Live and Learn Vietnamese

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You'll find all the resources you need to learn Vietnamese right here. Advice on which audio lessons to use, which language learning software really works, the best dictionaries to invest in and much much more...

However if there is something you would like to know but can’t seem to find it through us, please let us know - we will be happy to do some research and do our best to dig it up, and improve the site for you. The comment box is at the bottom of this page.

Language Synopsis

Belongs to the Austro-Asiatic family of languages and is the official language of Vietnam. The writing system in use today is an adapted form of the Latin alphabet.

There are 70-73 million native speakers worldwide with substantial pockets of natives in Cambodia, the USA, Canada, France and Australia. There are also many ethnic minorities within the country itself that speak Vietnamese as a second language.

Vietnamese Audio Lessons

Pimsleur Audio Lessons are without a doubt one of the best ways to quickly get into the language. Each of the 30 minute lessons implements a set of unique methods which maximise retention and teach excellent pronunciation. These methods are a result of years of research by the renound Dr Pimsleur.

The Pimsleur course serves as an excellent introduction to the language. You'll quickly become conversational by learning key phrases for every day usage. Pimsleur is also in a league of its own for helping you to both use and decipher the different tones. This is one of the greatest challenges in learning the language, yet is essential if you are to understand and be understood by others.

Where to buy: We've found that Pimsleur-Language are usually the cheapest providers of the Pimsleur courses. Visit their website by clicking on the banner below.

Internet freebies:

This site provides free audio lessons.

This site provides free FSI audio course downloads. The course is quite comprehensive and was used to train diplomats.

Vietnamese Language Learning Software

Rosetta Stone


Rosetta Stone Vietnamese Level 1

Rosetta Stone Language Courses are without a doubt one of the most comprehensive ways to learn Vietnamese.

The Rosetta Stone teaching methods are based on the idea that we learn langauges better if we learn them as we learnt our own tongue as children - by interacting with the world around us.

The course runs from beginner to advanced and is divided into 92 lessons (250 hours of teaching). At first the student by trial and error learns to match images with their corresponding Vietnamese words. Once these are learnt, again through trial and error and image-phrase matching he is taught how to use them with verbs, adverbs and prepostions.

This interactive and fun method is truly unique - there is nothing quite like it. All aspects of language learning are included and thoroughly covered: speaking, listening, reading and writing. A MUST HAVE for anybody seriously wanting to learn Vietnamese.

Click on the banner below to buy your own Rosetta software, or try a free demo.

English-Vietnamese Dictionaries

ECTACO Partner EV800 is a superb electronic dictionary and travel audio phrasebook. With over 1 million entries, state of the art English voice recognition and voice synthesis, it is the best electronic Vietnamese-English dictionary available.

Internet freebies:

Translate from English using the following free online dictionary:

	Language:	Vietnamese MultiLanguage	Direction: Into English From English
	Word:

This is also an excellent free online dictionary.

Exercise Books

Internet freebies:

The following website provides free educational information regarding the teachings of the Bible, with a page in the language and the same information on a page in English. A comparison of the texts can help contribute to your language acquisition.

Language Flashcards

Vietnamese in a Flashis an excellent new language learning resource for those who wish to learn the basics quickly and easily. This boxed set of flashcards aids in word recognition, vocabulary building, study and recall

Internet freebies:

Video & Media

Internet Freebies:

Learn Live Online

Internet freebies:

This online language exchange site allows you to develope your speaking skills by conversing with native speakers who want to practise their English. You can also practise reading and writing the language by writing and receiving e-mails.

This supplementary resource site has lessons on reading, listening, aswell as learning through songs and information on idioms.

Language Immersion

Surrounding yourself with words and sounds and music will be the very best way to learn the language, trust us. We are looking into courses abroad at the moment, and will soon be able to recommend one or two. Until then, feel free to do your best to immerse yourself where you live, using the following suggestions… for example, use a dictionary to print words like “table”, "door", "window", "kettle", "bed", "chair", "mirror" etc and stick them onto those items around the house. Over time these words will automatically become part of your vocabulary, without even trying to memorize them! You could also in time join some verbs, like eat, open/close, wash, boil, sleep, sit, look, etc so as to associate them with the objects. Try it!

Internet freebies:

Immerse yourself right away by...

~Listen to the radio a little each day and tune in your ears!

~Keeping up with the news each day!

~Using www.google.com/vn/ instead of Google in English will help familiarise you with the language.

~Listen to native music and look for the lyrics to your favorite songs!

Viet Culture Corner

Expressions and phrases:

This language learning site contains some useful basic expressions and a guide on how to pronounce the vowels and consonants of the language.

Cultural Quirks:

National Dishes and recipes:

Traditional Music:

History:

Help Others Live & Learn

Have you had the experience of learning Vietnamese? If so we'd love to hear what resources you used to learn this challenging language. Which resources did you find useful? Which weren't that great?

Please e-mail us your findings using he form below. Your shared language learning experiences will save other language learners' time, energy, and money. In fact, that is the the mission of Live & Learn Languages!