Vietnamese Headstart2 (Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center)

Vietnamese Headstart2 is a free, self-paced online course made by the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center (DLIFLC). It is designed for beginners who want practical “survival” Vietnamese, especially in deployment-style or public-safety scenarios.

The course is split into two big parts. Sound and Script teaches core pronunciation patterns and basic language through interactive tasks. Military Tasks then moves into scenario-based training like medical situations, basic commands, cordon and search, and information gathering. Throughout the course you also get culture notes, grammar notes, and a built-in glossary.

It is strongest when you want structured, guided practice with lots of audio and clear objectives, plus completion certificates inside the course. It is weaker if your goal is everyday modern conversation, because the vocabulary and situations lean heavily military, and there is no real back-and-forth with a live partner. Also note that your progress is saved in the browser you use, so switching devices does not carry your progress over. You can start from the Headstart2 portal on DLIFLC’s site.