
Photo: Nam Hoang (Unsplash License)

Around 90 million people speak Vietnamese as their first language. · 1 writing systems
Vietnam is a beautiful country with a history filled with stories and a special language called Vietnamese. This language is spoken by many people all across Vietnam and is even the official language there. Did you know that Vietnamese uses the Latin alphabet, just like English? It's fun to learn about how words and sounds connect to tell the tale of Vietnam's culture!
About the Script
Vietnamese uses Chữ Quốc Ngữ, a Latin alphabet with extra marks. Some marks (like the little hook, hat, or horn) make new vowel letters, and separate accent marks on top show which of the six tones to sing.
An adapted Latin alphabet used to write Vietnamese. It has two kinds of marks: letter marks like the breve, circumflex, and horn that make new vowel letters with their own sounds, plus separate accent marks stacked on top that show the six tones.
Fun Fact
Vietnamese has six different tones, making it a musical language.
Fun Fact
You can greet people at any time of the day in Vietnam with 'Xin chào', making it very versatile.
Cultural Note
In Vietnam, language and culture are closely linked through traditions, and respect is a core value shown through language.
If you think learning the tones of a language is hard, imagine a language with six! Vietnamese uses tone to add expression and alter word meanings.