FSI Vietnamese Familiarization Course (Live Lingua)

This is the Foreign Service Institute Vietnamese Familiarization Course, hosted free on Live Lingua. It is best for beginners who want a structured, drill-based way to start speaking, especially if you like repetition and clear step-by-step procedures.

You get a single downloadable PDF (about 247 pages) with twelve lessons built around guided imitation. The lessons focus on memorizing model sentences, then manipulating them through substitutions and pattern drills so your responses become more automatic. The book also includes explanatory notes about how Vietnamese is put together, plus practical, “useful for Americans in Vietnam” style vocabulary.

What it does well is structure and intensity. What it does not do well is modern, natural conversation practice. On the Live Lingua page, this course is listed with no accompanying audio, even though the original course was designed to be used with recordings. If you use it, plan to read aloud, record yourself, and ideally pair it with a tutor or native speaker feedback. Start here: Live Lingua course page.