4,921 most common Vietnamese words
Ranked by how often each word turns up in everyday Vietnamese, with its meaning in English.
Vietnamese words do not change shape at all — no tenses, no plurals — and are written as separate syllables, so many entries here are one syllable of a two-syllable word. Tone carries meaning, and the diacritics are the tone.
| # | Word | In English |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | tôi | I/me |
| 2 | không | Negates the meaning of the modified verb or adjective: not |
| 3 | là | Used to indicate something is bound to happen whenever an… |
| 4 | anh | I/me, a male who's slightly older than you, or still young… |
| 5 | có | do, does, did |
| 6 | ta | we; us |
| 7 | của | of |
| 8 | đi | away; out of sight |
| 9 | đã | having completed this action, perfect aspect |
| 10 | đó | that place over there |
| 11 | sẽ | marks the future tense |
| 12 | chúng | Pluralizing particle for pronouns |
| 13 | gì | what; whatever |
| 14 | một | one |
| 15 | được | particle that expresses ability, possibility |
| 16 | và | and |
| 17 | cô | I/me, your paternal aunt |
| 18 | làm | into |
| 19 | phải | yes |
| 20 | rồi | already |
| 21 | người | you |
| 22 | này | this |
| 23 | cho | Used to emphasize để |
| 24 | em | pronoun used to refer to any person described by the noun… |
| 25 | đây | this place here |
| 26 | con | I/me |
| 27 | sao | why |
| 28 | biết | to know; to be aware of |
| 29 | ông | you, my grandfather |
| 30 | nói | to speak, to talk, to say, to tell |
| 31 | nó | he; him; she; her |
| 32 | thể | opportunity; swoop |
| 33 | với | to or by |
| 34 | cậu | I/me, your mother's brother |
| 35 | thế | thus; so; like that |
| 36 | lại | once more, indicates an action or state is resumed |
| 37 | ra | to go out, to leave |
| 38 | vậy | so, thus |
| 39 | để | in order to, so that, for, to |
| 40 | nào | which |
| 41 | ấy | that; those |
| 42 | cái | utensil for |
| 43 | đang | marks the continuous, imperfect aspect of an action or state |
| 44 | muốn | to want |
| 45 | trong | in; inside; within |
| 46 | mà | but; however; nevertheless |
| 47 | như | like; as; comparable to; as though; as if |
| 48 | nhưng | but; yet |
| 49 | khi | when |
| 50 | những | Plural marker |
| 51 | đến | to |
| 52 | đâu | where |
| 53 | chuyện | a story, a tale, or an anecdote |
| 54 | chỉ | only |
| 55 | cả | all |
| 56 | về | about; on |
| 57 | thì | as for ..., it is/does/will |
| 58 | họ | family name; surname |
| 59 | giờ | unit for specifying a point in time in terms of hours |
| 60 | thôi | that's all; merely; only; just |
| 61 | thấy | to succeed in gathering information through the senses |
| 62 | còn | yet; still |
| 63 | cũng | also; too |
| 64 | vào | in, into, upon |
| 65 | các | Plural marker |
| 66 | bị | big sack made from sedge |
| 67 | nghĩ | to think, to contemplate |
| 68 | đấy | there, that place, that |
| 69 | ai | who |
| 70 | thật | actually, for real |
| 71 | hắn | he/him |
| 72 | nếu | if |
| 73 | mình | oneself |
| 74 | việc | job, work, business |
| 75 | nữa | more, further |
| 76 | rất | very |
| 77 | vì | because |
| 78 | cần | to need |
| 79 | chứ | Compares a predicate or clause stated before it to its… |
| 80 | à | Question particle |
| 81 | điều | something to say or tell |
| 82 | tới | to |
| 83 | xin | to ask for; to beg for; to request |
| 84 | thứ | order, rank, sort, type, kind, category |
| 85 | chưa | not yet |
| 86 | nhà | house; home; dwelling |
| 87 | lên | upwards |
| 88 | đúng | right, correct, accurate, precise, proper, etc.; not wrong… |
| 89 | từ | from, since |
| 90 | mẹ | I/me, your mother |
| 91 | nghe | okay? |
| 92 | hơn | more, -er, to a greater degree or extent |
| 93 | mọi | all |
| 94 | bạn | you, a young person in your twenties |
| 95 | tớ | I; me |
| 96 | nên | therefore; so |
| 97 | chết | extremely; terribly; awfully |
| 98 | mày | you |
| 99 | ơn | favor |
| 100 | đầu | head |
| 101 | đừng | do not; don't |
| 102 | tìm | to search, to seek, to look for |
| 103 | tốt | good, as in high-quality, well-made, well executed,… |
| 104 | tin | to believe; to trust; to have faith |
| 105 | hãy | do; let's |
| 106 | quá | very, excessively |
| 107 | nhiều | many, much; a lot |
| 108 | trước | before |
| 109 | cảm | to feel |
| 110 | bà | you, my grandmother |
| 111 | ý | Italian |
| 112 | hay | well |
| 113 | công | peafowl; peacock; peahen; peachick |
| 114 | nhất | first |
| 115 | tao | I/me |
| 116 | bố | I/me, your father |
| 117 | tất | then surely; of course |
| 118 | bao | how; how much |
| 119 | trên | on |
| 120 | tên | given name |
| 121 | lỗi | mistake, fault, error |
| 122 | tại | because |
| 123 | thành | into |
| 124 | sau | later |
| 125 | cháu | I/me, your nephew, niece or grandchild |
| 126 | ngày | day |
| 127 | khác | different, other |
| 128 | xem | to see; to look at; to watch; to read |
| 129 | theo | along |
| 130 | chắc | firmly; securely |
| 131 | gặp | to meet, to see |
| 132 | bắt | to seize; to catch |
| 133 | yêu | lovingly, affectionately |
| 134 | cứ | no matter what |
| 135 | qua | through, across |
| 136 | vẫn | still; yet |
| 137 | cùng | with |
| 138 | ngay | short for ngay cạnh |
| 139 | thích | to like |
| 140 | cách | Forming intensifiers preceding certain particles and… |
| 141 | nhìn | to look at |
| 142 | sống | spine |
| 143 | bọn | group; gang; cohorts; associates |
| 144 | lúc | moment, time |
| 145 | giết | to kill |
| 146 | mới | have just; just |
| 147 | quan | official |
| 148 | chào | to greet, salute, say hello or goodbye to |
| 149 | đưa | to bring, to take, to give, to hand |
| 150 | lắm | many, much; a lot |
| 151 | gọi | to call or hail |
| 152 | hết | all |
| 153 | bảo | to inform; to command by telling |
| 154 | hai | two |
| 155 | rằng | that |
| 156 | ăn | to eat |
| 157 | giúp | to help; to aid |
| 158 | hiểu | to understand, to know |
| 159 | lấy | to take, to seize |
| 160 | ngài | you |
| 161 | tự | since, from |
| 162 | lần | times |
| 163 | chính | exactly; precisely |
| 164 | tay | hand |
| 165 | nhân | because of; in the wake of; in the aftermath of |
| 166 | cuộc | a continuous and long enough event that involves several… |
| 167 | bỏ | to put; to place |
| 168 | năm | five |
| 169 | mất | used to indicate the absence of something after the action… |
| 170 | hả | interrogative particle: isn't it; aren't you |
| 171 | vụ | season |
| 172 | xe | wheeled vehicle |
| 173 | ngươi | pupil |
| 174 | nhận | to receive; to get; to obtain |
| 175 | cha | you, father |
| 176 | chúa | very; mighty |
| 177 | khỏi | away from; out of |
| 178 | nay | clipping of hôm nay |
| 179 | định | to fix; to appoint; to set; to assign |
| 180 | tiền | money |
| 181 | thời | time, moment, season |
| 182 | cơ | Final emphatic particle |
| 183 | nhé | alright?; okay?; will you? |
| 184 | do | by |
| 185 | trở | to turn, to change |
| 186 | bé | you, little child |
| 187 | mặt | face |
| 188 | đường | road; street; path; route; trace |
| 189 | vâng | to obey; to listen to; to comply with |
| 190 | gái | girls and women |
| 191 | luôn | always |
| 192 | mấy | some, an indefinite quantity greater than one |
| 193 | gia | to increase, to add |
| 194 | nhau | each other, mutually, reciprocally, one another |
| 195 | lời | word; utterances |
| 196 | nơi | where |
| 197 | chị | I/me, your big sister |
| 198 | xuống | downwards |
| 199 | bây | you |
| 200 | thưa | sparse |
| 201 | số | number |
| 202 | động | cave, cavern |
| 203 | đồ | A contemptible person. Used with nouns or adjectives to… |
| 204 | ngoài | outside |
| 205 | toàn | nothing but |
| 206 | sát | to have a natural ability with catching |
| 207 | thực | true, real |
| 208 | từng | once |
| 209 | phòng | a room |
| 210 | kẻ | individual, person, man; specifically, put before a… |
| 211 | hàng | goods; product; merchandise; freight; cargo |
| 212 | bằng | by; by means of |
| 213 | chẳng | not at all |
| 214 | chút | great-great-grandchild |
| 215 | nhớ | to remember |
| 216 | chú | I/me, your father's younger brother |
| 217 | lý | Alternative spelling of lí |
| 218 | chỗ | a seat |
| 219 | học | to study; to learn |
| 220 | nhanh | fast; quickly |
| 221 | quay | to turn; to revolve; to swivel |
| 222 | sĩ | a learned person, especially a respected intellectual |
| 223 | cố | great-grandparent |
| 224 | tuyệt | extremely; exceptionally; immensely |
| 225 | lẽ | reason; rationale; argument |
| 226 | chiến | a war, fight |
| 227 | hỏi | to ask |
| 228 | đại | randomly, or in an irresponsible way |
| 229 | tiếp | to be contiguous to; to be adjacent to |
| 230 | tình | the ability to feel affection or compassion |
| 231 | ơi | vocative particle; oh, hey |
| 232 | bên | by; beside |
| 233 | đồng | field |
| 234 | vui | merry; joyful; gay |
| 235 | ổn | settled; steady |
| 236 | gian | compartment, room |
| 237 | tâm | the heart |
| 238 | cứu | to save, to rescue, to relieve |
| 239 | đề | title |
| 240 | i | The name of the Latin script letter I/i |
| 241 | sinh | to produce; to yield |
| 242 | trả | to return; to give back |
| 243 | bộ | on foot |
| 244 | đều | in a constant rhythm |
| 245 | máy | to move around |
| 246 | vài | some, an indefinite quantity greater than one |
| 247 | vị | taste |
| 248 | nước | water |
| 249 | giống | human race |
| 250 | đánh | to strike, usually with one's palms or a weapon; to strike,… |
| 251 | xảy | to occur; to happen |
| 252 | chơi | to play |
| 253 | trai | boys and men |
| 254 | tối | dark |
| 255 | cảnh | scenery; view; landscape |
| 256 | câu | sentence; expression; line |
| 257 | kia | over there |
| 258 | ko | abbreviation of không |
| 259 | giữ | to keep; to hold and maintain as one's own |
| 260 | hành | green onion |
| 261 | vô | emphasizing sentence-ending particle |
| 262 | kết | to plait, to tie in knots |
| 263 | bởi | because |
| 264 | hiện | presently, currently |
| 265 | giới | a kingdom |
| 266 | vừa | just, recently, at this moment |
| 267 | tiếng | voice |
| 268 | báo | leopard |
| 269 | tưởng | to assume or presume |
| 270 | chờ | to wait for; to await |
| 271 | lo | to bother; to worry |
| 272 | đẹp | beautiful |
| 273 | hôm | day |
| 274 | viên | Viennese |
| 275 | hình | image |
| 276 | đáng | worthy, worth |
| 277 | vấn | to roll |
| 278 | trọng | to hold in high regard; to value |
| 279 | bình | vase |
| 280 | đủ | sufficiently; enough |
| 281 | cám | bran |
| 282 | lớn | big; large |
| 283 | sáng | morning |
| 284 | bác | you, someone who's presumably slightly older than one of my… |
| 285 | lâu | long |
| 286 | thần | deity; god |
| 287 | sợ | to fear; to be afraid |
| 288 | biệt | to part with; to leave; to separate |
| 289 | thông | pine |
| 290 | cổ | she/her, that young adult woman |
| 291 | giải | an accolade; a prize; an award |
| 292 | phụ | to aid, to help, to assist |
| 293 | thường | often |
| 294 | thương | long-handled spear |
| 295 | vẻ | look, appearance |
| 296 | cuối | end, terminal part |
| 297 | rõ | clear |
| 298 | cửa | door or window |
| 299 | hợp | suitable; harmonious; matching; fitting |
| 300 | trung | short for trung thành |
| 301 | bản | a version or copy |
| 302 | dùng | to use; to employ |
| 303 | ôi | tainted, putrid |
| 304 | tra | to haft; to sheathe |
| 305 | bắn | to fire; to shoot |
| 306 | cầu | jianzi shuttlecock |
| 307 | ba | three |
| 308 | hội | a festival |
| 309 | t | abbreviation of tao, tau, tôi, or tớ |
| 310 | đội | team |
| 311 | tiên | first; prior; before |
| 312 | thân | close or even best |
| 313 | chạy | smoothly |
| 314 | thêm | plus |
| 315 | thay | Used as a modifier to indicate surprise |
| 316 | mang | to carry |
| 317 | quân | troops, army |
| 318 | xác | corpse |
| 319 | đời | a lifetime; compare cuộc sống |
| 320 | ngủ | to sleep |
| 321 | trời | sky |
| 322 | đổi | to change become something different |
| 323 | nhỏ | she/her, that girl |
| 324 | liên | to join, to associate, to unite |
| 325 | tội | an offense or a violation of established rules; a crime, a… |
| 326 | nghĩa | a meaning; a sense |
| 327 | an | calm; peaceful; comfortable; at ease; safe |
| 328 | điện | electricity |
| 329 | dù | even if, although |
| 330 | bay | with ease; as if it were nothing |
| 331 | nữ | females |
| 332 | vệ | edge, side |
| 333 | phát | to distribute, to dispense, to issue, to deliver |
| 334 | đối | to be contrary to; to be against; to oppose |
| 335 | c | abbreviation of cậu |
| 336 | đêm | night |
| 337 | trẻ | young |
| 338 | bệnh | disease; illness; sickness |
| 339 | gần | nearly; almost |
| 340 | hoàn | to return, to give back, to restore |
| 341 | trường | school |
| 342 | đợi | to wait for, to await |
| 343 | tính | to calculate |
| 344 | nhỉ | Used to create a tag question |
| 345 | đất | earth; soil; dirt |
| 346 | đứng | to stand |
| 347 | ngồi | to sit |
| 348 | trông | to look at |
| 349 | xa | far |
| 350 | coi | to look, watch, observe, read, etc |
| 351 | chứng | a symptom; condition; indication |
| 352 | ảnh | he; him |
| 353 | kể | to tell |
| 354 | khó | difficult; tough |
| 355 | quyết | to decide, to determine |
| 356 | chịu | to endure; to suffer; to tolerate; to put up with |
| 357 | năng | frequently; diligently; regularly |
| 358 | tập | pad |
| 359 | súng | water lily |
| 360 | vọng | to echo, to resound |
| 361 | giá | if; in case; supposing; if only; I wish |
| 362 | hoặc | or |
| 363 | sắp | about to |
| 364 | xong | to end, to complete |
| 365 | tử | clipping of tử số |
| 366 | đàn | large number of animals associated together in a group:… |
| 367 | sẵn | ready; prepared |
| 368 | kiểm | to check; to verify |
| 369 | mở | to open, be open |
| 370 | cao | high or tall |
| 371 | uống | to drink |
| 372 | chuyển | to move |
| 373 | dừng | a material made from bamboo, used to build walls |
| 374 | ít | few, little |
| 375 | dưới | Lower in space: under, below, down |
| 376 | đình | communal house |
| 377 | chủ | boss; head; manager; master |
| 378 | chọn | to choose; to select; to pick |
| 379 | điên | extremely, stupendously |
| 380 | vật | object |
| 381 | thử | for a test; for a tryout |
| 382 | thống | large broad-mouthed bowl-shaped jar |
| 383 | kiếm | sword |
| 384 | mắt | eye |
| 385 | trưởng | head; leader |
| 386 | kế | after, then |
| 387 | phần | used in fractions, between the numerator and the… |
| 388 | biến | to turn into; to change into |
| 389 | lòng | intestines; guts; bowels; entrails |
| 390 | sư | title for monks and nuns |
| 391 | loại | species, kind, type, category, sort |
| 392 | mạnh | strong; powerful; vigorous |
| 393 | thuốc | medicine; medicament; drug |
| 394 | đấu | to battle, fight |
| 395 | thức | food; drink |
| 396 | dễ | easy |
| 397 | vợ | wife |
| 398 | dụng | to utilise |
| 399 | y | he, him |
| 400 | trái | inside out |
| 401 | quái | at all |
| 402 | phía | side, way, direction |
| 403 | tiến | to advance; to go forward |
| 404 | đau | to be hurt; to be wounded |
| 405 | điểm | metric for evaluation; point, mark, grade, score, etc |
| 406 | lực | force |
| 407 | sai | not right, correct or proper; wrong, incorrect, improper,… |
| 408 | tệ | bad |
| 409 | chắn | to shield |
| 410 | quả | really; truly |
| 411 | sàng | winnowing basket |
| 412 | quên | to forget |
| 413 | phút | minute |
| 414 | gã | he; him; that guy |
| 415 | mừng | glad, happy |
| 416 | kỳ | Alternative spelling of kì |
| 417 | hơi | slightly, somewhat, a little |
| 418 | a | Used to indicate a question that is asked out of perplexity… |
| 419 | chân | foot |
| 420 | kinh | remarkably, especially if also horrifyingly or upsettingly… |
| 421 | tuần | week |
| 422 | mua | to buy; to purchase |
| 423 | thủ | to guard; to keep |
| 424 | đặc | purely |
| 425 | may | to sew |
| 426 | duy | only |
| 427 | trí | wisdom; knowledge; intelligence |
| 428 | tàu | one of several types of vehicle or craft, usually large,… |
| 429 | sức | strength; power |
| 430 | trò | trick; artifice; antic |
| 431 | quyền | right |
| 432 | kìa | there; over there |
| 433 | mỗi | each; every |
| 434 | quý | valuable; precious |
| 435 | phố | street, with houses and buildings on both sides |
| 436 | buổi | half a day |
| 437 | thư | letter |
| 438 | hạ | summer |
| 439 | bài | card, playing card, card game |
| 440 | đặt | to place; to put; to lay |
| 441 | tháng | month |
| 442 | hôn | Southern Vietnam form of không |
| 443 | mai | early morning |
| 444 | tài | talent; gift |
| 445 | diễn | to act; to perform |
| 446 | to | big, large |
| 447 | the | a kind of silk gauze, often used to make ao dai |
| 448 | phép | custom |
| 449 | nổi | be able to; to be capable of; to be in a position to |
| 450 | pháp | rule; law; standard; method |
| 451 | khách | someone who is not the owner, host or proprietor of a place… |
| 452 | đôi | double |
| 453 | hiệu | a shop; a store |
| 454 | mặc | to wear or put on |
| 455 | vũ | feather |
| 456 | yên | tranquil; peaceful |
| 457 | máu | blood |
| 458 | hệ | system |
| 459 | đơn | application, petition, request |
| 460 | khí | clipping of không khí |
| 461 | khiến | to cause; to make |
| 462 | phá | to destroy, to demolish |
| 463 | tục | culturally customary practice |
| 464 | thú | a hobby |
| 465 | tuổi | age |
| 466 | dân | the people |
| 467 | chuẩn | standard |
| 468 | tạo | to create, to make, to form, to cause |
| 469 | cá | abbreviation of không |
| 470 | luật | the law |
| 471 | dẫn | to lead to a place |
| 472 | phục | to admire; to esteem |
| 473 | m | abbreviation of mày / mi |
| 474 | nhiêu | that many or that much |
| 475 | mau | fast, quickly |
| 476 | hiểm | dangerous; perilous |
| 477 | bàn | table |
| 478 | độ | about; approximately |
| 479 | mạng | spiderweb |
| 480 | sách | book |
| 481 | chó | dog |
| 482 | tiêu | clipping of tiêu hoá |
| 483 | ư | question particle: is it that? is it so? |
| 484 | phạm | to commit a crime, or to violate |
| 485 | chúc | to tell someone that you wish/hope something good will… |
| 486 | nhiệm | miraculous; magical |
| 487 | thoại | alternative form of thoạ |
| 488 | tinh | quick to notice; sharp, keen, etc |
| 489 | tránh | to stay out of the way |
| 490 | gây | to cause; to stir up; to incite; to rouse |
| 491 | thúc | to push; to shove; to jab |
| 492 | khu | district, area, zone |
| 493 | danh | the state of being well-known; reputation, renown, fame,… |
| 494 | tranh | painting, picture |
| 495 | ổng | he; him |
| 496 | thắng | brake |
| 497 | cây | plant with a hard trunk or stem, such as a woody tree or… |
| 498 | xấu | ugly; hideous |
| 499 | xuất | to advance |
| 500 | áo | top |
| 501 | sếp | chief; boss |
| 502 | tiệt | completely; totally; entirely |
| 503 | chí | to; until |
| 504 | cấp | rank; level; class |
| 505 | giả | fake; false |
| 506 | xử | to treat; to deal with |
| 507 | tấn | a tonne |
| 508 | mật | honey |
| 509 | thiết | to give an interest or share in |
| 510 | khá | fairly competently |
| 511 | liệu | to think about; to consider; to weigh in one's mind |
| 512 | địa | clipping of địa lí |
| 513 | lạc | peanut, groundnut |
| 514 | bán | to sell |
| 515 | trình | to report |
| 516 | tượng | statue; sculpture |
| 517 | thoát | to escape, to exit |
| 518 | tạm | temporary |
| 519 | ngon | well |
| 520 | đoán | to guess; to predict; to surmise; to divine |
| 521 | thiên | to focus on; to gravitate towards |
| 522 | giáo | lance, spear |
| 523 | mời | to invite; to ask |
| 524 | rời | to break off; to break loose; to leave |
| 525 | thanh | sound; tone; noise |
| 526 | dự | to take part; to participate; to be involved |
| 527 | chàng | he/him, that admirable or lovable young man |
| 528 | lệnh | order; decree |
| 529 | l | abbreviation of lồn |
| 530 | hứa | to promise; to make a promise |
| 531 | nằm | to lie |
| 532 | sớm | early |
| 533 | dối | carelessly done |
| 534 | dịch | to translate |
| 535 | viết | to write |
| 536 | vời | remote; distant; very far |
| 537 | giữa | in the middle; in the center; amidst; between; among |
| 538 | ma | ghost |
| 539 | bóng | a ball |
| 540 | hộ | in place of someone else; in someone else's stead; for… |
| 541 | nghỉ | to take a break |
| 542 | sử | history |
| 543 | nạn | accident, danger, calamity, disaster, catastrophe, peril |
| 544 | hại | detrimental; injurious |
| 545 | căn | root; cause, origin, source |
| 546 | tim | a heart |
| 547 | nguy | dangerous; perilous |
| 548 | hồ | lake |
| 549 | dậy | eye dialect spelling of vậy, representing Southern Vietnam… |
| 550 | băng | non-hail ice |
| 551 | mục | six |
| 552 | phim | film |
| 553 | giỏi | good; competent |
| 554 | viện | institute |
| 555 | hướng | direction |
| 556 | tế | to sacrifice to; to make an offering to |
| 557 | thuật | art; craft; skill; technique |
| 558 | nhóc | kid, child, brat |
| 559 | đọc | to read, to pronounce |
| 560 | kiểu | like; as though; as if; that is to say |
| 561 | trị | to treat medically; to cure |
| 562 | phản | to betray; to be disloyal to |
| 563 | giao | to hand over |
| 564 | tù | prison |
| 565 | rối | short for con rối |
| 566 | trốn | to hide oneself |
| 567 | rượu | liquor |
| 568 | đá | rock, stone |
| 569 | bước | to step |
| 570 | dấu | mark, sign |
| 571 | ngu | stupid; idiotic; moronic |
| 572 | đức | virtue; righteousness |
| 573 | cười | smile |
| 574 | tư | four |
| 575 | cánh | wing |
| 576 | vòng | circle; ring |
| 577 | mỹ | alternative spelling of Mĩ: American |
| 578 | hoa | flower; flowering plant |
| 579 | lập | to set up; to establish |
| 580 | lạ | strange; unfamiliar |
| 581 | tổng | a sum |
| 582 | ban | group; band; board; squad; committee |
| 583 | đóng | to shut tight |
| 584 | tác | age |
| 585 | hề | at all, absolutely, completely, totally |
| 586 | lượng | quantity; amount |
| 587 | tụi | pluralizing particle for pronouns |
| 588 | càng | With a comparative or verb phrase, establishes a parallel… |
| 589 | thận | kidney |
| 590 | di | to change position; to move |
| 591 | bánh | a broad, vaguely defined term, mostly used by collocation… |
| 592 | da | skin |
| 593 | ngốc | foolish; doltish |
| 594 | án | criminal case |
| 595 | đám | cluster; heap |
| 596 | tham | to covet, to be greedy, to lust after |
| 597 | tức | i.e.; that is to say; in other words |
| 598 | văn | writing |
| 599 | mong | to hope, to expect, to wish for something |
| 600 | già | old; compare cũ |
| 601 | nghiệp | trade, profession |
| 602 | thuyền | boat |
| 603 | bí | pumpkin |
| 604 | trang | page |
| 605 | nè | particle demanding attention to something; take a look! |
| 606 | lũ | very high water level in a body of water or on land, which… |
| 607 | hồi | time, especially in the past |
| 608 | độc | toxic; poisonous; noxious; venomous |
| 609 | hạnh | apricot |
| 610 | khỏe | Traditional tone placement spelling of khoẻ |
| 611 | hẹn | to make an appointment; to arrange or promise |
| 612 | gửi | to send |
| 613 | đùa | to joke; to jest; to tease |
| 614 | trừ | to exclude |
| 615 | cáo | fox |
| 616 | khoảng | about; approximately |
| 617 | nhảy | to jump, to leap, to dive |
| 618 | thầy | I/me, your male teacher |
| 619 | đầy | full, filled |
| 620 | khoan | to wait a bit |
| 621 | món | dish |
| 622 | phi | if it isn't |
| 623 | nghiệm | to realize something after thinking thoroughly |
| 624 | hóa | Traditional tone placement spelling of hoá |
| 625 | cẩn | hibiscus |
| 626 | suy | to ponder over; to think carefully |
| 627 | đông | winter |
| 628 | suốt | throughout; from end to end; entire |
| 629 | vua | monarch |
| 630 | kéo | to pull |
| 631 | chồng | husband |
| 632 | thất | ventricle |
| 633 | đô | well-built; muscular |
| 634 | nhật | Japanese |
| 635 | nghi | to doubt, to suspect |
| 636 | khủng | to make frightened |
| 637 | tiếc | to regret |
| 638 | dành | to save up; to reserve |
| 639 | thị | she/her |
| 640 | lái | two |
| 641 | tương | a generic term meaning "sauce" |
| 642 | bữa | meal |
| 643 | chả | not at all |
| 644 | kiếp | a life; an incarnation |
| 645 | trận | battle |
| 646 | im | calm; silent; quiet; not talking anymore |
| 647 | bức | force, coerce |
| 648 | mãi | for a long time; unceasingly; always; all the time |
| 649 | triệu | million |
| 650 | quanh | around; round |
| 651 | màu | colour, color |
| 652 | buồn | sad |
| 653 | riêng | as to; as regards; except for |
| 654 | biển | sea; ocean |
| 655 | nàng | pronoun used to refer to a beloved or admirable woman |
| 656 | dài | nonstop |
| 657 | đỡ | temporarily; as a makeshift |
| 658 | sơ | negligent; incomplete; cursory |
| 659 | ngờ | to doubt; to suspect; to be suspicious |
| 660 | nổ | to explode |
| 661 | đạo | a code of conduct |
| 662 | đem | to bring; to carry |
| 663 | linh | zero; oh |
| 664 | chức | office; rank |
| 665 | chất | substance; matter; material |
| 666 | thẳng | straight; upright |
| 667 | chống | to prop up; to lean on |
| 668 | mơ | to dream |
| 669 | tổ | a nest |
| 670 | mắn | to be eager to |
| 671 | lịch | a calendar |
| 672 | gắng | to endeavour; to strive |
| 673 | quen | familiar |
| 674 | chừng | about; approximately |
| 675 | thù | feud |
| 676 | khóa | Traditional tone placement spelling of khoá |
| 677 | đuổi | to chase, to pursue |
| 678 | nguyên | yuan |
| 679 | cầm | to hold, to keep |
| 680 | thuộc | to belong to, to be subordinate to, or to be under the… |
| 681 | lửa | fire |
| 682 | lính | enlisted servicemember |
| 683 | ghét | dirt, filth |
| 684 | dạy | to teach, to train |
| 685 | ngăn | to stop or prevent someone from doing something |
| 686 | kiến | ant |
| 687 | thả | to release; to let go; to set free |
| 688 | thu | autumn; fall |
| 689 | thiếu | to be short of, to lack |
| 690 | ngôi | kingship or emperorship |
| 691 | lợi | gain, profit, benefit, advantage |
| 692 | nam | south |
| 693 | chia | to divide |
| 694 | cắt | to sever using a sharp object; to cut, snip, slit, trim,… |
| 695 | dây | rope; cord; wire; string |
| 696 | lắng | to settle; to deposit |
| 697 | thậm | verily; extremely; very much so |
| 698 | sở | workplace |
| 699 | nhập | to join |
| 700 | trách | to reproach; to blame; to reprove |
| 701 | ghi | to write something for the record |
| 702 | đen | of the color black |
| 703 | lão | I/me |
| 704 | cưới | to marry; to wed |
| 705 | hẳn | certainly; surely |
| 706 | ly | Alternative spelling of li |
| 707 | âm | sound |
| 708 | ngựa | a horse |
| 709 | binh | troops |
| 710 | cũ | old, but not ancient; compare cổ and già |
| 711 | vàng | yellow |
| 712 | phân | stool; faeces; excrement |
| 713 | hủy | Traditional tone placement spelling of huỷ |
| 714 | phương | direction |
| 715 | v | abbreviation of vậy |
| 716 | ngoại | foreign |
| 717 | tây | west |
| 718 | tòa | Traditional tone placement spelling of toà |
| 719 | tai | ear |
| 720 | truyền | to pass to |
| 721 | đạn | a bullet |
| 722 | kì | until; till |
| 723 | ký | Alternative spelling of kí |
| 724 | nghiêm | strict, grave, stern |
| 725 | tá | dozen |
| 726 | vết | spot; stain; blemish |
| 727 | nhắc | to prompt; to remind |
| 728 | đảm | capable, resourceful |
| 729 | tiệc | banquet; party; dinner |
| 730 | dám | to dare to do something |
| 731 | la | to cry, to shout |
| 732 | ok | OK, okay |
| 733 | quần | two-legged/holed bottom; pants, shorts, briefs, panties, etc |
| 734 | mối | termite |
| 735 | chấp | to accept; to approve |
| 736 | phiền | bothersome; annoying |
| 737 | đổ | to pour |
| 738 | lựa | to choose |
| 739 | ràng | to fasten around multiple times |
| 740 | nửa | half |
| 741 | lầm | by accident; by mistake; accidentally; mistakenly |
| 742 | chung | general; common; public |
| 743 | chế | Used to address, or used by, a female who is older than the… |
| 744 | ước | to wish in one's mind |
| 745 | chi | what; whatever |
| 746 | cướp | to rob |
| 747 | hi | to bare one's teeth |
| 748 | nhờ | thanks to; owing to |
| 749 | bại | to fail |
| 750 | quỷ | any generic ugly, mischievous or evil spirit; a demon, a… |
| 751 | đằng | a direction or a way |
| 752 | tiểu | kind of sarcophagus, usually made from terracotta |
| 753 | hát | to sing |
| 754 | cử | to appoint, delegate |
| 755 | ca | mug |
| 756 | cưng | you kid; kiddo; honey; dear; darling; sweetheart |
| 757 | mã | code |
| 758 | chuyến | trip, instance of travel |
| 759 | thi | poetry |
| 760 | khăn | towel, napkin, handkerchief, kerchief, turban |
| 761 | lễ | ceremony, festival, festive day, holiday |
| 762 | lai | short for lai giống |
| 763 | vượt | to cross a mark, line or obstacle |
| 764 | lối | path; way; track |
| 765 | thuyết | doctrine; theory |
| 766 | tha | to forgive |
| 767 | nóng | hot |
| 768 | vùng | region, area |
| 769 | phúc | good fortune; good luck; happiness; bliss; felicity |
| 770 | giấy | paper |
| 771 | tích | product |
| 772 | thái | Thai |
| 773 | nhạc | music |
| 774 | tận | first-hand, with your very own senses, or right there and… |
| 775 | rắc | to sprinkle |
| 776 | u | mother; mom |
| 777 | buộc | to tie an object or seal a container by tying; compare trói… |
| 778 | xét | to examine; to consider |
| 779 | kích | a halberd |
| 780 | đoàn | group; party; corps; league |
| 781 | tiết | a period |
| 782 | thịt | human or animal flesh, especially meat, but mostly except… |
| 783 | tóc | headhair |
| 784 | trắng | white |
| 785 | thuận | dominant |
| 786 | phù | to swell |
| 787 | rơi | to fall |
| 788 | chăm | to diligently look after |
| 789 | lạnh | cold |
| 790 | cực | extremely; utterly; extraordinarily |
| 791 | nhóm | group |
| 792 | kim | metal, one of the Wu Xing |
| 793 | b | abbreviation of bạn |
| 794 | tỉnh | province, prefecture |
| 795 | cộng | plus |
| 796 | mái | female |
| 797 | cung | a palace |
| 798 | săn | to hunt; to hunt down |
| 799 | cuốn | to roll |
| 800 | tướng | general officer |
| 801 | dữ | really; very much |
| 802 | giận | to be angry |
| 803 | thượng | upper; higher; top |
| 804 | miệng | mouth |
| 805 | soát | to check; to verify |
| 806 | sản | to produce, to create, to generate |
| 807 | tăng | to increase |
| 808 | ứng | to correspond; to respond |
| 809 | bắc | north; northern |
| 810 | vi | alternative form of vây |
| 811 | trộm | thief |
| 812 | phí | to waste; to squander; to spend |
| 813 | sửa | to repair, to correct, to put right |
| 814 | lệ | tears |
| 815 | cà | Any plant of the Solanaceae family, including the eggplant,… |
| 816 | lừa | a donkey |
| 817 | mức | level; degree; extent; measure; standard |
| 818 | túi | bag |
| 819 | thánh | holy; sacred; saintly |
| 820 | đỏ | red |
| 821 | giây | second |
| 822 | hưởng | to obtain for oneself, to gain access to |
| 823 | yếu | weak, feeble |
| 824 | dõi | to follow closely; to keep track of |
| 825 | ích | benefit, use |
| 826 | trại | barrack; outpost |
| 827 | cơn | North Central Vietnam form of cây |
| 828 | khai | to declare, to state, to testify |
| 829 | sâu | deeply |
| 830 | vương | to cling to |
| 831 | thở | to breathe out; to exhale |
| 832 | tí | breast |
| 833 | diện | to dress up; to be well-dressed; to be decked out |
| 834 | hồn | hun |
| 835 | hầu | nearly; almost |
| 836 | đảo | island |
| 837 | tín | trust; honesty |
| 838 | xúc | to scoop |
| 839 | nỗi | status; situation; state |
| 840 | phủ | to cover |
| 841 | biểu | South Central Vietnam and Southern Vietnam form of bảo |
| 842 | hòa | Traditional tone placement spelling of hoà |
| 843 | loạn | rebellion, chaos |
| 844 | nặng | heavy |
| 845 | tấm | broken or fractured rice grains |
| 846 | lớp | a layer |
| 847 | bom | bomb |
| 848 | chuyên | to specialise in; to be expert in |
| 849 | ác | cruel; evil; inhumane; merciless |
| 850 | bận | time; occurrence |
| 851 | huynh | I; you |
| 852 | chương | a chapter |
| 853 | lí | common sense |
| 854 | chữa | to repair; to mend |
| 855 | lãnh | to receive, to get |
| 856 | đột | suddenly; abruptly; promptly; unexpectedly |
| 857 | kính | glass that comes in thinnish, flattish sheets, used to make… |
| 858 | rút | to pull out or pull back |
| 859 | phóng | to throw; to launch; to let out |
| 860 | thỏa | Traditional tone placement spelling of thoả |
| 861 | khỉ | monkey |
| 862 | á | emphasizes a quality that the listener may not have known;… |
| 863 | lộ | to come out; to be discovered |
| 864 | cạnh | right next to; beside |
| 865 | kỹ | Alternative spelling of kĩ |
| 866 | hậu | queen |
| 867 | hùng | male |
| 868 | sang | expensive, luxurious |
| 869 | thề | to swear; to vow; to pledge |
| 870 | đoạn | then; after finishing |
| 871 | sóc | squirrel |
| 872 | khẩu | mouth; opening |
| 873 | luyện | to train, to drill |
| 874 | thăm | to visit; to call on |
| 875 | sạch | completely; entirely; utterly |
| 876 | chim | bird |
| 877 | xếp | to arrange; to put in order |
| 878 | nha | alright?; okay?; will you? |
| 879 | quán | an eating establishment with place to sit |
| 880 | mùi | smell; odor; scent |
| 881 | ánh | a branch of some tubers |
| 882 | đón | to be ready to receive; to welcome |
| 883 | lá | leaf |
| 884 | tồi | poor; bad; mediocre |
| 885 | phong | maple |
| 886 | giấu | to hide |
| 887 | thủy | Traditional tone placement spelling of thuỷ |
| 888 | quản | to care |
| 889 | thuê | to rent or to lease |
| 890 | lành | in good condition; intact |
| 891 | tôn | to revere, to respect, to honor |
| 892 | tường | wall |
| 893 | hỏng | broken; out of order |
| 894 | não | brain, cerebrum |
| 895 | tầm | about |
| 896 | ê | hey |
| 897 | vực | abyss |
| 898 | loài | species |
| 899 | hộp | box or carton |
| 900 | xanh | grue |
| 901 | tắm | to wash a live body, usually your own; to bathe, to shower,… |
| 902 | tắt | to be out; to put out; to stop glowing |
| 903 | ngừng | to stop, to desist |
| 904 | siêu | super; super-duper |
| 905 | dọn | to arrange; to put in order |
| 906 | nhắn | to send word; to leave a message |
| 907 | ấn | to press with one's finger |
| 908 | thừa | without doubt; surely; certainly |
| 909 | ô | black |
| 910 | nguyện | to pledge to; to vow to; to swear an oath to |
| 911 | dựng | to make something upstanding; to erect; to raise |
| 912 | sân | a yard |
| 913 | nợ | debt |
| 914 | lặng | calm, silent, quiet |
| 915 | nội | emphasizing the mere something |
| 916 | mùa | each of the four divisions of a year: spring, summer,… |
| 917 | đập | to smash; to bang; to strike |
| 918 | diệt | to destroy, to exterminate |
| 919 | chà | to rub, to cleanse |
| 920 | tầng | story; floor |
| 921 | hạn | drought; dryness |
| 922 | kiện | bale; parcel; package |
| 923 | mắc | to hang; to hook |
| 924 | trực | to be on continuous duty doing tasks on demand |
| 925 | đài | used in words for certain raised structures or platforms |
| 926 | muộn | late; tardy |
| 927 | bạc | silver |
| 928 | sót | to be left over, to remain, remaindered |
| 929 | lưu | to detain; to keep |
| 930 | can | liver |
| 931 | quà | present, gift |
| 932 | say | deep; fast |
| 933 | đống | heap, pile |
| 934 | khắp | all over; throughout |
| 935 | hút | to absorb, to suck |
| 936 | giường | bed |
| 937 | chặn | to block; to stop; to intercept |
| 938 | hảo | good |
| 939 | xinh | nice; pretty |
| 940 | cục | an office under a bộ |
| 941 | trấn | North Central Vietnam form of rận |
| 942 | in | to print |
| 943 | núi | a mountain |
| 944 | đích | target |
| 945 | nắm | to hold; to grip; to grasp |
| 946 | chạm | to touch; to make physical contact |
| 947 | nguồn | source |
| 948 | chụp | to seize, to catch |
| 949 | phê | very satisfied; elated; ecstatic; high |
| 950 | h | abbreviation of giờ |
| 951 | hữu | bhava |
| 952 | khoa | a faculty or department |
| 953 | so | to compare |
| 954 | truy | to follow; to persue; to chase |
| 955 | thua | to lose |
| 956 | tồn | to remain in stock due to weak sale |
| 957 | tàn | ash resulting from burning cigarettes, incense or mosquito… |
| 958 | xây | to build |
| 959 | dính | to stick; to glue |
| 960 | bang | state |
| 961 | ngân | to vibrate; to resound |
| 962 | ném | to throw, fling, cast, chuck |
| 963 | tờ | sheet |
| 964 | chìa | short for chìa khoá |
| 965 | nuôi | to feed and raise, to rear |
| 966 | đói | hungry |
| 967 | nhầm | Northern Vietnam form of lầm |
| 968 | đẩy | to push, to shove, to thrust |
| 969 | khóc | to cry, to weep |
| 970 | kêu | to cry |
| 971 | dục | alternative form of vụt |
| 972 | khổ | miserable; painful |
| 973 | bốn | four |
| 974 | chặt | tight |
| 975 | ẩn | latent |
| 976 | hiệp | half |
| 977 | úy | Traditional tone placement spelling of uý |
| 978 | no | full |
| 979 | áp | to press against; to stand against |
| 980 | chán | dull, boring |
| 981 | rừng | forest |
| 982 | nghệ | occupation, employment, trade, profession |
| 983 | mẫu | a sample |
| 984 | trễ | late; tardy |
| 985 | luận | essay |
| 986 | thang | a ladder |
| 987 | hào | moat |
| 988 | sổ | notebook, register book |
| 989 | đèn | a light; a lamp, an oil lamp, a light bulb, an incandescent… |
| 990 | lưng | back |
| 991 | phận | a role |
| 992 | quy | jack |
| 993 | vận | luck; fortune |
| 994 | khởi | to start; to begin; to initiate |
| 995 | chậm | slow |
| 996 | biên | boundary |
| 997 | tộc | people; nation; ethnicity |
| 998 | chữ | a letter or character |
| 999 | cháy | to burn, to become burnt; to blaze |
| 1,000 | khắc | eventually |
Take the list with you
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Download all 4,921 Vietnamese words
Frequencies come from the OpenSubtitles corpus via hermitdave/FrequencyWords; English meanings from Wiktextract. Both are CC BY-SA 4.0, and so is this list.
Words stick once you use them
A list gets you the first few hundred. Saying them to someone who speaks Vietnamese is what makes them stay.