What you'll learn
Start speaking Vietnamese and discover a rich language and culture with our Vietnamese language short courses online!
Have you always wanted to learn Vietnamese but weren’t sure where to begin? This beginner-friendly course offers a practical and supportive introduction to the language — no prior experience required.
From your very first class, you’ll begin using simple, everyday Vietnamese. You’ll learn how to introduce yourself, ask basic questions, and take part in short conversations, while building your vocabulary, pronunciation, and confidence step by step.
Vietnamese is a tonal language, and this course places strong emphasis on listening and pronunciation. With guidance from an experienced tutor, you’ll learn to recognise and use tones accurately, helping you communicate clearly and avoid common misunderstandings.
Alongside language skills, you’ll gain insight into Vietnamese culture, etiquette, and communication styles, helping you use the language more naturally in real-life situations.
Learning outcomes
By the end of this Vietnamese: Beginners Level 1 course, participants will have developed practical skills and knowledge in areas such as:
- Recognising and using Vietnamese tones with greater accuracy
- Understanding differences between Northern and Southern accents
- Greeting people and introducing yourself and others
- Asking for and giving simple directions
- Talking about travel, places, and everyday activities
- Using numbers, including those used in money and transactions
- Asking about prices and making simple purchases
- Talking about time, dates, and daily routines
- Using basic grammar structures to ask and answer questions
- Demonstrating awareness of Vietnamese culture and communication etiquette
Course content
What will be covered in this Vietnamese: Beginners Level 1 course?
During the course, participants will be guided through key concepts, techniques and approaches that typically include:
Topics
- Vietnamese alphabet and pronunciation
- Numbers and everyday vocabulary
- Greetings and introductions
- Places, directions, and transport
- Time, dates, and seasons
- Hobbies and daily activities
- Vietnamese culture and customs
Language skills
- Speaking and listening through guided practice
- Developing confidence in everyday communication
- Training your ear to recognise tones and accents
Grammar
- Basic sentence structure
- Asking and answering questions
- Use of prepositions
- Past, present, and future expressions
- Describing things using adjectives
Content may vary slightly depending on class pace, participant interests, and instructor approach.
Intended audience
Who is this Vietnamese: Beginners Level 1 course for?
This course is ideal for:
- Complete beginners with no prior Vietnamese experience
- Learners interested in Vietnamese language and culture
- Travellers preparing for Vietnam
- Anyone wanting practical communication skills in a supportive environment
Course venue
Online via Zoom
Zoom details will be provided with your enrolment confirmation.
Requirement: A device with a stable internet connection
Course materials
What to bring to class
- Notebook and pen
- Course textbook (see below)
Textbook & Resources
Please purchase the course textbook for Vietnamese Course: Beginners Level 1 and Vietnamese Course: Beginners Level 2:
Colloquial Vietnamese – The Complete Course for Beginners
ISBN: 9781138950238
We recommend purchasing your textbook once your course has been confirmed (usually within three working days of the proposed start date). The textbook is not included in the enrolment fee.
Certificate of completion
Achievement Recognition
Students who attend at least 80% of the course will receive a Certificate of Attendance from Sydney Community College.
This certificate recognises your commitment to learning Vietnamese and can support your personal or professional development.
What's next?
After completing this course, you can continue your learning with Vietnamese: Beginners Level 2 course, where you’ll expand your vocabulary, strengthen your grammar, and build greater confidence in conversation.
Course testimonials
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Timothy said: Our teacher was great and provided good explanations, examples and advice for learning Vietnamese. Will certainly be looking to do the advanced course at a later stage.
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Nathan said: Great introduction into the Vietnamese language. Learnt a lot more than expected. Glad we didn't just read from the book but had custom material. Would like weekly homework but other than that no complaints. Looking forward to attending Level 2!
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Sue said: Our tutor was great and overall it was a good introduction to Vietnamese. I have just returned from my first trip to Vietnam and I was able to apply what I learnt in this class. Class size was small so this was helpful to try and give everyone some individual attention. I think I would have found an in-person class to be much more helpful though. There were sometimes technical issues with tutor internet drop outs, participant audio/video etc. Would recommend if the same class was in-person, less enthusiastic about online, although the convenience factor is obviously big.
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James said: The tutor did not try to impose a too strict learning regime. He allowed the class to learn at a rate all of us could handle and we still managed to complete all the units composing the beginner's part of the course. Bao was also always very willing to walk around to each student and check our work and help with any individual difficulties. He is also a very happy and pleasant person and communicates this well through his knowledge and enthusiasm for teaching Vietnamese language and culture.
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Margaret said: Venue rating irrelevant - it was an online course. Unfortunately I could not attend last three sessions due to an unforeseen work commitment but I thought Bao was an excellent teacher, very well-prepared and informative on all kinds of linguistic and cultural subtleties.
Course tutors
Hoang Bao Nguyen
Great reasons to enrol in a short course with us
Small classes
A personal approach means quality learning, so you can enjoy plenty of interaction with your instructor and the chance to ask questions.
Short & sweet
Our short courses & workshops get straight to the point, providing the skills you need with minimal commitment of your precious time.
Facilities & equipment
Our range of venues suit every type of course, are easy to get to, and have the equipment and tech needed to support your learning.
Easy, secure enrolment
Enrol online 24/7 with a safe, convenient 3-step process.
Quality instructors
Our educators bring first-hand experience and knowledge, with up-to-the-minute practices from diverse industries.
Business or pleasure
Our courses help you rapidly increase your skills and knowledge, for professional development or personal interest.
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Classes Online Courses
<p>Start speaking Vietnamese and discover a rich language and culture with our <a href="https://www.sydneycommunitycollege.edu.au/courses/learn-language/vietnamese">Vietnamese language short courses</
...<p>Start speaking Vietnamese and discover a rich language and culture with our <a href="https://www.sydneycommunitycollege.edu.au/courses/learn-language/vietnamese">Vietnamese language short courses</
...If there isn't a class to suit you, please join our waitlist and we will notify you when we have places available. Join waitlist for Vietnamese Course: Beginners Level 1
If there isn't a class to suit you, please join our waitlist and we will notify you when we have places available. Join waitlist for Vietnamese Course: Beginners Level 1
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