Học Tiếng Việt giỏi như thế nào - Effective ways to learn Vietnamese well

This time, let's share the effective ways for you to learn Vietnamese.

1. Christina LeNovember 20, 2014 at 10:02 AM

   I effectively learn vietnamese vocabulary by making flashcards and by writing down the words multiple times. This allows me to memorize the tones on the vocabulary terms. Furthermore, I skim through old vocabulary terms and notes as well since the language is cumulative and remembering previous rules and vocabulary helps construct sentences. Another way to help me speak Vietnamese is to speak to my parents in the language when I call home.
2. Annelin VerkadeNovember 22, 2014 at 9:56 AM

   I learn Vietnamese by doing the exercises in class, where we apply and learn new things at the same time. The more I use or see for example words, the better I know them. How easy it is to remember things depends on how I can relate to it. For example, the last chapter about hobbies is easier to remember, since I can relate to it better than for example vocabulary about time. So when I study the chapters at home, I try to find things I can relate or associate the new words or grammar with.
3. Elizabeth HentschelNovember 23, 2014 at 9:54 AM

   The more that I practice writing and speaking in Vietnamese, the better I know the material. The most effective way to learn Vietnamese vocabulary for me is by making flash cards and drilling myself on the vocab. Once I know the vocabulary really well, it's easier for me to understand the grammar and put sentences together.
4. Phu HoNovember 23, 2014 at 12:59 PM

   I learn Vietnamese effectively by skimming through the summary of vocabulary and patterns at the end of each chapter. I also write down the words multiple times so that I can get the tones of the words down correctly. Repetition helps me learn Vietnamese better.
5. Hy DoanNovember 23, 2014 at 2:42 PM

   I learn Vietnamese most effectively by writing sentences and trying to read more. The more time I spend on it, the more familiar it is, therefore making communicating in Vietnamese easier and more comfortable.
6. 
   
   HDNovember 23, 2014 at 9:26 PM

   I agree with Annelin. I think the easier the vocabulary is to relate to, the easier it is. I also really like this week's activities, and the explanations of the grammar and then the exercises right after. I thought listing the grammar on the board was really helpful! It made me realize how much we had learned over the week. I also think going over the homework in class reinforces what I'm doing at home. It's great to see how much improvement has happened over the semester.

Học được gì - What have you gained from learning Vietnamese

What have you learnt about Vietnamese that can make you proud of yourself, and of course, learning is to know more and have fun!

1. Annelin Verkade

   I am really glad I chose to study Vietnamese. Even though what we've learned doesn't seem like much, I do feel like I know a lot of the foundation to study the language more in-depth. In high school I learned a lot of languages, and I was afraid it might not come as easy anymore. While that's certainly true, I'm proud of myself for still being able to learn a language. I feel like I can use this in the years to come and hopefully in my future career. I'm proud that I'm not just learning my field of study (anthropology) but am also actively searching for ways to engage with that field in the future.
2. Christina Le

   From learning Vietnamese, I have been able to communicate with my family that lives in Vietnam better. Furthermore, my grandparents from both my mother's side and my father's side speaks predominantly Vietnamese, and from learning Vietnamese I feel more comfortable speaking with them. I do not like it when they try to speak Vietnamese because I feel that I should be the one making more of an effort to speak Vietnamese to them.
3. 
   
   Phu Ho

   Learning how to read and write in Vietnamese makes me feel more accomplished of myself. My Vietnamese reading and writing skills have improved dramatically since the beginning of this course. Now, I have more vocabulary to use when I speak to my extended family back in Vietnam. Although I am not able to go out on a full blown conversation with a random person in Vietnam, I am proud that I know more Vietnamese than I did before. I will never forget my roots.
4. 
   
   Elizabeth Hentschel

   I'm very happy that I took Vietnamese, and although it is much more difficult than I thought it would be, I'm really happy with my progress. I like how I can think of a simple sentence in English and I'm capable of saying it in Vietnamese. I've also begun to gain a good understanding of how to write in Vietnamese. I like that I can now look at a Vietnamese word and instantly know how to pronounce it. My skills are improving everyday and it's fun to see the progress!

Learning Vietnamese - Easy or difficult

In this entry, let's share what you find difficult when you learn Vietnamese. How to make it easy and make peace with what you find challenging when you learn Vietnamese.

1. For me, one of the most challenging parts of learning Vietnamese are all of the tones. So many words that we learn are so similar and their tones are the only thing that sets them apart. One example of this is the word "sau", which could mean six or next depending on the tones, another example is "toi". Another challenging aspect for me is pronouncing the tones, and some words, for example I always have trouble pronouncing words that have the letters "ngh". -Elizabeth Hentschel
2. I agree with Elizabeth. One tone mark can change the whole meaning of the word. For example, there are "tôi = I", "tối = evening", and "tới = this upcoming". I also need more practice with pronunciation. I feel like I am getting slighter better with pronouncing the words, but I still need to get used to this particular dialect. - Phu Ho
   
   
3. I agree with both Elizabeth and Phu. Tones are really important in Vietnamese but it can be difficult to remember them when learning new vocabulary. Pronunciation is also something I struggle with. I feel like I'm getting better at it, but it's definitely a slow progress of improvement. That's ok though. After reviewing for this midterm I think we already learned a lot and are at least able to make some basic conversation. Annelin Verkade

   
   
4. I find tones difficult, but pronunciation and sound recognition more difficult. I find the listening activities really challenging, especially if they say anything beyond the vocabulary in the chapter or speak quickly. However, I think studying for the midterm showed how far we have come over the semester, and I look forward to learning more in the upcoming month before our presentation. - HD
   
   
5. I find that remembering tones on different vocabulary words to be the most difficult. Reading does not come as that much of a challenge in comparison to writing because I am able to decipher what the words mean from my knowledge of the sound of tones and my background knowledge of vietnamese vocabulary. However, when it comes to writing, it is difficult to remember which words get what which tones. Furthermore, it is difficult for me to remember vocabulary that I do not hear on a daily basis in casual conversation. - Christina Le

   
   
6. I see myself as somewhat illiterate in Vietnamese (I can read a little better now). However, when I am reading, I am able to sound the words out, hear them, and recognize the word by the way it sounds because I am more familiar. This makes writing more difficult because I am more comfortable with words audibly, rather than visually. I believe my ability to write in Vietnamese will get better the more I look at words and write them down.- Hy Doan