and deeply. If you have just learned in book or from your friends and don't understand about grammar of it, you will can not speak and not understand anypeople speak. It has not yet been mention to pronunced dialects of every province. They are full diffirent. Vietnamese like us, sometimes difficult or can not understand, too. Diffcult to  understand everypeone speak if they used to own language of their province, with out when they write.
@henrry: Trying up, Vietnamese is better for your work in Vietnam

Maybe you're right, but my Scottish Chinese friend learn it this way, by interacting with Vietnamese. He speaks fluent now.

Guess when you're in a unknown land, you gotta change yourself to  suit the environment

lostsouls wrote:

thorny_rose wrote:

Maybe you're right, but my Scottish Chinese friend learn it this way, by interacting with Vietnamese. He speaks fluent now.
Guess when you're in a unknown land, you gotta change yourself to  suit the environment

It's depend on the way his friends guide him or maybe, him is a lucky man

thorny_rose wrote:

lostsouls wrote:

thorny_rose wrote:

Maybe you're right, but my Scottish Chinese friend learn it this way, by interacting with Vietnamese. He speaks fluent now.
Guess when you're in a unknown land, you gotta change yourself to  suit the environment

It's depend on the way his friends guide him or maybe, him is a lucky man

Maybe. Hes got a beautiful Vietnamese wife. So maybe she helped him in coaching Tieng Viet....

I'm interested too. I am learning Korean at the moment so I understand the difficulty of learning a second language in adulthood. I can help you Henry, with practicing Vietnamese if you like. My skype ID is mandynguyen0310

Hi Lee, I can pick up basic Vietnamese language fast, such as saying hi, greetings, asking direction, chatting with gals, etc.  And I used to do that few years back (not at this moment now)when I was frequently traveling to Thailand. However, I can only pick up those lessons from visiting Karaoke (business entertainment) , but when you are in an office environment, it is difficult to keep learning during the progress. I always feel that during a negotiation, if you used your native language, you will always be on the winning side. Also, I want the Vietnam staffs to learn to converse with English language, I want to make sure my stay in Vietnam can be of help to them as well.  To be frank, only about 1/3 of the office staffs can speak English, and as an American company, they should be able to communicate with the rest of the world. They will gain from it even if they leave the company and work for othe company.

Hi Rose, I have just shortlisted one school, along district 1. I will be checking out the place next week. Class starts from beginning of April. Basic course takes 3 months to complete, 3 evenings per week.  It teaches student to write, read and communicate

Hi Mandy, thanks for your helping hands in advance. I shall keep you update on my progress, as for now, I need to capture the fundamental of your local language

henrylamcs wrote:

Hi Lee, I can pick up basic Vietnamese language fast, such as saying hi, greetings, asking direction, chatting with gals, etc.  And I used to do that few years back (not at this moment now)when I was frequently traveling to Thailand. However, I can only pick up those lessons from visiting Karaoke (business entertainment) , but when you are in an office environment, it is difficult to keep learning during the progress. I always feel that during a negotiation, if you used your native language, you will always be on the winning side. Also, I want the Vietnam staffs to learn to converse with English language, I want to make sure my stay in Vietnam can be of help to them as well.  To be frank, only about 1/3 of the office staffs can speak English, and as an American company, they should be able to communicate with the rest of the world. They will gain from it even if they leave the company and work for othe company.

Bro, dont bluff la, business entertainment........

That sounds so interesting. I will come back to HCMC in June so we can meet over coffee and you can practice with me as well. I remember like 10 years ago, I tried to talk in English to any foreigner who I met on the streets. I think that's the way of learning English. However, my English only progressed after I studied in my university. anw, I will be back to HCMC. Look forward to that day.

henrylamcs wrote:

Hi Rose, I have just shortlisted one school, along district 1. I will be checking out the place next week. Class starts from beginning of April. Basic course takes 3 months to complete, 3 evenings per week.  It teaches student to write, read and communicate

happy for you, Henrry. It's very good. You will be exposure with the basic in first time. Like: alphabet of Vietnamese. There are 2 kinds. 1- is like E alphabet, A B C... ( with out Z and J ) Vietnamese is no it. . 2- A Ă Â, O Ô Ơ, E Ê ... and ` ' ? ~ . This kind is very important. It's decision for rule engrafts word and structure words in the Vietnamese.
Example: "Cá" read that: cờ(C) a(a) ca(ca) sắc(') cá (full) Cá is fish if it's alone or + "con"  front of. But if has a " độ " behind, it's become 'betting' when you learn proficiency this way, you can read all words in vietnamese like on book, on advertising slogan; or anything you see on the street by yourself and don't need have to make a queston for anyone. (maybe, you don't understand the mean of it)
@Lostsoul: all point of the problem is from his wife

thorny_rose wrote:

happy for you, Henrry. It's very good. You will be exposure with the basic in first time. Like: alphabet of Vietnamese. There are 2 kinds. 1- is like E alphabet, A B C... ( with out Z and J ) Vietnamese is no it. . 2- A Ă Â, O Ô Ơ, E Ê ... and ` ' ? ~ . This kind is very important. It's decision for rule engrafts word and structure words in the Vietnamese.
Example: "Cá" read that: cờ(C) a(a) ca(ca) sắc(') cá (full) Cá is fish if it's alone or + "con"  front of. But if has a " độ " behind, it's become 'betting' when you learn proficiency this way, you can read all words in vietnamese like on book, on advertising slogan; or anything you see on the street by yourself and don't need have to make a queston for anyone. (maybe, you don't understand the mean of it)
@Lostsoul: all point of the problem is from his wife

Damn! I dont understand. So difficult.....

lostsouls wrote:

thorny_rose wrote:

alphabet, A B C... ( with out Z and J ) Vietnamese is no it. . 2- A Ă Â, O Ô Ơ, E Ê ... and ` ' ? ~ . This kind is very important. It's decision for rule engrafts word and structure words in the Vietnamese.
Example: "Cá" read that: cờ(C) a(a) ca(ca) sắc(') cá (full) Cá is fish if it's alone or + "con"  front of. But if has a " độ " behind, it's become 'betting'
@Lostsoul: all point of the problem is from his wife

Damn! I dont understand. So difficult.....

You can not understand, it's right. Because, you are just understand it when you learn it in a sametime with direct pronunciation. :)and when you learn good about vietnamese alphabet and expertise pronunciation ways of it, special is the two alphabet.

thorny_rose wrote:

You can not understand, it's right. Because, you are just understand it when you learn it in a sametime with direct pronunciation. :)and when you learn good about vietnamese alphabet and expertise pronunciation ways of it, special is the two alphabet.

Too much syntax & pronunciation for 1 alphabet. Sometimes a word may pronounce the same, but have different meanings...

Dau dau leh..........

lostsouls wrote:

thorny_rose wrote:

Too much syntax & pronunciation for 1 alphabet. Sometimes a word may pronounce the same, but have different meanings...
Dau dau leh..........

Yes, it's dau dau Vietnamese's orignation is from chinese characters and french characters. It's mixed and + more creative from style nature of the Vietnamese people over time. They become now vietnamese. when you are expertise Vietnamese alphabet and pronunciation ways of it, you will be easier and simplier to learn.

Hi Rose, I have not started and you are already giving me free lessons.... How nice of you.  Rose, you really understand me so much about the problem with wife

Hi Lee, I traveled quite a bit, and all trips are sponsored by company, so it should be regarded as "business entertainment".

thorny_rose wrote:

Yes, it's dau dau Vietnamese's orignation is from chinese characters and french characters. It's mixed and + more creative from style nature of the Vietnamese people over time. They become now vietnamese. when you are expertise Vietnamese alphabet and pronunciation ways of it, you will be easier and simplier to learn.

I will try to watch some youtube video lessons on Tieng Viet......

henrylamcs wrote:

Hi Lee, I traveled quite a bit, and all trips are sponsored by company, so it should be regarded as "business entertainment".

Fair enough.....

youtube video )) I tried but they didn't sound Vietnamese to me

@Rose : Are you threatening them, lol (just kidding).
Teaching Vietnamese requires skill. Though we know the language, we can't teach it that way. You must understand what the foreigner has as their basic and stuff. Last semester i studied about Second language acquisition and did an interview with Joe, the Canadian guy who speaks Vietnamese perfectly, i found out a lots of new things.