Are you an expatriate living and working in Vietnam? Or are you living among many Vietnamese immigrants in Europe or America? Maybe you're like me with many Vietnamese friends studying in your country. Wouldn't it be nice to communicate with the Vietnamese in their own language? I think so!
This book with CDs sold separately is excellent. Vietnamese for Beginners: Second Edition is exactly what it promises. It is for people who know very little Vietnamese or none at all. At the end of the course of self-study, you will be able to speak, listen, read and write Vietnamese!
This is the only Vietnamese self-study package that teaches southern Vietnamese language. As you listen to the audio CDs, the instructor will make distinctions between the northern and southern words and pronunciation. This is useful since people in different parts of Vietnam have different pronunciations and accents. Depending on whom you speak to, opinions are divided as to which accent is the accurate one. I think what's more important is that you are understood by the locals, rather than be concerned about being "proper".
Lessons focus on sounds, tones and alphabet. Southern Vietnamese grammar is clearly explained with exercises to reinforce learning. It helps that the author is an American living in Ho Chi Minh City. His approach is simple and clear. It is also a very affordable package for both the book and the CDs, which are sold separately, as compared to Rosetta Stone.
Rosetta Stone's and Talk Now's Vietnamese packages are entirely northern accent and usage. Both packages can be a heavy investment if you are just starting out wanting to "get by" in Vietnamese. If you are around southern Vietnamese and wanting to communicate with them, Rosetta Stone will not help you. It could also alienate you from the people you are trying to befriend, since deep-seated feelings exist among Vietnamese from the north and the south. Learning a language is not just about being able to communicate; it is also embracing a new culture. The cultural lesson will take a lifetime to learn and understand.
As with learning any language, you may wish to use two different packages at the same time to speed up learning. If you're that kind of learner, then you can use Pimsleur with Vietnamese for Beginners. Pimsleur is also an audio with book package that will get you speaking fast.
Enjoy learning Vietnamese! The tones may make you stumble at first, but you will have fun!
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