Skip to content Prices and bargaining
Shopping is one of the best reasons to learn Vietnamese. Markets are full of crafts and tailors are quick and cheap, and a few polite words make a seller friendlier and a bargain more likely. This chapter is part of the free phrasebook. Learn the numbers first so you can understand what you hear, and see our money guide for the notes and how to count them.
| English | Vietnamese | Say it like |
|---|---|---|
| Where is Ben Thanh Market? | Chợ Bến Thành ở đâu? | chuh ben tahn uh doe |
| Where can I buy sun cream? | Mua kem chống nắng ở đâu? | moo-uh kem chohng nahng uh doe |
| How much is it? | Bao nhiêu tiền? | bow nyew tee-en |
| How much is this one? | Cái này bao nhiêu? | kai nay bow nyew |
| It’s too expensive | Mắc quá | mack kwah |
| Can you reduce it a little? | Bớt chút được không? | but choot duhk khome |
| Do you have a cheaper one? | Có cái nào rẻ hơn không? | koh kai now reh hun khome |
| Can I pay by card? | Tôi có thể trả bằng thẻ không? | toy koh teh chah bahng teh khome |
| Can I pick it up later? | Tôi lấy sau được không? | toy lay sow duhk khome |
| Can you ship it overseas? | Bạn gởi hàng ra nước ngoài được không? | bahn guh-ee hahng rah nuhk ngwai duhk khome |
| Can I have a receipt, please? | Cho tôi xin hóa đơn | chaw toy sin hwah duhn |
| Can I try it? | Tôi thử được không? | toy tuh duhk khome |
| It doesn’t fit | Không vừa | khome vuh-uh |
| Do you have a bigger one? | Có cái lớn hơn không? | koh kai luhn hun khome |
| Do you have a smaller one? | Có cái nhỏ hơn không? | koh kai nyaw hun khome |
| It’s perfect / it’s lovely | Đẹp quá! / Rất tốt | dep kwah / ruht toht |
Mắc quá is what southerners say; in Hanoi, đắt quá. Gởi is the southern spelling of gửi (to send, to ship), and the north would write the latter.
Bargaining only works where prices aren’t fixed: markets, street stalls and souvenir shops. In supermarkets and anywhere with tags, the price is the price. Keep the mood light, make your offer with a smile, and walk away politely if you can’t agree. Often the seller calls you back.
Shops
| English | Vietnamese | Say it like |
|---|---|---|
| Market | Chợ | chuh |
| Night market | Chợ đêm | chuh dem |
| Food market | Chợ thực phẩm | chuh took fum |
| Pharmacy | Tiệm thuốc tây (south) / Nhà thuốc (north) | tyem too-uhk day / nyah too-uhk |
| Clothes shop | Cửa hàng quần áo | kuh-uh hahng kwun ow |
| Computer shop | Cửa hàng vi tính | kuh-uh hahng vee ting |
| Electronics shop | Cửa hàng điện tử | kuh-uh hahng dyen too |
| Supermarket | Siêu thị | syew tee |
| Convenience store | Cửa hàng tiện lợi | kuh-uh hahng tyen luh-ee |
| Bookshop | Nhà sách | nyah sike |
| Shopping mall | Trung tâm thương mại | choong tum tuhng my |
| Open 24 hours | Mở cửa hai mươi bốn giờ | muh kuh-uh hi muh-ee bone yuh |
If you’re hunting for souvenirs after dark, our guide to the night markets in Saigon says what to buy and what to skip.
Clothing and accessories
Several everyday words differ between south and north, and the table gives the southern word first.
| English | Vietnamese | Say it like |
|---|---|---|
| T-shirt | Áo thun (south) / áo phông (north) | ow toon / ow fohm |
| Shirt | Áo sơ mi | ow suh mee |
| Suit, blazer | Áo vest | ow vest |
| Trousers | Quần | kwun |
| Jeans | Quần jean | kwun jeen |
| Shoes | Giày | yai |
| Sandals | Xăng-đan | sahng dahn |
| Flip-flops | Dép | yep |
| Dress | Áo đầm (south) / Váy (north) | ow dum / vay |
| Skirt | Váy / Chân váy | vay / chun vay |
| Jacket | Áo khoác | ow khwahk |
| Rain jacket | Áo mưa | ow muh-uh |
| Handbag | Túi xách | too-ee sike |
| Sunglasses | Kiếng mát (south) / Kính râm (north) | keeng maht / king rum |
| Hat | Nón (south) / Mũ (north) | non / moo |
| Motorbike helmet | Nón bảo hiểm | non bow hyem |
| Jewellery | Nữ trang (south) / Trang sức (north) | nuh chahng / chahng suhk |
| Watch | Đồng hồ | dong hoh |
| Ring | Nhẫn | nyun |
| Necklace | Dây chuyền | yay chwee-en |
| Bracelet | Vòng tay, lắc tay | vong tie, lahk tie |
A tailor will ask you what you want made with áo for tops and quần for trousers, and you can point to a garment you like. To buy a rain jacket in the wet season, ask for áo mưa.
Where to next
You’ve reached the end of the phrasebook. The hub lists all seven chapters and the driver phrases card, or start again at basic phrases. Heading to Saigon? See our Ho Chi Minh City guide and airport transfers.