To get by in Hanoi, remember: "xin chào" (hello), "cảm ơn" (thank you), "bao nhiêu?" (how much?), "không cay" (not spicy), "ngon" (delicious) and "cứu tôi!" (help). Vietnamese is a tonal language; pronunciation is given in simple letters, approximate but understood. The north (Hanoi) has a slightly different accent from the south, which does not hurt understanding. Checked on 26 October 2026.
one một (mot), two hai (hai), three ba (ba), four bốn (bon), five năm (nam), six sáu (sao), seven bảy (bay), eight tám (tam), nine chín (chin), ten mười (muoi).
Emergencies
English
Vietnamese
Pronunciation
Help!
Cứu tôi!
gu toy
Police
Công an
kong an
Hospital
Bệnh viện
benh vien
Commonly listed numbers: police 113, fire 114, ambulance 115; have your hotel confirm them. See also scams and safety in Hanoi.
