Vietnamese Greetings & Pronouns: How to Say Hello Like a Local

Textbooks teach you “Xin chào.” Real life is different. Vietnamese greetings are surprisingly short and simple—but choosing the right pronoun matters more than the greeting itself.

The Core Greeting Words

Chào – The basic word for hello. Pair it with a pronoun: Chào anh, Chào chị, Chào em.

Dạ – A polite acknowledgment for elders. Ư – Casual version for friends. Dạ rồi – “I understand” or “I already did it.”

Natural Greetings vs. Textbook Greetings

Skip “Xin chào, dạo này bạn có khỏe không?” and use: Khỏe không?, Sao rồi?, or Dạo này sao?

Pronouns & Forms of Address

Anh (older male), Chị (older female), Cô (woman, parent’s age), Chú (man, parent’s age). When unsure, default to anh or chị.

Greeting Elders

Add dạ before your greeting: Dạ con chào cô, Dạ con chào chú, Dạ con chào bác.

Greeting Friends

Use casual greetings: Ê!, Mới tới hả?, or Khỏe không?

• Watch the Vietnamese Greetings video series
• Watch: How to Say Hello in Vietnamese
• Watch: Vietnamese Pronouns & Forms of Address
• Browse all Vietnamese videos