Your first three months of Vietnamese
A realistic plan for the first three months of Vietnamese, why tones come before everything else, and where you will actually be at the end.
#learn Vietnamese
Past beginner Vietnamese: where most people stall
Why the beginner to intermediate stage of Vietnamese is where most learners stop, the signs you are stuck, and what actually gets you moving again.
How long does Vietnamese actually take
Realistic timeframes for each level of Vietnamese, what speeds you up or slows you down, and why advertised numbers are usually misleading.
Staying with Vietnamese when the motivation goes
Why most learners of Vietnamese quit around month three, how to build a habit that survives low motivation, and how to return after a long break.
The Vietnamese alphabet: familiar letters, unfamiliar marks
Vietnamese uses the Latin alphabet but adds two kinds of diacritic, why that makes it easier and harder at once, and how long it takes.
Numbers, time and money in Vietnamese
How Vietnamese counting works, the irregularities that catch learners out, and why large numbers matter more here than in most countries.
Introducing yourself in Vietnamese: pronouns come first
How to introduce yourself in Vietnamese, why you must choose a term of address before speaking, and the mistakes foreigners make most often.
The first Vietnamese phrases worth memorising
Which Vietnamese phrases to learn first because you will use them immediately, how to choose what is worth memorising, and why chunks beat words.
Why you read Vietnamese well and understand nothing spoken
Why listening lags so far behind reading in Vietnamese, the three causes, and how to work out which one is actually stopping you.
How to practise Vietnamese listening so it works
Three listening methods that produce real results in Vietnamese, why transcripts are essential, and a routine that fits into fifteen minutes a day.
Choosing Vietnamese listening material at the right level
Which listening sources suit each stage of learning Vietnamese, why music and films are poor starting points, and how to tell if material fits.
Northern and southern Vietnamese: what changes when you listen
How the two main varieties of Vietnamese differ in tones and consonants, why real speech is faster than course audio, and how to bridge the gap.