Friday, June 18, 2010

Learning Vietnamese, Buaya style

I really admire my non-Vietnamese colleagues who have been here for more than a year. They can converse fairly in Vietnamese but using the Southern dialect.

About 2 months ago, I registered for formal lessons in Vietnamese. Learning the 6 different tones was difficult, even for an Asian like me. And I have to constantly remind myself that an "e" is not pronounced as our normal "e". It's either "ay" or "air"... and many more unique sounds and tones.

However, as a true blue Buaya, here are a few words for my Buaya kawans who are planning to visit me in Saigon. Please learn this by heart, enuf said... :P

Note: the following are not written in vietnamese but in "western" sounds that I can think of...

1) hello = sin chao
2) My name is [name] = Toi ten la yi [name]
3) What is your name = Em ten la yi...
4) I am from [country] = Toi den toor [country]
5) I'm very happy to meet you = Ret voo-i durg gap
6) I would love to have some company... = toi ret voo-i durg di ker-ng..
7) Why are you laughing? = vi sao em kur-oi? (and give a biiigggg smile)
8) Is my Vietnamese that bad? = tieng vit koo-ah toi te teh err?
9) You are very beautiful = Em dep lam
10) I like you = Toi thic em
11) Would you like to come back with me? = em kor moo-urn kway tr-er lai vur-oi toi khom?

The rest, I leave it to you guys....

Oh, when the girls reply to you "Come Urn", it means "Thank you" and not Cum On...


Buaya69 says,"Hen gap lai = see you again!"
Buaya69 also says,"No, I don't have her number!!!"

3 comments:

rainbow angeles said...

How abt all the knnccbwtf type of phrase leh?

BTW, I just read that British Council over there are looking for Engrish teachers... Maybe someone u know might be interested..

http://www.britishcouncil.org/vietnam-common-job-ad-teacher-of-english

doc said...

Is that your personal long hair walking dictionary with alarm clock and massage function? :P

Buaya69 said...

angeles: learnt a few but was told that I could get beaten up pretty quickly... :P

doc: sorry to disappoint you (and me too) :P :P :P The gal was trying to get close to my married VN friend...