Vietnamese Vocab 101

We are into what will be our final 4 week block of language classes under the tutelage of the fabulously patient Miss Thao at Saigon Language School in District 3. Learning to speak Vietnamese is really really hard. The main difficulty for me is that there isn't often any connection between the way a Vietnamese word is spelled or said and it's English translation. The few English "hooks" that I've been able to invent, much to the kid's eye-rolling amusement, sure stick a lot more firmly in my brain.

1. To do exercise = tập thể dục. It's pronounced "tup ter yoop" but it sure looks like "tap the duck" and trying to tap the duck would certainly be an effective form of exercise if the duck didn't wish to be tapped, right?

2. Telephone = điện thoại. If you try calling your friend and she doesn't answer "den twai" again later!

3. Snow = tuyết. Sounds a little bit like tweet? Just like the sound a cold little birdy would make if it was lost in the snow.

4. Australia = Úc. To say it right, you go "oop"and puff your cheeks out as if a fly has flown into your mouth!

5. Begin = bắt đầu. "Bat dow" A bit of a stretch but anyone want to start a game of bat-down?

6. Table = bàn pronounced "bang" like the sound of hitting a table really hard with your hand.

7. Husband = chồng and when ng comes after o it's an "m" sound so this is similar to chum or charm as in Prince Charming.

8. Singer = ca si said "ca shee" So her dress is flashy and she earns a lot of cashy.

9. Tummy = bụng Say. No. More. Actually it's pronounced boom as in "boom baby!"

10. Bank = ngân hàng. We used to hang bank thieves but that practice has ceased so these days none hang.

11. To move house = dọn nhà pronounced "yon yah" as in "we're moving to that there house over yonyah" Remember these don't have to be actually said out loud to anyone to work as a memory aid.

12. boss = sếp as in shepherd: the boss of the sheep.

13. to live = sống which is actually said "shom" but I will always think living is like a song.

14. secretary = thư ký. She has to have two keys.

15. report = báo cáo pronounced bow cow. Ok, for this one you have to imagine a farmer whose cows have the attitute of humble servants who report to him all the happenings on the farm and bow before him. "Bow cow" then means "make your report!".