Learning basic Vietnamese words while in Vietnam is always a good thing. Let’s face it! Language barrier can make everyday life harder than it should be, even if you’re only staying for a short period. While English and French are popular foreign languages spoken in HCMC, local fluency in either language can be rare, especially for expats. Although the Vietnamese language is as difficult as it sounds, learning some basics in advance will pay dividends upon arrival. Even if you only master basic greetings and counting, you will be glad you did, as will many locals. Imagine easier it would be when shopping or looking at maps when trying to get from point A to point B. Knowing what some words mean will make life so much easier as it will give you a clue on what it says. Saying the words correctly can be a challenge but the locals will be thrilled and impressed just for trying.

For more information go to How Difficult is it to Learn Vietnamese?