Vietnamese · KNLTV Bậc 1 (A1) · Chapter 2
Cảm ơnThank you
The three hardest tones — hỏi, ngã, nặng — plus the special vowels (ă â ê ô ơ ư). Learn to say thank you, sorry, and to ask "How are you?". Still no grammar — this is the second tone-foundation chapter.
Dialogue
i
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Bạn khỏe không?— How are you?
- NamChào bạn! Bạn khỏe không?Hi! How are you?
- LinhKhỏe! Cảm ơn bạn. Bạn khỏe không?Good! Thanks. And you?
- NamKhỏe! Rất vui gặp bạn.Good! Very glad to see you.
Dialogue
i
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Cảm ơn và xin lỗi— Thanks and Sorry
- NamÔi, xin lỗi bạn!Oh, sorry!
- LinhKhông sao!It's fine! (fixed phrase: "không sao" = no problem)
- NamCảm ơn bạn!Thank you!
- LinhKhông có gì.You're welcome! (lit. "không có gì" = "nothing at all")
Vocabulary
i
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- cảm ơn
v. / interj.thank you
- xin lỗi
v. / interj.sorry / excuse me
- làm ơn
verbplease (doing a favour)
- được
v. / adj.okay / can / to get
- khỏe
adjectivewell, healthy
- gặp
verbto meet
- bạn
n. / pron.friend / you (peer)
- rất
adverbvery
Script & tones
i
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Thanh điệu: hỏi, ngã, nặng— Tones: hỏi, ngã, nặng
Continuing with the sound "ma". These three add a movement of the glottis, not just pitch.
- hook above ảhỏi (dipping-rising)mả = "tomb / grave"; a question-like dip-and-recover · mả · dips low then rises slightly — like a doubtful "huh?" curving back up
- tilde ãngã (broken rising)mã = "code / horse"; like the catch in "uh-oh" · mã · rises but is cut by a glottal break in the middle — the hardest one
- dot below ạnặng (heavy)mạ = "rice seedling"; low and abruptly cut short · mạ · low, short, and stopped by a glottal closure — clipped off
Vietnamese has vowels that English lumps together. A mark on the vowel (ă â ê ô ơ ư) changes the QUALITY of the vowel — different from the tone marks, which change pitch.
- ăăa very short "a" — clipped (năm = "five")
- ââlike the "u" in "but" (cần = "need")
- êêlike the "ay" in "day", no glide (đêm = "night")
- ôôlike the "o" in "go" (cô = "aunt / Ms")
- ơơlike the "ur" in "fur", lips not rounded (ơn = "favour")
- ưưno English match — say "oo" with lips spread wide, not rounded
All six tones on the one sound "ma". Now hear the three hard tones side by side — don't let them blur together.
- mảhỏi (dipping-rising)tomb, grave
- mãngã (broken rising)code; horse (Sino-Vietnamese)
- mạnặng (heavy)rice seedling
Read "cảm ơn" and "xin lỗi", watching the hỏi and nặng tones:
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