How to effectively communicate even if you don’t speak Vietnamese
It might be challenging to survive on your own if you travel to or live in a location where English is not a native language, such as Vietnam. Despite the fact that a majority of Vietnamese people can speak English, not all of them. How can you effectively interact with them when you’re out on the street or if you run into a problem there? Additionally, you must converse frequently with Vietnamese students or colleagues if you embrace a teaching job in Ho Chi Minh City. How do you deal with the linguistic gap? Here are four suggestions to assist you in handling this situation.
1. Pick up a few helpful phrases or terms
It’s crucial to convey your desires. It will help you communicate your desires to those around you if you learn a few basic Vietnamese words or know how these words are spoken locally.
When buying drinks or food in Vietnam, foreigners including those working in teaching jobs in Ho Chi Minh City must know a few key terms or expressions, such as “Bao nhiêu? – (How much?), “Cà phê“, “Bánh mì” (Vietnamese bread), or your address when you commute from work to home or vice versa… These are some crucial words or expressions that foreigners use when they want to buy food or get lost in Ho Chi Minh City.
2. Save every word you need on your phone
It’s important to have in mind the sentence you should use in a certain context because when you’re walking along the street, or doing some things your mind is blank. For instance, what would you do if you don’t remember exactly the way from home? Yes, you must first tell everyone you come across that you are lost and ask them where to catch a taxi. In this case, the standard questions are “Tôi có thể tìm thấy một chiếc taxi ở đâu?” (Where I can get a taxi? Please” or “Bạn có thể cho tôi biết làm thế nào để đến được…” (How can I go…?). It’s quite long to remember, so the perfect solution, in this case, is to save it on your phone.
3. Using body language
You can express some of your wants in a straightforward manner. You don’t remember this word in Vietnamese, but Vietnamese people can still understand you because of your gestures. To make sure the merchant or other local people know you, you can utilise some of the Vietnamese words which you have learned along with body language to describe.
It’s also a good way to talk to local staff if you get a teaching job in Ho Chi Minh City and can’t express what you want in Vietnamese.
4. Google Translate is useful in some instances
With just a phone, you may handle a variety of problems, including finding the best route, buying food for delivery, and translating any language you need. Just by typing on this tool, your desires will appear in any language you want. It’s quite helpful if you only occasionally travel to Vietnam, however, it won’t be practical if you plan to stay in this nation for an extended period of time. It is simple to run into issues while you are in an unfamiliar place, such as forgetting your phone or having a different technological problem,… These problems are unpredictable. For emergencies, you should learn a few keywords and phrases to communicate conveniently and effectively.
Vietnamese people are extremely warm and welcoming, and they are eager to assist you in integrating into Vietnamese society and culture. Due to the extensive networking of EMG Education, which includes both locals and foreigners, you may easily learn about Vietnam while also feeling supported when you’re far from home.
If you want to become a part of this community, please contact us right now. Teaching jobs in Ho Chi Minh City are available here and we are proud to support you on your future journey.
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| EMG Education is one of the largest private education organizations in Vietnam. Its mission is to provide Vietnam learners across all ages an opportunity and the right preparation to succeed on the global stage. Founded in 2005, EMG Education has always been an innovative trailblazer in Vietnam’s education scene, constantly finding new ways to empower Vietnamese learners by expanding their access to world-class curricular and learning materials, and globally-recognized qualifications. |
