Learn Vietnamese with Audio Books
Ways and Methods to Learn Vietnamese
There are many options for learning to speak Vietnamese. Whether you want to barter for great souvenirs on your trip to Vietnam or want to understand the culture better, you can find great tools to help you learn without enrolling in a traditional class. There are plenty of useful audio books that allow you to learn on the go. You can also supplement your efforts with a wide selection of website that allow you to learn Vietnamese for free. Regardless of how you learn best, you'll find the right resources to learn this interesting language.
The Sound of the Vietnamese Language
Vietnamese is a tonal language, which means that it really helps to hear it spoken by a native speaker. There are 6 tones, 17 consonants and 12 vowels. The nouns and verbs are comprised of two segments that individually may have no meaning or a different meaning in a different context. Personal pronouns are determined by a lot of different factors such as age, gender and marital and social status of the person to whom you are speaking. Because the sounds may be unfamiliar to the ears of English-speakers, it is a good idea to use resources that allow you to hear all the different tones and sounds. This will help you recognize all those new words and differentiate them from each other.
Audio Books to Learn Vietnamese
Even if you are enrolled in a more traditional Vietnamese language class, it will really help to buy some audio books to boost those efforts. There are great books available to help you learn basic Vietnamese. Because this is a tonal language it is especially helpful to hear the different sounds. With audio books you can listen to the lessons wherever you go. Download one onto an mp3 player and it's like having a Vietnamese teacher in your pocket. Listen to it in the background as you do housework or work out. Practice repeating the words while commuting in your car. Some systems are renowned for their effectiveness such as the Pimsleur Vietnamese audio books. This method was specifically designed to help you learn as a child learns.
Speaking Vietnamese - Listening to Vietnamese Words and Sentences
If your schedule requires that you learn to speak Vietnamese outside of traditional working hours, the internet is a wealth of resources. Find sites that allow you to hear people speaking the words. One great advantage of using the internet to learn is that you can go at your own pace. You don't have to worry about keeping up with others in your class or getting bored with those who learn slower. It allows you to repeat lessons until you really master them. Of course, doing lessons at midnight in your bathrobe is a big plus.
Native Speakers Teach Vietnamese
Regardless of why you want to learn Vietnamese, you can find the perfect resource to help you. Listening to a native speaker is absolutely beneficial and your tools should incorporate audio lessons. Find internet sites that allow you to learn at your own pace and to hear the words spoken aloud. Peruse the selections of available audio books to find one that fits your needs. The Pimsleur series are great for learning tonal languages like Vietnamese. Jump in and before you know it you'll be saying "xin chao" (seen chaw) or "hi" to your hotel clerk in Hanoi.
By using the Search function in the top left corner you can find more language courses by Pimsleur available from this site.
Back to Audio Books 101 | 
