Essential Vietnamese

Essential Vietnamese is a small paperback phrasebook plus mini dictionary made for travelers and beginners who want quick, practical Vietnamese without a full course. It is especially handy if you will be in Vietnam soon and need ready-to-use phrases fast.

You get themed sentence lists for common situations like greetings, getting around, eating out, emergencies, and simple conversations. The book is designed for fast navigation and includes a “point to” approach, so you can show a Vietnamese sentence on the page when speaking feels hard.

In the back, there is a compact glossary (about 2,000 terms and expressions) plus short notes on pronunciation and basic grammar. What it does not give you is listening practice, drills, or structured progression, so it works best as a reference alongside a course or tutor. You can check the book details on Tuttle’s product page.