There are hundreds of dialect/accents in Vietnam. It differs from region to region and even two adjacent neighborhood might have 2 different accents already. But in general, there are 3 main dialects (Northern, Southern, and Mid-Region ) Which one should be your dialect
SOUTHERN OR NORTHERN VIETNAMESE: WHAT ACCENT SHOULD I LEARN?
When it comes to learning Vietnamese, many beginners wonder what dialect they should choose: Southern, Northern or Middle ones. Which one is better or more suitable for them?
This article will help you to have a better decision on which dialects you choose
IF YOU CURRENTLY LIVE IN VIETNAM,
Our advice is that you should pick the accent that is used the area you live. Why? There is a fact that people in Ho Chi Minh City do not really speak Northern Vietnamese which is considered “standardized” and Vietnamese living in Middle region sounds quite different from those the North and the South.
IF YOU’VE GOT A PLAN TO TRAVEL TO OR STAY IN VIETNAM,
Please consider which part of Vietnam that you are going to visit and choose the accent spoken in the place you will spend time exploring.
IF YOU ARE TRAVELING THE ENTIRE VIETNAM,
You can learn some with either Northern or Southern dialect and learn about the differences of pronunciation and vocabulary among those places. One advice for you is that you can learn the accent of the first city you are going to arrive and be aware that you will have to adapt quickly when changing places
IF YOU ARE IN ANOTHER COUNTRY BUT WANT TO LEARN VIETNAMESE ,
Please notice if there are any Vietnamese people around your neighborhood. We suggest you choose the accent they speak so that you can make yourself understood better by them. As we know, Vietnamese in the United States may speak Southern dialect while those in Former Soviet countries use northern one. To know exactly, you may want to ask which part of Vietnam they came from.
YOU DO NOT BELONG TO ANY SITUATIONS ABOVE
If you just simple want to learn Vietnamese, then pick any accent you like. There are many courses and tutors here for you to select. Vietlingo have many materials in both accents.
HOWEVER,
You can always choose one accent and learn some pronunciation and vocabulary differences when moving to another one. Basically, people in the South can understand Northern accent and vice versa
Chào bạn! Mình tên là Phi. You can call me Hanson :D. I graduated from the University of Pedagogy of Ho Chi Minh City in 2014, my major is English Language Teaching. I have been teaching English for 4 years, and Vietnamese for 3 years to people from all around the world. I am also a voice actor for Vietnamese Dubbing movie, that means my accent is 100.01% Southern Accent. I am very happy to be here to help you learn Vietnamese.