In the second Vietnamese for Travelers lesson, I am going to show you how you can get people’s attention in restaurants and bars so they serve you with a smile. This is something I learned from my Vietnamese friend and that not many people use. [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
How should you address someone?
Vietnamese people have up to seven ways of addressing one another depending on the other person’s age, sex, and status:
Anh – Man older than I am
Ba – Woman older than my parents
Bac – Man or woman much older than my parents
Chau – Young man or woman who could be my child or grandchild
Chi – Woman older than I am
Em – Man or woman younger than I am
Ong – Man older than my parents
But if Vietnamese people look much younger than they actually are, how on earth do I know what to call them?
When you go into an establishment, the usual thing is to call the staff member over with an “Em Oi!”, which basically means “Hey you!”
In restaurants and beer halls (the famous Hanoi Bia Hoi with small stools and plastic chairs), you may find locals and foreigners shouting at the top of their lungs, “Em Oi!”, trying to be served as quickly as possible. As the hours go by and the amount of alcohol consumed per person increases, the volume of the shouting rises proportionally.
Respect above all
You can be the one to make the difference, and this is what I learned from my Vietnamese friend. She shouted something, but something different from everyone else. The waiters always turned around with a smile. She always treated them with respect.
She always said “Ban Oi!”, which basically means “Hey friend!”.
What a difference it makes to be shouted at “Hey you!” or “Hey friend!”. In the end, we all want to be treated with respect and kindness—especially if you are about to ask for something. So if you say “Ban Oi!” to a waiter or a shop assistant, you can be sure you will get a smile back and they will serve you much better.
Hen Gap Lai Ban = See You Next Time, Friend
Do you like the Vietnamese language as much as Burmese? In this article, we go deeper into this incredible language, and if you would like, you can also view the trips and itineraries we have for Vietnam.
