Vietnam is a country blessed with incredible scenery, temples, culture, and history. When visiting a different country that speaks a different language other than English they can be concerned if they can speak English and if there would be any problems communicating with the locals. So do the Vietnamese speak English?
It depends, typically the Vietnamese don’t speak English but in tourist areas, many Vietnamese will speak some English but mostly at a very basic level. Do not expect English speakers in remote areas. Young Vietnamese tend to be more able to speak English at a good level. Remember that the main language used in Vietnam is Vietnamese.
In this post, we will go through whether the Vietnamese speak English. Let’s get started!
Read more about Vietnam
- How Much Does Beer Cost in Vietnam?
- Do Vietnamese Speak French?
- How Much Is Grab In Vietnam?
- Do They Use Chopsticks In Vietnam?
- When Is Tet In Vietnam?
- Do Vietnamese Eat Rats?
- Are The Roads In Vietnam Good?
Do They Speak English In Vietnam?
Largely no, simply don’t expect the Vietnamese to be able to speak a good level of English. Simply a Vietnamese person who is living or working in tourist areas or a tourist-type job in Vietnam will be able to speak a little English but not necessarily at a good level. But in most cases good enough to interact with.
Don’t expect someone that is working in housekeeping or a builder or even the police to speak good English. Remember that the main language used in Vietnam is Vietnamese.
Simply, in tourist areas, English is commonly spoken but in more rural areas and less touristy areas do not expect there to be any English speakers. Typically the young Vietnamese tend to be more able to speak English at a good level as they learn it in school.
Is English Widely Spoken In Vietnam?
No, English is not widely spoken in Vietnam but should have no problems in more touristy areas.
Is Vietnam Safe To Visit?
Vietnam is generally a safe place to visit. Anyway, you should always be careful and aware of your surroundings and your belongings while traveling. In particular, in busy areas, you need to be extra careful of pickpockets, especially around the bars.
To stay safe in Vietnam you do need to use basic common sense and be aware of the issues of petty crime and scams.
Is It Safe To Drink The Tap Water?
It is NOT advised to drink tap water in Vietnam, their treatment plants put too much chlorine into the water for treatment. As well poor water pipe infrastructure has led to the water getting contaminated.
Vietnamese locals don’t drink straight out of a tap cause they don’t trust the water and there is a smell that is mostly caused by the chlorine.
Does Vietnam Have Decent WiFi?
Vietnam has good internet but it starts to become less reliable as you leave the main cities for remote areas. There is WiFi available in cafes, bars, hotels, and even roadside stalls in Vietnam. Most of them have good wifi. It is free in most coffee shops, hotels, bars, and train stations.
USEFUL TRAVEL RESOURCES
Book Accommodation
Booking.com has a large range of properties from hotels, hostels, guesthouses, and resorts where you will find the best deals. Airbnb and Hostelworld also have a good range of places to stay at good prices.
Booking Flight
Skyscanner is a flight search comparison website that searches millions of flights all at once. Ultimately it is the best flight comparison website online at the moment.
Booking Transportation & Things To Do
Rome2rio and 12Go are useful to plan how to get anywhere by searching train, bus, car, and ferry routes. Especially useful in countries like Vietnam or Thailand. While Klook is great for exploring things to do in each place.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is cheap and more than likely you will never need to use it but you will have peace of mind if something does happen, you are covered in case of an emergency. World Nomads have great customer service and competitive prices.
Check out our resource page for the best companies to use when you travel.
Wrapping Up
Finally, typically the Vietnamese don’t speak English but in tourist areas, many Vietnamese will speak some English but mostly at a very basic level. Do not expect English speakers in remote areas. Young Vietnamese tend to be more able to speak English at a good level. Remember that the main language used in Vietnam is Vietnamese.
And that’s it for now! I’d love to know if this guide on whether the Vietnamese speak English has helped you. Let me know if you have any questions and let me know if there is more to add.