IntroVietnamese
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Vietnamese Money and Numbers

Vietnamese numbers and money phrases for prices, totals, and payment.

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Shopper confirming a total with a vendor using a calculator

Phonetic hints are rough English-friendly cues, not IPA. Use audio and the written Vietnamese alongside them.

Learn the first number words

Start with the building blocks below.

Một, hai, ba.

Approx. pronunciation: moht, high, bah

One, two, three.

Mười, một trăm, một nghìn.

Approx. pronunciation: moy, moht truhm, moht ngeen

Ten, one hundred, one thousand.

Một triệu.

Approx. pronunciation: moht tree-ow

One million.

Hear large amounts in chunks

Vietnamese groups numbers with “trăm”, “nghìn”, and “triệu”. Listen for the unit word after the number rather than trying to map every syllable at once.

For example, “hai mươi” is twenty, “hai trăm” is two hundred, and “hai nghìn” is two thousand. “Ngàn” is a common southern alternative to “nghìn”; both mean thousand.

The currency is “đồng”. A vendor may say an amount quickly or show it on a calculator, so repeat the amount or type it into your phone before paying.

Ask what you owe in Vietnamese

These Vietnamese questions help you distinguish a unit price from the total for several items.

Cái này bao nhiêu tiền ạ?

Approx. pronunciation: kai nay bow nyew tee-en ah

How much is this?

Tổng cộng là bao nhiêu ạ?

Approx. pronunciation: tohm kohng la bow nyew ah

How much is the total?

Tính theo cái hay theo ký ạ?

Approx. pronunciation: ting theo kai hay theo kee ah

Is it priced per item or per kilogram?

Confirm a total before paying

Repeat the total calmly and ask for the receipt. The example leaves the amount open so you can practice with a real number you see.

Customer confirming a purchase total before paying

You Tổng cộng là … đồng, đúng không ạ? The total is … đồng, correct?

Staff Dạ, đúng rồi ạ. Yes, that is correct.

You Cho tôi xin hóa đơn ạ. Please give me the receipt.

Handle cash and change

Use these phrases when you need to know the change or prefer a specific payment method.

Tôi trả bằng tiền mặt ạ.

Approx. pronunciation: toy cha bang tee-en mut ah

I will pay in cash.

Tiền thừa của tôi là bao nhiêu ạ?

Approx. pronunciation: tee-en thuh-ah koo-ah toy la bow nyew ah

How much change will I get?

Bạn có thể đổi tờ này giúp tôi không ạ?

Approx. pronunciation: ban kaw thay doy tuh nay zoop toy khom ah

Could you change this banknote for me?

Slow down a money exchange

It is reasonable to pause when an amount is unclear, especially in a noisy shop or when several items are being counted.

Say “Bạn nói lại giúp tôi được không ạ?” (“Could you say that again?”) or “Bạn viết ra giúp tôi được không ạ?” (“Could you write it down for me?”). A calculator display is a useful shared reference.

The word “nghìn” may sound like “ngàn” depending on region and speaker. Do not infer an amount from sound alone; confirm the full number and unit, then check the receipt or screen.

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