You have started learning Vietnamese. You can say a few words and read simple signs — but then you try to message a Vietnamese friend and get stuck. How do you make “a” become “á”, “à”, or “ạ” on a normal keyboard?
For most people in Vietnam, the answer is Telex — the most popular way to type Vietnamese. It works on any normal Latin keyboard, the same QWERTY keyboard you already own: no special keys, no stickers. You type plain letters, add a few extra keys for tone marks and special vowels, and your device turns them into correct Vietnamese as you type.
This guide covers the five tone keys, the vowel-shape keys, where the tone mark goes, and the mistakes almost every beginner makes. When you are ready to practise, try our free Telex lessons — no sign-up, and your progress saves in your browser.
What is Telex?
Vietnamese uses the Latin alphabet, but adds many extra marks: special vowel shapes — â, ă, ê, ô, ơ, ư — the letter đ, and, on almost every syllable, one of six tones shown by a small mark: á, à, ả, ã, ạ.
A normal keyboard has no keys for all of these. Telex solves the problem simply:
- You type the base letters of the word.
- You press one extra letter key to add a tone mark. For example, s adds the rising tone.
- You use a short letter combination to change a vowel shape. For example, aa makes â.
- The computer or phone converts your keystrokes into the finished word right away, while you type.
Type chaof and you see chào. Type Vieetj Nam and you see Việt Nam. It feels strange for the first hour, then quickly becomes natural. Telex is built into Windows, macOS, iPhone, and Android, so learn it once and you can type Vietnamese almost anywhere.
How to turn on Telex
On most modern devices you do not need to install anything. You only add the Vietnamese keyboard in your settings and make sure the layout is Telex.
On Windows
Windows includes a built-in Vietnamese keyboard, and its standard layout is Telex. In your language settings, add Vietnamese and install its keyboard, then switch languages with the taskbar language switcher (or Windows key + Space bar). If a screen offers a layout choice, choose Telex.
On macOS
Macs include Vietnamese input sources, including a Telex one. In your keyboard settings, add a Vietnamese input source and choose the Telex option, then switch languages from the input menu at the top of the screen.
On iPhone and Android
In your keyboard settings, add a Vietnamese keyboard and, where the phone offers a layout choice, pick Telex. Then change keyboards with the globe key or the language key on the space bar. Third-party keyboard apps with Telex exist too, but the built-in option is enough to start.
One friendly tip: if your device lets you, turn off English auto-correct for the Vietnamese keyboard. Auto-correct does not understand Telex and will “fix” your Vietnamese words into English ones.
The 5 tone keys
Vietnamese has six tones, but only five have a written mark — and in Telex, each mark is one letter key. The sixth, the level tone, has no mark and needs no key. These five keys are the most important thing in this guide.
| Key | Tone name | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| s | sắc (rising) | má | mother (or cheek) |
| f | huyền (falling) | mà | but / which |
| r | hỏi (asking) | mả | tomb, grave |
| x | ngã (tumbling) | mã | code, as in mã số (code number) |
| j | nặng (heavy) | mạ | rice seedling |
Learn them as one small family: type mas, maf, mar, max, maj and watch the mark change — má, mà, mả, mã, mạ.
One more key saves you again and again: z removes the tone mark. Typed mas (má) but wanted plain ma? Press z right after, and the mark disappears.
The vowel-shape keys
Tones are only half the job. Vietnamese also has vowel letters English does not: â, ă, ê, ô, ơ, ư, plus the consonant đ. In Telex you make them by doubling a letter or by adding w.
| You type | You get | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| aa | â | tâm (taam) | heart, mind |
| aw | ă | ăn (awn) | to eat |
| ee | ê | đêm (ddeem) | night |
| oo | ô | hôm (hoom) | day, as in hôm nay — today |
| ow | ơ | cơm (cowm) | cooked rice, a meal |
| uw | ư | mưa (muwa) | rain |
| w alone | ư | đưa (ddwa) | to hand over, to give |
| dd | đ | đi (ddi) | to go |
A helpful picture: doubling a vowel gives it a “hat” — aa → â, ee → ê, oo → ô. The key w adds a horn or hook — a → ă, o → ơ, u → ư. And dd makes đ, a different letter from plain d, not a decoration.
Note that w can also stand alone: after some consonants, one w makes ư directly, as in đưa above.
Where does the tone mark go?
Beginners often ask: “My word has two or three vowels — which one gets the mark?” For everyday typing you only need a simple version of the rules:
- One vowel: the mark goes on that vowel — má, cơm, tâm.
- A shaped vowel (â, ă, ê, ô, ơ, ư) is usually the main vowel, so the mark goes on it — tiếng (sound, language; mark on ê), được (can, to get; mark on ơ), cười (to laugh; mark on ơ), muỗi (mosquito; mark on ô).
- Two or three vowels together: the mark goes on the main vowel of the group — on the ê in chiều (afternoon), on the o in khỏe (healthy, strong). You do not need to memorise every case: in Telex you just press the tone key, and the software places the mark on the right vowel for you.
The good news: with Telex you rarely need to think about placement. Press the tone key at the end of the syllable and the software puts the mark on the correct vowel: tieengs → tiếng, dduowcj → được. Learn the rules slowly by reading; let the keyboard do the placing.
Worked examples: type along with us
Reading about Telex helps a little; typing helps a lot. Switch on your Vietnamese keyboard and try these:
- xin chào (hello) — type xin chaof. The final f adds the falling tone: chào.
- cảm ơn (thank you) — type camr own. The r makes cảm, and ow makes the ơ in ơn.
- Việt Nam — type Vieetj Nam. The ee makes ê, and j puts the heavy tone under it: ệ.
- tiếng Việt (the Vietnamese language) — type tieengs Vieetj.
- cơm (cooked rice) — type cowm. One w, done.
- Hôm nay trời đẹp. (The weather is nice today.) — type Hoom nay trowif ddepj. Here you use oo for ô, ow for ơ, dd for đ, and two tone keys, f and j.
If some came out wrong, that is completely normal. Check which key was missing, try again, and move on. Telex is a motor skill — your fingers learn it by doing.
Common beginner mistakes
1. Forgetting the tone key
In Vietnamese, the tone is part of the word. ma and má are not one word with decoration — they are different words: a ghost, and a mother. Skip the tone key and a Vietnamese reader sees the wrong word. Always finish the syllable with its tone key.
2. Typing with English auto-correct on
Auto-correct sees “chaof” and tries to make an English word from it. If your Vietnamese keeps turning into strange English, check this setting first — it is the most common technical problem beginners meet.
3. Putting w in the wrong place
The key w belongs right after the vowel it changes: aw → ă, ow → ơ, uw → ư. A frequent mistake is typing the whole word first and adding w at the end. In cơm, the w comes before the final m: cowm.
4. Mixing Telex and VNI
Vietnam has a second common input method, VNI, which uses numbers instead of letters for the marks. The two do not mix: start a word with Telex keys and finish with VNI numbers and you get a mess. Choose one system — we recommend Telex — and stay with it.
How to practise
Telex is not hard, but it is physical: your fingers need many small, correct repetitions, so short daily practice beats one long weekend session.
- Start with plain syllables — simple words without tones, so your hands learn the flow of Vietnamese syllables.
- Add one tone at a time. Practise the rising tone (s) until it feels easy, then the falling tone (f), and so on.
- Drill your weak keys. Everyone has one or two keys they always miss — often j, or the ow shape. Extra work on weak spots beats repeating what you already do well.
- Test yourself. A short speed test shows your words per minute (WPM) and accuracy, and gives you a score to beat tomorrow.
- Type real messages. As soon as you can, write your real chats in Vietnamese with Telex. Real life is the best teacher.
Our typing trainer follows this exact path: eight short lessons adding one tone or shape at a time, adaptive practice focused on the keys you miss, and a 15, 30, or 60-second WPM speed test. It is free, needs no account, and remembers your progress in your browser. For a quick text you just need to type and copy, the free converter tool on our homepage is always there.
Frequently asked questions
Is Telex hard to learn?
No. There are only five tone keys, a handful of vowel-shape combinations, and one eraser key (z) — most learners understand the whole system in one sitting. The real learning happens in your fingers, and with short daily practice, simple words soon feel comfortable.
What is the difference between Telex and VNI?
Both produce the same Vietnamese text; they differ only in the keys. Telex uses letters — s, f, r, x, j for tones, w and doubled letters for shapes. VNI uses the number keys 1–9 instead. Telex is more popular, especially on phones, and keeps your fingers on the letter keys. If a friend taught you VNI, that is fine too — just never mix the two in one word.
Can I type Telex on my phone?
Yes. iPhone and Android both let you add a Vietnamese keyboard, and Telex is the standard layout style for it. Switch to it with the globe key or language key, and everything in this guide works the same on the small keyboard.
Do I need Vietnamese keyboard stickers or a special keyboard?
No. Telex uses only the letters already on your keyboard. Stickers can help a little in the first days, but most learners never use them, because the tone keys are normal letters you can already find without looking.
How long does it take to learn Telex?
It depends how often you practise, but the pattern is friendly: the rules take minutes to understand, the first real words come in your first sessions, and steady short practice — even ten minutes a day — turns careful typing into natural typing over the following weeks. Start now with the free Telex lessons and let your fingers do the learning.