Finding the driver
The most stressful moment is often pickup, not the ride itself.
Say your pickup location as one clear chunk.
Southern Vietnamese
Vietnamese Taxi and Grab Phrases
Phrases for drivers, pickups, and routes.
Quick answer
In one sentence
Use these ride phrases to find your driver, give route directions, ask for slower driving, and confirm payment.
- Use this page for Grab, taxis, app pickups, and any ride where the driver calls or the pickup point is confusing.
- Start with: Tôi đang ở trước cổng, Cho tôi đến quận 1, Dừng ở đây.
Mini lesson
Use this when...
Use this page for Grab, taxis, app pickups, and any ride where the driver calls or the pickup point is confusing.
Real situations
During the ride
Use short commands for direction changes or safer driving.
Drivers need short route phrases, not explanations.
Stopping and paying
End the ride clearly and avoid payment confusion.
Payment phrases prevent awkward double-paying moments.
All phrases
Play normal audio first, then slow audio, then save only the phrases you will actually need.
Cho tôi đến quận 1
Please take me to District 1
Say aloud: Cho tôi đến quận Một
Use with taxi or Grab drivers.
Do not say "District one"; say "quận Một".
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
ChocholevelKeep the voice steady and level.tôitoilevelKeep the voice steady and level.đếndenrisingĐ starts like English d; do not say z.quậnquanheavyQu is closer to kw than English q.MộtmotheavyDrop the voice low and short.
Vietnamese spelling
Cho→chờ o cho
tôi→tờ ôi tôi
đến→đờ ên đên sắc đến
quận→quờ ân quân nặng quận
Một→mờ ôt môt nặng Một
Tôi đang ở trước cổng
I am in front of the gate
Helpful for pickup points.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
TôitoilevelKeep the voice steady and level.đangdanglevelĐ starts like English d; do not say z.ởodippingDip slightly, then recover.trướctruocrisingLift the voice upward.cổngcongdippingDip slightly, then recover.
Vietnamese spelling
Tôi→tờ ôi tôi
đang→đờ ang đang
ở→ơ hỏi ở
trước→trờ ươc trươc sắc trước
cổng→cờ ông công hỏi cổng
Anh thấy tôi chưa?
Do you see me yet?
Useful when the driver is nearby.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
AnhanhlevelKeep the voice steady and level.thấythayrisingLift the voice upward.tôitoilevelKeep the voice steady and level.chưachualevelKeep the voice steady and level.
Vietnamese spelling
Anh→anh
thấy→thờ ây thây sắc thấy
tôi→tờ ôi tôi
chưa→chờ ưa chưa
Chờ tôi một chút
Please wait a moment
Use if you are walking to the pickup point.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
ChờchofallingLet the voice fall gently.tôitoilevelKeep the voice steady and level.mộtmotheavyDrop the voice low and short.chútchutrisingLift the voice upward.
Vietnamese spelling
Chờ→chờ ơ chơ huyền Chờ
tôi→tờ ôi tôi
một→mờ ôt môt nặng một
chút→chờ ut chut sắc chút
Rẽ trái
Turn left
Short direction.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
RẽrebrokenUse a short broken rise.tráitrairisingLift the voice upward.
Vietnamese spelling
Rẽ→rờ e re ngã Rẽ
trái→trờ ai trai sắc trái
Rẽ phải
Turn right
Short direction.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
RẽrebrokenUse a short broken rise.phảiphaidippingDip slightly, then recover.
Vietnamese spelling
Rẽ→rờ e re ngã Rẽ
phải→phờ ai phai hỏi phải
Đi thẳng
Go straight
Very common in rides.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
ĐidilevelĐ starts like English d; do not say z.thẳngthangdippingDip slightly, then recover.
Vietnamese spelling
Đi→đờ i đi
thẳng→thờ ăng thăng hỏi thẳng
Quay đầu được không?
Can you turn around?
Useful when route is wrong.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
QuayquaylevelQu is closer to kw than English q.đầudaufallingĐ starts like English d; do not say z.đượcduocheavyĐ starts like English d; do not say z.khôngkhonglevelKeep the voice steady and level.
Vietnamese spelling
Quay→quờ ay quay
đầu→đờ âu đâu huyền đầu
được→đờ ươc đươc nặng được
không→khờ ông không
Đi chậm thôi
Please go slowly
Good for nervous passengers.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
ĐidilevelĐ starts like English d; do not say z.chậmchamheavyDrop the voice low and short.thôithoilevelKeep the voice steady and level.
Vietnamese spelling
Đi→đờ i đi
chậm→chờ âm châm nặng chậm
thôi→thờ ôi thôi
Dừng ở đây
Stop here
Clear and useful.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
DừngdungfallingLet the voice fall gently.ởodippingDip slightly, then recover.đâydaylevelĐ starts like English d; do not say z.
Vietnamese spelling
Dừng→dờ ưng dưng huyền Dừng
ở→ơ hỏi ở
đây→đờ ây đây
Cho tôi xuống đây
Please let me off here
Use at the final stop.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
ChocholevelKeep the voice steady and level.tôitoilevelKeep the voice steady and level.xuốngxuongrisingLift the voice upward.đâydaylevelĐ starts like English d; do not say z.
Vietnamese spelling
Cho→chờ o cho
tôi→tờ ôi tôi
xuống→xờ uông xuông sắc xuống
đây→đờ ây đây
Tôi trả bằng tiền mặt
I will pay cash
Payment clarification.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
TôitoilevelKeep the voice steady and level.trảtradippingDip slightly, then recover.bằngbangfallingLet the voice fall gently.tiềntienfallingKeep the final n short.mặtmatheavyDrop the voice low and short.
Vietnamese spelling
Tôi→tờ ôi tôi
trả→trờ a tra hỏi trả
bằng→bờ ăng băng huyền bằng
tiền→tờ iên tiên huyền tiền
mặt→mờ ăt măt nặng mặt
Tôi đã trả trên app
I paid in the app
Useful after app payment.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
TôitoilevelKeep the voice steady and level.đãdabrokenĐ starts like English d; do not say z.trảtradippingDip slightly, then recover.trêntrenlevelKeep the final n short.appapplevelKeep the voice steady and level.
Vietnamese spelling
Tôi→tờ ôi tôi
đã→đờ a đa ngã đã
trả→trờ a tra hỏi trả
trên→trờ ên trên
app→app
Tôi muốn hỏi về chuyến xe
I want to ask about the ride
Use this to open a the ride conversation.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
TôitoilevelKeep the voice steady and level.muốnmuonrisingKeep the final n short.hỏihoidippingDip slightly, then recover.vềvefallingLet the voice fall gently.chuyếnchuyenrisingKeep the final n short.xexelevelKeep the voice steady and level.
Vietnamese spelling
Tôi→tờ ôi tôi
muốn→mờ uôn muôn sắc muốn
hỏi→hờ oi hoi hỏi hỏi
về→vờ ê vê huyền về
chuyến→chờ uyên chuyên sắc chuyến
xe→xờ e xe
Bạn giúp tôi về chuyến xe được không?
Can you help me with the ride?
A polite help request.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
BạnbanheavyKeep the final n short.giúpgiuprisingLift the voice upward.tôitoilevelKeep the voice steady and level.vềvefallingLet the voice fall gently.chuyếnchuyenrisingKeep the final n short.xexelevelKeep the voice steady and level.đượcduocheavyĐ starts like English d; do not say z.khôngkhonglevelKeep the voice steady and level.
Vietnamese spelling
Bạn→bờ an ban nặng Bạn
giúp→giờ up giup sắc giúp
tôi→tờ ôi tôi
về→vờ ê vê huyền về
chuyến→chờ uyên chuyên sắc chuyến
xe→xờ e xe
được→đờ ươc đươc nặng được
không→khờ ông không
Mini dialogue
Driver
Bạn ở đâu?
Where are you?
You
Tôi đang ở trước cổng.
I am in front of the gate.
You
Cho tôi đến quận 1.
Please take me to District 1.
You
Dừng ở đây. Tôi đã trả trên app.
Stop here. I paid in the app.
Practice ladder
- 1Play the first phrase at normal speed once.
- 2Play it slowly, then repeat it aloud without reading English.
- 3Cover the Vietnamese and recall it from the situation.
- 4Save only the phrases you would actually need this week.
- 5Review saved phrases tomorrow before learning new ones.
Common mistakes
- Do not give a long English address if the driver is asking for the pickup point.
- Do not say left/right in English when you can use rẽ trái/rẽ phải.
- Do not wait until the driver leaves to clarify app payment.
Cultural notes
- Vietnamese ride calls are often short and practical.
- Tôi đang ở trước cổng is especially useful at apartments, hotels, and campuses.
Meaning check
Quick practice
The driver calls and asks where you are. What should you say?
Finish this phrasebook
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Mark complete only after you have listened, practiced, and saved at least one useful phrase. Then continue straight to the next task.
Listen to at least 3 phrases
Use normal audio first, then slow audio.
Save at least 1 phrase
Only save phrases you would actually reuse.
Finish the quiz or practice task
Check that you can recall the idea, not only read it.
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FAQ
How should I practice this phrasebook?
Start with the Learn these first section, listen at normal speed, repeat slowly, then save only the phrases you expect to use.
Do I need to memorize every phrase on this page?
No. Memorize the first urgent or high-frequency phrases, then use scenarios and spaced review to add the rest gradually.