Vietnamese Greetings and Introductions

The first Vietnamese words most learners say are Xin chào — and then, on their first morning in Vietnam, they notice something odd: almost nobody around them says it. The coffee seller says Chào em. The receptionist says Chào anh. A child waves and says Chào bạn. The words change every time — and the difference is the whole point. Vietnamese greetings are a small system: once you see how it works, you can greet anyone and sound natural.

This guide walks through that system: the formal hello, the everyday hello, the pronouns inside every greeting, the small talk that follows, and how to introduce yourself and say goodbye. Every phrase comes with its Telex keystrokes, so you can practise typing as you learn — and if Telex is new, our complete Telex guide explains the keys.

Xin chào — the greeting everyone learns first

Xin chào (roughly “sin chow”, with a falling tone on chào) means “hello”, and it is the safest greeting you can use anywhere in Vietnam. Say it to a stranger, a driver or a shop assistant, and nobody will misunderstand you. It is polite, neutral and correct — which is why it is the first phrase in every textbook.

But it is also a little formal and distant, like “good day” instead of “hi”. People use it with strangers and in formal situations, not with people they know well — greet the same neighbour with Xin chào every morning and they will smile, and wonder why you never switch to the warmer version below. Note that Xin is a politeness word you will meet again in Xin lỗi (sorry / excuse me).

Chào + a pronoun: how Vietnamese people really say hello

The greeting you will hear most in Vietnam is Chào followed by a pronoun — the word for “you” that fits the person in front of you:

• Chào anh — to a man a little older than you
• Chào chị — to a woman a little older than you
• Chào em — to someone younger than you
• Chào bạn — to a friend or someone about your own age
• Chào cô — to a woman roughly your mother’s age
• Chào chú — to a man roughly your father’s age
• Chào bác — to an older person, roughly your grandparents’ age

That is the whole trick. Chào never changes; only the pronoun changes, and it tells the other person you have noticed who they are. A coffee seller who hears Chào chị instead of a flat Xin chào hears respect and warmth in two syllables — the fastest way to sound less like a textbook and more like a person who lives here.

In Telex, Chào is Chaof; the pronouns type as anh, chij, em, banj, coo, chus, basc — in the same order as the list above.

The pronoun system in one minute

Vietnamese has no single word for “you”. Instead, it has family words — older brother (anh), older sister (chị), younger sibling (em), friend (bạn), aunt (cô), uncle (chú), older uncle or aunt (bác) — and you pick the one that fits the other person’s apparent age relative to yours. The same words work for “I”: talking to someone you call anh, you usually call yourself em.

The rule of thumb: guess the person’s age, then pick the word that fits. About your age — bạn. A bit older — anh or chị. Much older — cô, chú or bác. Younger — em. When unsure, aim one step more respectful: calling a 35-year-old chị when she is 32 costs nothing, while calling her em at 45 can sting.

Here is the good news: getting the pronoun wrong is completely forgivable for a learner. Vietnamese people know this system is hard for foreigners, and they are far more pleased that you tried than annoyed that you missed. A wrong anh or chị usually earns a laugh and a friendly correction, not offence — so guess, say it with a smile, and let people correct you.

“How are you?” — and the answers you will actually hear

Right after hello comes the question every learner wants: Bạn khỏe không? — “Are you well?” Literally “you healthy not?”, it works in almost any situation. The Telex is Banj khore khoong. Say it slowly: khỏe carries the rising-and-falling hỏi tone — our guide to the six Vietnamese tones explains how it sounds and why it matters.

You only need three replies:

• Tôi khỏe, cảm ơn. — I’m well, thank you. Telex: Tooi khore, camr own
• Cũng bình thường. — So-so, nothing special. Telex: Cuxng bifnh thuwowfng
• Khỏe. — Fine. (One word, with a smile, is a complete answer.) Telex: Khore

Nobody answers with a long story about their health. Bạn khỏe không? is a greeting, not a medical interview — answer in one line and ask it back: “Chào anh! Bạn khỏe không?” — “Tôi khỏe, cảm ơn. Còn bạn?“

Introducing yourself

A Vietnamese self-introduction has three building blocks:

• Tôi tên là … — My name is … Telex: Tooi teen laf …
• Tôi đến từ … — I come from … Telex: Tooi ddeesn tuwf …
• Rất vui được gặp bạn. — Very nice to meet you. Telex: Raats vui dduwowcj gawpj banj

So a first meeting might sound like this: “Chào chị! Tôi tên là Anna. Tôi đến từ Đức. Rất vui được gặp chị.” (Hello! My name is Anna. I come from Germany. Very nice to meet you.) Notice the last sentence switches bạn to chị — the pronoun follows the person you are talking to, not a fixed script.

The question that unlocks the other person’s introduction is Bạn tên là gì? — “What is your name?” Telex: Banj teen laf gif. Memorise it whole: it turns a one-sided introduction into a conversation. Ask it, listen, and repeat their name back with Chào and the right pronoun — “Chào anh Minh!“

Thank you, sorry, please

Three small words carry most of the politeness in Vietnamese daily life:

• Cảm ơn — thank you. Telex: Camr own. Add nhiều (“very much”): Cảm ơn nhiều. — Camr own nhieefu. Or add their pronoun: Cảm ơn bạn. — Camr own banj.
• Không có gì — you’re welcome (literally “nothing at all”). Telex: Khoong cos gif. The standard reply whenever someone thanks you.
• Xin lỗi — sorry, and also excuse me. Telex: Xin looxi. Use it to apologise, to pass someone in a crowd, or to get a stranger’s attention.
• Làm ơn — please. Telex: Lafm own. It softens a request: Làm ơn, cho tôi một ly cà phê. (“Please, one coffee for me.”) — Lafm own, cho tooi mootj ly caf phee. Vietnamese uses it less than English uses “please”; a friendly tone and a Cảm ơn often do the same job.

Saying goodbye

Goodbyes in Vietnamese are as simple as the greetings:

• Tạm biệt — goodbye. Telex: Tajm bieetj. Neutral and correct anywhere.
• Hẹn gặp lại — see you again. Telex: Hejn gawpj laij. The warmest everyday goodbye — use it when you genuinely expect to meet the person again.
• Chào nhé — bye, informally (Chào does double duty for hello and goodbye). Telex: Chaof nhes. Save this for friends; too casual for a formal meeting.

A typical farewell strings two together: “Tạm biệt, hẹn gặp lại!” Like the greetings, goodbyes are short, warm and pronoun-aware.

Smiles, nods and handshakes

Words are only half of a greeting. A smile is the default accessory — people smile when they say hello, when they thank you, and often when they are a little embarrassed or unsure what to say. A smile back at you almost always means “hello, and well done for trying”, not “that was funny”. Smile back.

A small nod goes with the greeting, especially to older people. You do not need to bow — a deep bow would look out of place, and nobody expects it from a foreigner. A slight nod, ideally with a smile, is exactly right. Handshakes are common in business and formal introductions, usually light, and often offered by the older or more senior person first. With friends, a wave or a nod is enough.

A 10-phrase typing drill

Type each phrase in Telex, then read it out loud. If the words on screen match the page, your letters and tones are both right — and you have practised the ten phrases you will use most in your first week.

1. Xin chào — hello. Type: Xin chaof
2. Chào anh — hello (to an older man). Type: Chaof anh
3. Bạn khỏe không? — how are you? Type: Banj khore khoong
4. Tôi khỏe, cảm ơn. — I’m well, thank you. Type: Tooi khore, camr own
5. Tôi tên là Anna. — my name is Anna. Type: Tooi teen laf Anna
6. Bạn tên là gì? — what is your name? Type: Banj teen laf gif
7. Rất vui được gặp bạn. — very nice to meet you. Type: Raats vui dduwowcj gawpj banj
8. Cảm ơn nhiều. — thank you very much. Type: Camr own nhieefu
9. Tạm biệt — goodbye. Type: Tajm bieetj
10. Hẹn gặp lại. — see you again. Type: Hejn gawpj laij

When these ten feel easy, try our list of 30 essential Vietnamese phrases — same format, more daily life.

Key takeaways

Frequently asked questions

Is Xin chào enough, or do I have to learn the pronouns?

Xin chào is enough to be understood and polite, and it will carry you through your first days. But learning Chào anh, Chào chị and Chào bạn is the single biggest upgrade you can make — it takes an afternoon and changes how people react to you from the first word.

What happens if I use the wrong pronoun?

Almost nothing. Vietnamese people expect learners to get pronouns wrong and usually respond with a smile and a gentle correction. The only mild risk is calling someone much older em or bạn, which can sound dismissive — when in doubt, pick the more respectful word.

How do I say “nice to meet you” in Vietnamese?

Rất vui được gặp bạn. — literally “very happy to have met you”. Swap bạn for the right pronoun: Rất vui được gặp anh, Rất vui được gặp chị. Telex: Raats vui dduwowcj gawpj banj.

How is Vietnamese goodbye different from hello?

Sometimes it is not different at all: Chào works for both, and Chào nhé is a casual goodbye. For a proper farewell, use Tạm biệt (neutral) or Hẹn gặp lại (“see you again”) when you expect to meet again.

Ready to make these phrases automatic? Open our free typing trainer and type the ten-phrase drill until the keystrokes come without thinking — then take the Vietnamese typing speed test and see how fast your greetings have become.