Choose the drink
Pick the coffee first, then add quantity with một ly if you want one cup.
Bạc xỉu is common in the south and usually sweeter or milkier than black coffee.
Southern Vietnamese
Southern Vietnamese Coffee Phrases
Learn how to order Southern Vietnamese coffee, choose here or takeaway, and control sugar, ice, and milk.
Mini lesson
Use this when...
Use this page in Saigon-style cafes, takeaway stands, and small coffee shops where orders are short and repeated fast.
Real situations
Choose size and temperature
Adjust hot or iced orders, cup size, and separate ice before the drink is made.
Vietnamese coffee is often strong, so ice and size matter.
Adjust sweetness and milk
Control sugar and milk clearly so the drink matches what you can actually enjoy.
Say these before the drink is mixed.
Cafe logistics
Answer here or takeaway, ask for straw, Wi-Fi, restroom, or a place to sit.
Uống ở đây Mang đi Cho tôi ống hút Có wifi không? Mật khẩu wifi là gì? Nhà vệ sinh ở đâu? Tôi ngồi ở đây được không?
These phrases turn a coffee order into a full cafe interaction.
Payment and small problems
Ask about wait time, change the drink, request a receipt, or give simple feedback.
Bao lâu có? Chờ tôi một chút Cho tôi đổi món Cho tôi xin hóa đơn Tính tiền giúp Ngon quá Cà phê này đắng quá
Keep feedback short and calm.
All phrases
Play normal audio first, then slow audio, then save only the phrases you will actually need.
Một ly cà phê sữa đá
One iced milk coffee
Add một ly before the drink.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Một mot heavy Drop the voice low and short. ly ly level Keep the voice steady and level. cà ca falling Let the voice fall gently. phê phe level Keep the voice steady and level. sữa sua broken Use a short broken rise. đá da rising Đ starts like English d; do not say z.
Cà phê đen đá
Iced black coffee
Common if you do not want milk.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Cà ca falling Let the voice fall gently. phê phe level Keep the voice steady and level. đen den level Đ starts like English d; do not say z. đá da rising Đ starts like English d; do not say z.
Bạc xỉu
Vietnamese milk coffee with more milk
Common southern cafe order.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Bạc bac heavy Drop the voice low and short. xỉu xiu dipping Dip slightly, then recover.
Uống ở đây
Drink here
Use when staying in the cafe.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Uống uong rising Lift the voice upward. ở o dipping Dip slightly, then recover. đây day level Đ starts like English d; do not say z.
Mang đi
Take away
Common cafe phrase.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Mang mang level Keep the voice steady and level. đi di level Đ starts like English d; do not say z.
Thêm đá
More ice
Short and clear.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Thêm them level Keep the voice steady and level. đá da rising Đ starts like English d; do not say z.
Ít đá
Less ice
Useful for drinks.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Ít it rising Lift the voice upward. đá da rising Đ starts like English d; do not say z.
Ít đường thôi
Less sugar, please
Vietnamese drinks can be sweet by default.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Ít it rising Lift the voice upward. đường duong falling Đ starts like English d; do not say z. thôi thoi level Keep the voice steady and level.
Không đường
No sugar
Direct sweetness request.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Không khong level Keep the voice steady and level. đường duong falling Đ starts like English d; do not say z.
Không sữa
No milk
Useful for dairy-free orders.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Không khong level Keep the voice steady and level. sữa sua broken Use a short broken rise.
Cho tôi ống hút
Please give me a straw
Small cafe request.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Cho cho level Keep the voice steady and level. tôi toi level Keep the voice steady and level. ống ong rising Lift the voice upward. hút hut rising Lift the voice upward.
Tính tiền giúp
Bill, please
Use when ready to pay.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Tính tinh rising Lift the voice upward. tiền tien falling Keep the final n short. giúp giup rising Lift the voice upward.
Ngon quá
So good
Friendly reaction.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Ngon ngon level Start with the back-of-mouth ng sound. quá qua rising Qu is closer to kw than English q.
Cà phê sữa nóng
Hot milk coffee
Hot version of milk coffee.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Cà ca falling Let the voice fall gently. phê phe level Keep the voice steady and level. sữa sua broken Use a short broken rise. nóng nong rising Lift the voice upward.
Cà phê đen nóng
Hot black coffee
Useful if you do not want ice.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Cà ca falling Let the voice fall gently. phê phe level Keep the voice steady and level. đen den level Đ starts like English d; do not say z. nóng nong rising Lift the voice upward.
Một ly bạc xỉu
One Vietnamese milk coffee
Common sweeter southern order.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Một mot heavy Drop the voice low and short. ly ly level Keep the voice steady and level. bạc bac heavy Drop the voice low and short. xỉu xiu dipping Dip slightly, then recover.
Ly nhỏ
Small cup
Ask for a smaller size.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Ly ly level Keep the voice steady and level. nhỏ nho dipping Dip slightly, then recover.
Ly lớn
Large cup
Ask for a bigger size.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Ly ly level Keep the voice steady and level. lớn lon rising Keep the final n short.
Ít sữa thôi
Less milk, please
Adjust milk sweetness.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Ít it rising Lift the voice upward. sữa sua broken Use a short broken rise. thôi thoi level Keep the voice steady and level.
Nhiều sữa
More milk
For a milkier drink.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Nhiều nhieu falling Let the voice fall gently. sữa sua broken Use a short broken rise.
Cho tôi ly đá riêng
Please give me ice separately
Useful for controlling ice.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Cho cho level Keep the voice steady and level. tôi toi level Keep the voice steady and level. ly ly level Keep the voice steady and level. đá da rising Đ starts like English d; do not say z. riêng rieng level Keep the voice steady and level.
Có wifi không?
Is there Wi-Fi?
Cafe question.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Có co rising Lift the voice upward. wifi wifi level Keep the voice steady and level. không khong level Keep the voice steady and level.
Mật khẩu wifi là gì?
What is the Wi-Fi password?
More specific cafe question.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Mật mat heavy Drop the voice low and short. khẩu khau dipping Dip slightly, then recover. wifi wifi level Keep the voice steady and level. là la falling Let the voice fall gently. gì gi falling Let the voice fall gently.
Nhà vệ sinh ở đâu?
Where is the restroom?
Cafe survival phrase.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Nhà nha falling Let the voice fall gently. vệ ve heavy Drop the voice low and short. sinh sinh level Keep the voice steady and level. ở o dipping Dip slightly, then recover. đâu dau level Đ starts like English d; do not say z.
Tôi ngồi ở đây được không?
Can I sit here?
Ask before taking a seat.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Tôi toi level Keep the voice steady and level. ngồi ngoi falling Start with the back-of-mouth ng sound. ở o dipping Dip slightly, then recover. đây day level Đ starts like English d; do not say z. được duoc heavy Đ starts like English d; do not say z. không khong level Keep the voice steady and level.
Cho tôi đổi món
Please let me change the drink
Use if the order is wrong.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Cho cho level Keep the voice steady and level. tôi toi level Keep the voice steady and level. đổi doi dipping Đ starts like English d; do not say z. món mon rising Keep the final n short.
Cho tôi xin hóa đơn
Please give me the receipt
Payment follow-up.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Cho cho level Keep the voice steady and level. tôi toi level Keep the voice steady and level. xin xin level Keep the final n short. hóa hoa rising Lift the voice upward. đơn don level Đ starts like English d; do not say z.
Chờ tôi một chút
Please wait a moment
Useful while deciding.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Chờ cho falling Let the voice fall gently. tôi toi level Keep the voice steady and level. một mot heavy Drop the voice low and short. chút chut rising Lift the voice upward.
Bao lâu có?
How long will it take?
Ask about wait time.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Bao bao level Keep the voice steady and level. lâu lau level Keep the voice steady and level. có co rising Lift the voice upward.
Cà phê này đắng quá
This coffee is too bitter
Taste feedback.
Say it
Listen first, then use these tone cues.
Cà ca falling Let the voice fall gently. phê phe level Keep the voice steady and level. này nay falling Let the voice fall gently. đắng dang rising Đ starts like English d; do not say z. quá qua rising Qu is closer to kw than English q.
Mini dialogue
You
Một ly cà phê sữa đá.
One iced milk coffee.
Staff
Uống ở đây hay mang đi?
Drink here or take away?
You
Mang đi, ít đường thôi.
Take away, less sugar please.
You
Tính tiền giúp.
Bill, please.
Practice ladder
- 1 Play the first phrase at normal speed once.
- 2 Play it slowly, then repeat it aloud without reading English.
- 3 Cover the Vietnamese and recall it from the situation.
- 4 Save only the phrases you would actually need this week.
- 5 Review saved phrases tomorrow before learning new ones.
Common mistakes
- Do not say only coffee if you mean cà phê sữa đá or cà phê đen đá.
- Do not add sweetness changes after the drink is already mixed.
- Do not confuse không sữa with không đường.
Cultural notes
- Cà phê sữa đá is a first-week survival phrase in southern Vietnam.
- Cafe staff often understand mang đi very quickly because it is used all day.
Meaning check
Quick practice
The staff asks if you stay or leave. You want takeaway. What do you say?
Finish this phrasebook
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Save at least 1 phrase
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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.