Table Of ContentLet’s Speak Vietnamese
A n Introduction to Contemporary Vietnamese
Lê Phạm Thuý-Kim # Nguyễn Bích Thuận
Let’s Speak Vietnamese
Lê Phạm Thuý-Kim & Nguyễn Bích Thuận
ISBN 978-0-9796015-0-7
Published by Lê Nguyễn Press. 2007
Copyright © 2007 by Lê Phạm Thuý-Kim and Nguyễn Bích Thuận
All right reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means,
or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written consent of Lê Phạm Thúy-Kim, the author,
including, but not limited to, in any network or other electronic storage or transmission, or broadcast for
distance learning.
Cover designer: Lê Phạm Mai-Li
Layout: Lê Phạm Thuý-Kim
Illustrations: Lê Phạm Thúy-Kim, Nguyễn Phúc Nhật Khánh, Nguyễn Vivian, Tadashi Matsuda, and
public domain clip arts from http://www.wpclipart.com/
Photographs: Lê Hùng Tiến, Nguyễn Bích Thuận, Lê Phạm Mai-Linh, Lê Phạm Thuý-Kim, and
Nguyễn Thị Tuyết
COLLEGE
v LIBRARY
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Contents P
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73
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Preface............................................................................................................................................. xi
Acknowledgements...................................................................................................................... xiii
Chapter 1: Greeting and Getting Acquainted 1
Communicative Tasks Language Skills
• To greet 1. Greeting in Vietnamese
• To ask and give names 2. Indicating possession with của
• To introduce oneself and others 3. Asking and telling names
• To ask someone’s country of origin 4. Asking questions using the question word nào
• To familiarize oneself with terms of address 5. Confirming with question tag phải không
and personal references 6. Using terms of address - When to use it
• To learn the polite ways to address people Writing and Reading Activities:
Communicative Activities: Greeting and getting acquainted
Greetings and introductions Listening Activities: Self-introductions
Chapter 2: Personal Information 15
Communicative Tasks Language Skills
• To state one’s occupation and place of 7. Using Ờ as a verb and as a preposition
study/work 8. Confirming an information is correct with
• To ask and state the place of residence có...phải không?
• To ask and tell someone’s age 9. Asking for quantity with bao nhiêu and mấy
• To count numbers from 1 to 30 10. Asking and telling and telephone numbers
• To ask and give addresses and phone 11.Indicating negation with không
numbers Reading Activities:
Communicative Activities: Identification and business cards
Inquiring personal information Listening Activities: Identifying people
Chapter 3: Subjects of study, Times, and Schedules 33
Communicative Tasks Language Skills
• To use numbers from 31 to 100 12. Asking and telling the time
• To ask the time and take leave 13. Using the verb đi
• To greet the Vietnamese way 14. Asking what time an action takes place in the
» To talk about daily activities future
Communicative Activities: 15. Asking what time an action takes place in the
Talking about daily activities past
Writing and Reading Activities: ló.Expressing the future tense with sẽ
Daily schedules Listening Activities:
Asking times and talking about daily activities
V
Chapter 4: Student Life 49
Communicative Tasks Language Skills
« To count number from 101 to 10,000 17. Using personal pronouns
e To talk about subjects of study and field of 18. Making a question sounded friendly using
specialization đấy, đó
* To give information about self 19. Using bao giờ, khi nào, mấy giờ
e To talk about past, present, and future events 20. ưsing lúc mấy giò’, hồi nào, khi nào
Communicative Activities: Writing and Reading Activities:
Interview about student life Nationwide examinations in Vietnam
Listening Activities: Plans after graduation
Chapter 5: Review 1 69
Chapter 6: Family and Relatives 75
Communicative Tasks Language Skills
• To talk about families and relatives 21. Using classifiers đứa, người
® To inquire about someone’s marital status 22. Asking if someone has done something using
® To express concerns (đã)... chưa?
Writing and Reading Activities: 23. Asking and answering questions with CÓ +
Introducing one’s family ADJECTIVE + không?
Listening Activities: 24. Using bị, đỡ, khỏi, hết to inquire and state
Talking about one’s family one’s health condition
Chapter 7: Hobbies and Pastimes 91
Communicative Tasks Language Skills
• To talk about habits and pastimes 25. Asking questions with CÓ + ADJ + không?
• To express likes and dislikes 26. Asking questions with ACTIVITY + CÓ
e To express time frequencies ADJECTIVE không?
• To express capability and incapability 27. Using rất and lắm with adjectives
Communicative Activities: 28.Inquiring and expressing capability and
Talking about hobbies and pastimes incapability with được không and được
Writing and Reading Activities: Listening Activities: Hobbies and pastimes
Hobbies and pastimes
Chapter 8: People: Their Physical Appearance 107
Communicative Tasks Language Skills
• To describe people’s physical appearance 29. Using the interrogative pronoun ai
• To express the duration of time 30. To ask the description of one’s physical
• To find out the reasons appearance with như the nào?
• To state the purpose 31. Ưsing để làm gì to ask the purpose of an
Communicative Activities: Describing activity
one’s self and someone’s physical appearance 32. Asking for the duration of time with bao lâu
Writing and Reading Activities: and bao lâu rồi
Describing people’s physical appearance Listening Activities: Describing people
VI
Chapter 9: People: Their Qualities and Character 121
Communicative Tasks Language Skills
• To describe people’s qualities 33. Asking for an opinion with thấy như thế
• To indicate contrasts nào?
• To make comparisons 34. Making comparisons with hon, như
• To express opinions 35.1ndicating a contrast using còn ... thì
Communicative Activities: Being a matchmaker 36. Expressing the superlative form nhất, hoiầ
Reading Activities: Looking for a soul mate cả, hon hết
Writing Activities: Describing a character Listening Activities:
Describing people’s character
Chapter 10: Review 2 133
Chapter 11: Things and Possessions 139
Communicative Tasks Language Skills
• To ask how to say something in Vietnamese 37. Using classifiers
• To describe things 38. Using cho as to allow and as to and for
• To indicate locations 39. Giving emphasis on the object instead of
• To ask about quantity subject
• To count and talk about things using classifiers Writing and Reading Activities:
Communicative Activities: Describing a room in your house
Asking for permission Listening Activities: Looking for things
Chapter 12: At the Shop 153
Communicative Tasks Language Skills
• To ask and request to see a merchandise 40. Asking for and giving the prices and
• To ask for and tell the price bargaining
• To bargain 41. Using nửa, rưởi and rưỡi
• To exhort 42. Using để to let someone do something
• To use classifiers appropriately 43. Using direct and indirect speeches
Communicative Activities: Writing and Reading Activities: Shopping
Shopping and bargaining Listening Activities: Merchandise and prices
Chapter 13: Houses 169
Communicative Tasks Language Skills
• To describe rooms and houses 44. Using CỎ as to have and there is/there are
• To ask the distance and the duration of time 45. Asking the distance with bao xa
• To rent a place to stay 46. Expressing the time spent with mất
Communicative Activities: Renting a room Reading Activities:
Writing Activities: My dream house Reading the ads for rooms and houses to rent
Listening Activities: Renting a room
VII
Chapter 14: Modes of Transport 185
Communicative Tasks Language Skills
• To talk about different means of transport 47. Asking about mode of transport with bằng gì?
• To ask and give directions 48. Using imperative forms: đi, hãy, and đừng
• To express time sequences 49. Talking about experiences using bao giờ chưa
® To express imperatives and conditions and lần nào chưa
• To talk about past experiences Reading Activities: Daily transportation
• To express gratitude and reply to thanks Writing Activities: About my recent trip
Communicative Activities: Listening Activities: Giving and taking directions
Asking and giving directions
Chapter 15: Review 3 205
Chapter 16: At the Market 211
Communicative Tasks Language Skills
• To ask and give advice 50.1ndicating a restriction of an action with
• To negotiate mói + VERB
• To give instructions 51. Pluralizing ai, gì, đâu
• To express the units of measurements 52. Exhorting using cứ + VERB
Communicative Activities: Reading Activities: Recipe for a VN dish
Buying groceries Listening Activities: Shopping list
Writing Activities: Your favorite recipe
Chapter 17: At the Restaurant 231
Communicative Tasks Language Skills
• To request and obtain information 53. Using gi after a noun
• To discuss choice of food to order 54. Using two clauses sentences
• To order food in a restaurant 55. Using đừng in different patterns
Communicative Activities: 56. To learn basic sentence structures, using tùy,
Ordering food at a restaurant thế nào/sao cũng được, mỗi thứ một đĩa,
Reading Activities: Restaurant advertisement VERB + thử xem
Writing Activities: Review of a restaurant Listening Activities: Favorite VN dishes
Chapter 18: Telephones 251
Communicative Tasks Language Skills
• To make phone calls 57. Using xong to denote the completion of an
• To answer phone calls action
• To leave messages with someone 58. Asking questions using có gì/ai/ đâu ....không
• To make requests 59. Asking a favor with nhờ ...
• To set up an appointment by phone Reading Activities: Telephone expressions
Communicative Activities: Listening Activities: Telephone conversations
Talking on the phone
viii
Chapter 19: At the Hotel 265
Communicative Tasks Language Skills
• To check into and out of a hotel 60. Using đều for emphasis
• To report things that are not working in your 61. Expressing a condition with conjunction nếu
room 62. Reviewing the use of thì
• To ask for things you may need at a hotel Reading Activities:
• To inquire services offered Hotel listings on the internet
Communicative Activities: Writing Activities: Letter of complaint
Renting a room at a hotel Listening Activities:
Experience with accommodation
Chapter 20: Review Chapter 4 285
Appendices 293
-Appendix 1: Introduction to Vietnamese Language 293
-Appendix 2: Pronunciation Guide and Drills 294
-Appendix 3: Vietnamese Names 309
-Appendix 4: Classroom Expressions 311
-Appendix 5: Index of Grammar 312
-Appendix 6: Vietnamese-English Glossary 313
References 324
About the authors 325
Online Resources
-Audio Program with MP3 files http://www.piiblic.asii.edii/-ickpl/lsv/index.htm
-Online review activities http://www.public.asu.edu/~ickpl/lsvl/index.htm
-Listening and Pronunciation Program http://www.public.asu.edu/~ickpl/listening/index.htm
IX
Trung Quốc
X
Preface
Objectives
Let's Speak Vietnamese is a complete package of instructional materials for the beginning
level of Vietnamese. The materials aim to help learners to develop proficiency in all the
four language skills as well as to raise cultural awareness. The flexible framework of this
text can accommodate various approaches to language learning. It also designed for self-
learning.
Components
Let’s Speak Vietnamese program consists of a main text, an online audio program
containing recorded texts and listening activities, and an online review activities program.
Organization of the Textbook
This text is consisted of two main parts. The first part is composed of twenty lessons:
sixteen main chapters and four review chapters. Each main chapter includes:
• A title page of each chapter lists the topic and the language competencies to be
achieved.
• A Vocabulary and Oral Activities section introduces several short dialogues
based on everyday situations. Oral activities are designed for students to build up
their communicative skills in integrated situations, thus promoting fluency and
accuracy at the same time. A list of words related to the topic is given in each
chapter for vocabulary building.
• A Grammar and Practice Exercises section provides concise explanations of
grammar with examples followed by exercises that can be done orally or in
writing.
• A Writing and Reading Activities section contains exercises with semi-authentic
and authentic materials such as personal messages, advertisements, and excerpts
from online newspapers and magazines.
« A Listening Activities section gives students the opportunity to develop listening
skills such as recognition of cue words, listening for meaning, and general
comprehension of longer dialogues or narratives.
• A Summary of Vocabulary and Patterns section includes a list summarizing the
vocabulary and the pattern sentences introduced.
The second part consists of:
• An introduction to Vietnamese language
• A pronunciation guide which includes the Vietnamese alphabet, the spelling rules,
and the phonic system of the Vietnamese language based on Hanoi dialect
® Vietnamese Names
• Classroom Expressions
• Index of Grammar
• Glossary
« Lists of online programs accompany the textbook
XI
