Royal District Nursing Service Workplace words and phrases

Vietnamese

Guidelines for Use

RDNS is committed to the Multicultural Victoria Act 2004, which informs RDNS' policies to
ensure people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds can enjoy
access to RDNS' services equally, and are treated with respect and sensitivity.

RDNS' clients originate from 145 countries and speak 74 languages.

Each of RDNS' nursing centres provides services to local CALD communities, which vary
markedly from centre to centre. Some centres may have large population groups from
single ethnic backgrounds; others may have several groups of varying ethnicity.

RDNS recognises that effective communication is essential to the delivery of high quality
services and communicates with people who speak little or no English with the use of
accredited interpreters (on-site and telephone), the provision of translated materials, and
wherever possible employing staff who can provide services to clients in a language
other than English.

In addition, RDNS makes available this information sheet which comprises common
words and phrases that might be used when a client from a non-English speaking
background is experiencing an episode of care from RDNS.

Whilst this document was originally developed for use by RDNS staff, it may of use to you
or people you know and as a result is freely available for download and use.

This document includes information on the following:

Introduction to the language

Topic 1: Greetings
Topic 2: Making / changing appointments
Topic 3: Medical problems
Topic 4: farewell

RDNS remains committed to providing the best possible care to all of our clients.

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Royal District Nursing Service Workplace words and phrases
Vietnamese

Introduction to the Vietnamese Alphabet

There are basically three main Vietnamese dialects which are generally mutually comprehensible.
Those are Southern Vietnamese, Northern Vietnamese and Middle Vietnamese. Southern
Vietnamese is spoken by people in the South of Vietnam, Northern Vietnamese by those in the North
of Vietnam and Middle Vietnamese by those in the middle of Vietnam. Standard forms are Saigon
accent in Southern Vietnamese and the Hanoi accent in Northern Vietnamese. The pronunciation
provided herein is the best form compiled from both the standard Southern Vietnamese and standard
Northern Vietnamese.

There are 34 consonants and vowels in Vietnamese. Vietnamese contains 11 vowels which are
categorized into three groups of vowels. (For the pronunciation of each consonant or vowel, see the
chart below.

Groups of vowels:
1) Single vowels: a, e, , i, o, , u, ,
2) Short vowels: ,
3) Diphthongs: i, u,

To pronounce the Vietnamese words in the translated phrases/sentences herein (pages 3, 4, 5 & 6),
just combine the consonants and vowels in the following chart. Vietnamese words are pronounced
the way they are spelled. When possible, closest pronunciation in English is provided but it is better to
put the sounds (as described in the chart below) together.

Vietnamese Character English Equivalent Closest Pronunciation in

English

a a father
u lucky
u butter
b b be
c c cat
ch ch cheers
d y you
d do
e e empire
a fate
g g good
h h hat
i i it
k k kim
kh qu quite
l l light
m m mother

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Royal District Nursing Service Workplace words and phrases
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Vietnamese Character English Equivalent Closest Pronunciation in

English

n n net
ng ng sing
nh n onion
o o boy
o so
a ago
ph ph photocopy
qu w watch
r r red
s sh shoe
t t tea
th th thermometer
tr tr train
u u butcher
No equivalent in English
v v van
x s see
y e Jesus

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Royal District Nursing Service Workplace words and phrases
Vietnamese

Topic 1: GREETINGS
English Vietnamese Closest Pronunciation
in English

Hello sir Cho ng Ciao oln

Hello madam Cho b Ciao bah

What is your name sir? Tn ng l g? Ten oln lah yee

What is your name madam? Tn b l g? Ten bah lah yee

I am a nurse Ti l mt y t t Dch V Y T Khu Toy lah mote e tah teur yik voo e
Vc tah coo veurk

My name is Tn ti l Ten toy la

Sir ng Olm

Madam B Bah

I am happy to see you again sir Ti vui mng gp li ng Toy vuy meurng gup luy oln

I am happy to see you again Ti vui mng gp li b Toy vui meurng gup luy bah
madam

No Khng Kong

Yes Phi Fuy

Good Tt Tote

Do you understand me sir? ng c hiu ti khng? Oln ko heel toy kong?

Do you understand me madam? B c hiu ti khng? Bah ko heel toy kong?

I understand you sir Ti hiu ng Toy heel oln

I understand you madam Ti hiu b Toy heel bah

I dont understand you sir Ti khng hiu ng Toy kong heel oln

I dont understand you madam Ti khng hiu b Toy kong heel bah

Do you need an interpreter sir ng c cn mt thng dch vin Oln koh kun mut thong yeet veen
khng? kong?
Do you need an interpreter B c cn mt thng dch vin Bah koh kun mut thong yeet veen
madam?? khng? kong?

I need an interpreter Ti cn mt thng dch vin Toy kun mut thong yeet veen

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Royal District Nursing Service Workplace words and phrases
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Topic 2: MAKING / CHANGING APPOINTMENTS

English
What day can I visit you sir?
What day can I visit you madam?
Vietnamese Closest Pronunciation in
English
Ti c th n thm ng ngy Toy ko the den tham oln ngay nao
no?
Ti c th n thm b ngy no? Toy ko the den tham ba ngay nao

At what time? Lc my gi? Luk may yeur

Monday Th Hai Thu hi

Tuesday Th Ba Thu bah
Wednesday Th T Thu teur
Thursday Th Nm Thu num
Friday Th Su Thu shou
Saturday Th By Thu bay

Sunday Ch Nht Choo nhat

Morning Bui sng Bui shang

Afternoon Bui chiu

Evening Bui treur

I need to Ti cn Toy cun

Make a phone call to Gi in thoi cho Goi deen thoai cho

Speak Ni Noy

to your doctor sir / madam Vi bc s tha ng/b Voi bak she thua oln/bah

to your family sir / madam Vi gia nh tha ng/b Voi ya dinh thua oln/bah
to your son sir / madam Vi con trai ng/b Voi con trai oln/bah
to your daughter sir / madam Vi con gi ng/b Voi con gai oln/bah
to your husband madam Vi chng b Voi chong bah
to your wife sir Vi v ng Voi vo oln
to your brother sir / madam Vi anh ca ng/b Voi anh kua oln/bah
to your sister sir / madam Vi ch ca ng/b Voi chi kua oln/bah
I need to change our visit time sir Ti cn thay i gi n thm ng Toy kun thay doi yeur den tham oln
I need to change our visit time Ti cn thay i gi n thm b Toi kun thay doi yeur den tham bah
madam

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Royal District Nursing Service Workplace words and phrases
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Topic 3: MEDICAL PROBLEMS

English Vietnamese Closest Pronunciation

in English
How are you sir? ng khe khng? Oln khoe kong?

How are you madam? B khe khng? Bah khoe kong?

Where does it hurt sir? ng au u? Ong dau uh doh?

Where does it hurt madam? B au u? Ba dau uh doh?

The chemist will bring your
tablets this afternoon / tomorrow
Show me the medications that
you are taking sir
Show me the medications that
you are taking madam
Dc s s mang n thuc
ca bn chiu nay/ ngy mai
Cho ti xem thuc m ng ang dng
Cho ti xem thuc m b ang dng
Duoc she share mang den
thuoc kua ban chew nay/
ngay my
Cho toy same thuoc mah oln dan
yoon
Cho toy same thuoc mah bah dan
yoon

Toy muon ban uong thuoc kua

I want you to take your medicine Ti mun bn ung thuc ca bn
ban

Can you get yourself some water ng c ly nc cho ng khng? Oln toy ko the to lay nuoc cho oln
sir? kong?
Can you get yourself some water B c ly nc cho b khng? Bah toy ko the to lay nuoc cho bah
madam? kong?

I need to Ti cn Toy kun

Check your blood pressure o mu ca bn Do mau kua ban

Take your pulse o mch ca bn Do mach kua ban

Change your dressing Thay cho bn Thay doh cho ban

Ambulance Xe cu thng Se ku thuong

Doctor Bc s Bak she

Medicine Thuc Thuoc

Are you constipated sir? ng c b bn khng? Oln ko bee bon kong?

Are you constipated madam? B c b bn khng? Bah ko bee bon kong?

Do you have diabetes sir? ng c b tiu ng khng? Oln ko bee tieu duong kong?

Do you have diabetes madam? B c b tiu ng khng? Bah ko bee tieu duong kong?

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Royal District Nursing Service Workplace words and phrases
Vietnamese

Topic 4: FAREWELL

English Vietnamese Closest Pronunciation

in English
ng c th gi in cho ti s Oln ko the goi dien cho toy
Sir, you can ring me on.
show
Madam, you can ring me on . B c th gi in cho ti s Bah ko the goi dien cho toy
show
Thank you sir Cm n ng Kam earn oln

Thank you madam Cm n b Kam earn bah

Im pleased to have met you sir Ti vui c gp ng Toy vui da duoc gup oln

Im pleased to have met you Ti vui c gp b Toy vui da duoc gup bah
madam

You are welcome sir Khng c chi tha ng Kong co chi thua oln

You are welcome madam Khng c chi tha b Kong co chi thua bah

Good bye sir Cho ng Chow oln

Good bye madam Cho b Chow bah

Keep well sir Gi gn sc khe tha ng Yeur gin shuk khoe thua oln

Keep well madam Gi gn sc khe tha b Yeur gin shuk khoe thua bah

Take care / All the best / Good Bo trng/ Mi iu tt p nht/ Bao trong/ Moy dieu tote dep nhat/
luck sir Chc may mn tha ng Chuk my mun thua oln

Take care / All the best / Good Bo trng/ Mi iu tt p nht/ Bao trong/ Moy dieu tote dep nhat/
luck madam Chc may mn tha b Chuk my mun thua bah

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