Một, hai, ba.
Approx. pronunciation: moht, high, bah
One, two, three.
Make every amount clearer.
Vietnamese Money and Numbers
Recognize common number words and ask about a price, total, or receipt with less guesswork.
Start the lesson
Learn the first number words
Start with the building blocks below. The phonetic hints are approximate English-friendly cues; Vietnamese tones and regional speech still matter.
Mười, một trăm, một nghìn.
Approx. pronunciation: mooy, moht chom, 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.
Currency is “đồng”. A vendor may say an amount quickly or show it on a calculator. Repeat the amount or type it into your phone before paying if you are not sure you heard the unit.
Ask what you owe
These 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.
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.