Job Discussion Forums

[Springtime]

Chiao -
Who's been successful and learning Vietnamese and how long did it take?
I'm coming to Vietnam in January and speak French and Spanish but Vietnamese is really tough - plus I'm a lot older now. I took 8 classes and now am using Pinsleur - just started. Any advice?
Springtime

[saigon cowboy]

Learning vietnamese is really hard for me. They make sounds that are very difficult to replicate.

Spanish is quite easy and so is Filipino ( Tagalog ). But Vietnamese is another thing altogether.

Someone once said... " A complex language stems from intelligent people ". I concur.

[abulinhthi]

We're visiting Vietnam for (my) 18th time in 10 years, but only the 2nd for my 2-year old daughter. Her mother is (real) Vietnamese, and speaks excellent English. But her extended family speaks Vietnamese, although some of the young ones do speak a little English.

Any suggestions on how I can "grow" my daughter in both languages?

I'd really love to know the names of some songs in Vietnamese, comparable to "Twinkle, Twinkle", Brahms lullaby, "If you're happy and you know it......."

Anybody know any Vietnames nursery rhymes (preferably not in a pentatuch (??) scale, so that I can sing them?!

[mach114]

It took me at least two years to get really conversational. I was taking lessons for ten hours a week at the Social Sciences University on Dinh Tien Hoang in District 1. It cost me about $100 USD a month. This was back in 2000-2003. I think it is probably more expensive now. The classes were good and I got to practice my Vietnamese on the street daily. Immersion was the key to learning. I don't know how Vietnamese students can learn English without the full time environment like I had. After three years, I finally gave up the lessons. Now, I can read the newspaper, watch TV, and speak fluently, although with an accent. It wasn't easy for me at all and after almost ten years of studying Vietnamese I am still learning new words all the time. One particular girl I knew got fluent in six months. I think she was a real linguistic genius; a rarity. It's worth the investment of time if you plan on staying in Vietnam long term. Good Luck!

[Springtime]

Dear Mach114:
Thanks for the reply. Yes, I agree that immersion is the best. I just like to arrive with a basic knowledge. We don't know how long we'll stay until we get there. I'm thinking six months the first time, then arrange to stay longer if we can get visas to do so. Everything I hear about Vietnam is positive from people who have been there recently. I assume you are in Saigon?
We'll be in Danang area.
Springtime

[Galileo]

It takes about twice as long to reach level of general professional proficiency in Vietnamese as it does to reach the same level in French or Spanish.
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Language_Learning_Difficulty_for_English_Speakers

[mach114]

I would agree with Galileo and the state department, for most people it will take them much longer to learn Vietnamese than Spanish or French. The pronunciation is awkward and difficult to master. The grammar does not relate to English grammar in anyway like Spanish or French. Meanings of many words do not easily translate like Spanish or French. English is a very good frame of reference to learn Spanish and French, but not to learn Vietnamese. All that being said it is by no means impossible to learn, it will just take more time investment. My advice, register for a class or hire a teacher, don't sit around with a book and try to learn it on your own.

[Springtime]

Thanks everyone. We got a lot out of the 8 classes we did have but they were too expensive. Hiring a private tutor is the best option for me. I'm looking and going to attend a Vietnamese Church and try to find one in our area. It's good reinforcement to know that everyone struggles with it and that a teacher is needed. My husband prefers to do everything on his own and he's hearing impaired!
Springtime

[dovmob]

I've been doing the Pimsleur tapes on the way too and from work and haven't found them as daunting as expected. I think I was surprised after I was so terrible at French. I'm sure once I get to Vietnam that the stuff I've learned won't help me a lot but it's been fun, and it's a start!

[motown]

[rbruce108]

Last August I did some research on Vietnamese language providers in HCMC and enrolled at one of them -- Vietnamese Language Studies (VLS). I engaged in a private, 10-day / 80-hour intensive course, and was quite pleased with my experience.

On my first morning of class at VLS, I met a visiting director of Southeast Asian language studies from the U.S. Department of State, who, coincidentally, happened to be conducting an on-site inspection of VLS. She told me that the State Department contracts with VLS to give advanced instruction to State Department staff working in HCMC. She also told me that, in her view, the quality of instruction at VLS is excellent -- the best available anywhere (which of course is why the SD had decided to contract with this particular school). Given that I hadn't known anything of substance about the school prior to my enrollment, her perception was re-assuring and subsequently corroborated in my own classroom experience.

VLS assigned 12 teachers to teach me during my private study. As an MA TESOL-trained ESL instructor who has studied under or observed many language teachers, I assess 2 of those teachers as being "world-class," 5 as "excellent," 3 as "very good," and 2 as being "good." (FYI, I have no personal connection with VLS and am writing this review without their knowledge or permission.)

During my course I learned a fair amount of Vietnamese, improving my listening comprehension, fluency, pronunciation, and reading/writing proficiencies significantly. I also learned a lot about Vietnamese culture -- things I'd never encountered in my prior reading of 80-some books on Viet Nam.

VLS's contact information is as follows:

Vietnamese Language Studies - Saigon
Vo Thi Thanh Binh, Director
4th Floor, 45 Dinh Tien Hoang,
Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Telephone: (84- 9103266/9100168
Director�s email: [email protected]
Registrar�s email (Ms. Tran Thien Duy Anh): [email protected]
Website: www.vlstudies.com

[Springtime]

Thank you for the information on VLS language school and program.
Although we plan to stay in the DaNang area, it's certainly an idea to come to Saigon just for this course first before going on to DaNang.
Once I get to 25 posts, I can engage in private replies to these and perhaps we could exchange contact information. Are you currently living and working in Vietnam?
Springtime

[phamquocdat41191]

it is said that: thunderstorm is still better than vietnamese grammar (just translate from vietnam common quote)

If we vietnamese can study english without full time studying, I think you probably can study vietnam as well.

The problem is in vietnamese grammar, there are only a few formula for you to follow, which means you have to study each case alone. Secondly, there is few book for studying vietnamese, and those books are not written or reviewed by many professors, not like english, so if you get those books, it is obviously that your vietnamese never improves.

My advice: vietnamese language center is so so good, but if you can get a private tutor, it will be much better.

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Volunteer For Community Development & Environment Education
Website: http://vfcd.org/
Email: [email protected] (Ms. Keren)
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[Mattingly]