Product Description
Includes 50,000 definitions and pronunciation tones for northern, central, and southern parts of Vietnam. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

vietnamese-english dictionary
dictionary was received on time and in good shape. have not opened it yet since it is a Christmas present.

Helpful for learning english
My girlfriend, who is from Vietnam, found the book very helpful with her english studies.

Above average
To August 29, 2001 reviewer:
Well, the title does say that it's a Vietnamese-English dictionary and NOT a Vietnamese-English/English-Vietnamese dictionary.

To everyone else:
This is very good dictionary if you have an understanding of the Vietnamese language. Compared to other Viet dictionaries I've seen, the printed words in this book are larger and clearer (there are a few cases where the accents and/or the words are blurred).

If you're just learning the language, this book won't be for you. You would be better off if you bought an Engish-Vietnamese dictionary or a dual language dictionary.

Not a two way dictionary
In any foreign language dictionary we have ever purchased in the US, it is possible to look up words in either language to get their synonym in the other language. The cover doesn't have to state that it is a Vietnamese-English AND English-Vietnamese dictionary. That is usually a given.
This book is only helpful to those trying to find a synonym from Vietnamese to English. Evidently the lucky writer of the last review knows every word in the Vietnamese language and, therefore, never has a need to translate from English to Vietnamese.

THIS IS A MUST BUY FOR A SERIOUS STUDENT OF TIENG VIET
Ok. It boggles my mind why this dictionary has yet to be reviewed, and is overlooked when students of vietnamese purchase reference material. This is the best Vietnamese Dictionary I have ever encountered. It includes all essential words for conversing even slang, though marked vulgar. DU MA MAY! Seriously this book got my through my trip to the Nam and continues unrivaled as my tool for translating Vietnamese text. I own three other Vietnamese-English dictionaries and Nguyen-Dinh-Hoa's book is unrivalled as the most definitive. YOU PEOPLE WHO BUY THE LE-BA-KHONG DICTIONARY ARE FOOLISHLY SQUANDERING YOUR MONEY!While that dictionary might have been suitable for the time during which it was published(During the war-or maybe earlier), language is living and this applies to Vietnamese. The NTC Dictionary is fairly modern(1995) and at least includes SIDA(HIV) as an entry. The only flaw with this dictionary is that the new word appendix is just that an appendix. To think of the time it would save me if the appendix was incorporated into the book instead of being thrown in the back. But nonetheless this book is an essential tool to learning Vietnamese, if you are a white fool like me. -----peace ... Read more

Product Description

The most enjoyable and rewarding way to get to know a place is by meeting the local people. Vietnamese is a vibrant language and even a little knowledge will help visitors gain an understanding of Vietnamese culture as well as make many friends along the way!

• all the essential day-to-day words and phrases, plus vocabulary for making conversation, understanding festivals and local dates, and sightseeing
• comprehensive pronunciation and grammar chapters
• cultural tips
• thumb tabs and index for fast reference

Customer Reviews (6)

Does not contain pronounciation guides
Not recommended.Will not enable you to communicate, as it does not contain pronounciation information.Although if you just want to point to phrases and show the locals, this phrasebook will be helpful.

Bad for travellers, bad for Vietnamese learners.
I've been studying Vietnamese for 4 months and can speak it quite fluently now, I bought this book before I started learning anything, it was just too difficult to use for those who don't know Vietnamese at all (most travellers). Now because I know more Vietnamese, I tried to re-read this book and I still find this quite useless. The conversation are organized by topics rather than by alphabetical order so it limits yourself from point and choose and talk with Vietnamese with the same kinds of topics again and again. Very poorly designed, almost useless and very disappointing, probably one of the worst LP phrasebooks on the market (I have used the Hindi/Urdu, Persian, French and German before). Vocabulary list is not as comprehensive as the Rough Guide, the tiny (*tiny!) dictionary at the back doesn't even have the word "spoon"! This phrasebook is, however, much more popular than the Rough Guide because of the "reputation" and popularity of the Lonely Planet.

An Appropriate Title
As an individual who has spent about 2 years learning Vietnamese I believe this to be a very good book.The comments of the previous two reviewers should be dismissed (as one did not read the book and the other is already fluent).As long as you understand the setup and reasoning for the layout of a phrasebook this book will not dissappoint anyone.Unlike a dictionary where words are alphabetically listed, this book has similar items arranged (i.e. foods, health, animals).If you went to Vietnam and needed a book to take with you this is the only one I would recommend.It will allow you to survive; and, if you had trouble pronouncing words you could also point to the phrase you were trying to say (this of course would only work if the other individual was literate).If you are planning on learning the language at all (other than for a brief trip) then I'd strongly recommend getting other books (Elementary Vietnamese is good, but Colloquial Vietnamese is awful).

Decent phrasebook, but missing a couple of things...
I don't speak Vietnamese to rate the translations and phrasing used in this pocket-sized guide, but I have used a number of Lonely Planet phrasebooks for languages that I do know more about.This guide follows the format of those other guides, broken down into sections by situation, with a 2-way dictionary at the back and a pronounciation guide at the beginning of the book.

Two notable omissions.There is not a section on "love and dating" as there is in every other LP Phrasebook I've used.

Also, unlike the Russian phrasebook, which contains the english phrase, a phonetic pronounciation, and then the actual spelling, this book does not contain a phonetic spelling.For a language likely to be as difficult as Vietnamese for native English speakers and considering that such speakers are the book's target audience, phonetic spellings (indicating inflection as well) would help a lot.

Still, a decent phrasebook as LP ones tend to be.

watch out
Glancing through several pages of the book, I was very unimpressed.I am fluent in both the northern and southern dialects of Vietnamese; this book looks like it will help you with neither.The diagram and explanation of tones is simply incorrect.The pronunciation guide is also confusing and imprecise.Save yourself the money and time.Keep looking.For intermediate-level students of Vietnamese, I would recommed "Colloquial Vietnamese" by John Moore and Tuan Duc Vuong.For beginners, I hear that "Elementary Vietnamese" by Binh Ngo is a good bet. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Outrageous "social evil"
This book is suitable for the advanced and mature student of Vietnamese language and culture.

The personal pronouns that it teaches are down right rude and offensive and can be used safely only within very narrowly defined social relations. Without having a fair grasp of the personal pronoun system of Vietnamese to begin with you could easily get yourself into trouble with this book. The same can be said of the insults and name calling. What would be a cute exchange between old buddies or grey haired girl friends from their school days could lead to violence with students, servants, co-workers, and even family, not to mention strangers.

All my Vietnamese friends were scandalized, and immensely amused, by it.

Don't be surprised if Customs confiscates this book from you at the airport. This is a "social evil" so if you do manage to get a copy in country be very careful about whom you share it with, and especially keep it out of the hands of children and impressionable adults. You will find that Vietnamese teachers can comment on it and give you insights into culture that the book itself doesn't explain, but which nevertheless raised the subject.

That said there are some highlights that make this a great book:
The slang is authentic and well known throughout Vietnam- the sort of gutter language spoken by the lowest classes - and if you take care to be polite and use it wisely can get you invited to great night life whether you like drinking, dancing, or sex.

It also helps to know what a few rude others are saying in front of you and your spouse or girlfriend - just defuse it gently by saying "Toi nghe duoc" = "I can hear" and smiling sweetly... don't get angry.The section on fighting in the book ignores the danger of a gang attack if you did get involved in a physical altercation.

It is also a great gift to mixed race couples - for pillow talk naturally, but do give the "foreign" spouse a heads up on avoiding "tao"and "may"or he or she is likely to get kicked out of the house.

If this books goes to another edition I hope the authors will include a vastly expanded slang dictionary - both naughty and nice. Vietnamese is a very rich and expressive language reflecting the rich inner life of the Vietnamese themselves.

not accurate but humerous
well, i asked my vietnamese friends their opinions...they said the language was not accurate.but the choice of terms was humerous.

cute, funny, but not entirely accurate..
this book deals with slang which must vary greatly...I don't think it really deals with an regeonalisms, it just has some cute phrases...dirty words, etc. that you won't find elsewhere.perhaps it's a good idea, but could be better done. ... Read more

Product Description
This work provides a concise translation of 16,000 entries and includes useful compounds and phrases, indicating the actual usage of the word.It will prove invaluable to both Vietnamese studying English and students of Vietnamese. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Awful
Don't waste your money on this awful dictionary! After receiving it, I looked through it and immediately sent it back. The layout is unprofessional and included are some errors and typos. It is quite outdated as well- it's just a newly printed copy of the version they released 20 years ago (needs a little more updating!) ... Read more

Product Description
Vietnam has become a popular destination for tourists, who enjoy its vibrant cities, spectacular coastline, and diverse ethnic cultures.This guide is an essential aid to all who wish to communicate in Vietnamese at home and abroad.

• 3,000 total entries
• Helpful phrases for the traveler, student, or businessperson
• Pronunciation guide introduces Vietnamese tones
• Basic Vietnamese grammar
• Practical cultural information and etiquette
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Best Intermediate Vietnamese Language book Ever
Not only is this a helpful book, but it is one of the only intermediate texts on the Vietnamese language.I have been a student of the Vietnamese language for 7 years, and have never come across a book as thorough as this.If you want to futher your vocabulary, and knowledge of grammar and aspects of Vietnameselanguage, this is the book for you.Its only weakness is that it doesn't use actual literary examples.It can be very mechanical at times, but it does give you coloquial phrases, and helps that make it easy to understand!!A must have for intermediate students of Vietnamese. ... Read more

Product Description
In this retelling of the ancient Vietnamese Cinderella folktale, Tam faces the jealousy of her stepmother and stepsister through several incarnations. Tam ultimately regains her position as bride of the king who has loved her as a bird, as a tree, and as herself. Tam and Cam won the 2006 National Parenting Publications Honors Award. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Cinderella Books
This is a good version of the classic Cinderella story.It shows the many ways one story can be told.Illustrations are well done.

A bilingual Vietnamese folktale deftly written
"Tam And Came: The Ancient Vietnamese Cinderella Story" is a bilingual Vietnamese folktale deftly written by Minh Quoc and beautifully illustrated by Mail Long. Tam is a young girl who bears the brunt of her stepmother and stepsister's jealously through several incarnations. Tam ultimately achieves the position of bridge to the king who has loved her as a bird, a tree, and as herself. Also very strongly recommended as English/Vietnamese bi-lingual picturebooks for family, school, and community library collections are two other simply wonderful titles for children ages 6 and older from East West Discovery Press: "Indebted As Lord Chom: The Legend Of The Forbidden Street written by Song Ha and illustrated by Ly Thu Ha, and "The Tet Pole: The Story Of The TET Festival" written by Tran Quoc and illustrated by Nguyen Bich. ... Read more

Product Description
This simple and effective introduction to Thai teaches everything one needs to speak, understand, read, and write in Thai. This program assumes no background in the language, and it explains each new concept clearly with plenty of examples, making it ideal for beginners or anyone who wants a thorough review. Living Language Thai includes:

·A course book and six audio CDs
·Two unique sets of recordings, one for use with the book, and a second for use anywhere to review and reinforce
·Natural dialogues, clear grammar notes, vocabulary building, and key expressions
·Plenty of practice, both written and recorded
·Notes on culture, cuisine, history, geography, and more
·Real life “discovery” activities and internet resources
·An extensive two-way glossary ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Native Vietnamese speaker trying to refresh vocabulary.
Upon reciept of this book I started to scan throughly through the book and already noticed that it contained translations of its words which did not make sense.What was he thinking when he produced this dictionary.Nothing as common as a everyday word could be translated.He uses to many hard explanations for something that could have been so simple to define.I do not recommend this book if you are in the market to find a simple, yet easy to follow dictionary.This book would only confuse and frustrate you more instead of helping. I hope that this review can alert you ahead and maybe you can opt for something else on the market.

Frustrated:SKP (Kentucky) ... Read more

Product Description
Published in 1988, this dictionary continues to be a favorite of many teachers.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

ESOL class
This picture dictionary is one that is most requested by my students.It is easy to use when they want words by subject. I find it useful in helping me to understand their languages as well.It's not of much value for looking up words alphabetically, but for that we have bilingual dictionaries.It's worth keeping in my classroom library, but is a frequent theft item.Other teachers might need to keep this in mind.

Grandmother really liked it
I bought this for my Vietnamese grandmother who can read and write Vietnamese and English, but does not have a large English vocabulary. She really liked it. I also find it useful for expanding my Vietnamese vocabulary. The only negative is that for some of the pages with a lot of pictures, the font is harder to read.But I included a reading magnifying glass with this book for my grandmother and that worked out fine. ... Read more

Product Description
The English/Vietnamese version of the second edition of the best-selling and well loved Oxford Picture Dictionary, features over 4,000 words and phrases in both languages illustrated with all new vibrant, crystal-clear artwork. The topics, based on extensive input from teachers and students, have been thoroughly updated to meet the needs of today's English language learners.The new bilingual editions havecomplete second language indexes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Helpful for beginners
This is geared toward native Vietnamese speakers learning English, but if you are a native English speaker learning Vietnamese, like me, it is just as helpful. A good companion to a standard dictionary.

Too Detailed with descriptions
The new edition of this book OPD is much too detailed and with a low ESL student it is entirely over her level.This book which was first published in 1998 is much better and I would give that book a 5 star rating.
Example:A student does not need to know the 10 varieties of shoes.

Useful tool for ESL
My program used the 1st edition of this text and found it quite useful for our adult-students, it is quite helpful for my Vietnamese students, who have no knowledge of the English language. Students compare the quoc ngu to the English but sometimes found it difficult to pronounce the words. Other than that, it contains a wide range of subject matters that are relevant to daily life.

love it!!!
I'm very pleased with the new edition. First of all, not only up to date with vocab, the quality of the papers are good. Second, it has a whole lot more commonly used vocabulary nowaday relating to everyday life, school, computer, astronomy etc... Good buy indeed.

Too much
I like the 1998 edition which is clear and straight forward as a dictionary. The new edition has too much stuff going on each page. I teach Beginning Low level ESL and it is overwhelming for the students. They see the words, sentences, conversations, stories on one page. It is too much. From the old edition, I can introduce the vocabulary to the students and add the related materials accordingly. I will keep usingthe 1998 edition dictionary. ... Read more

Product Description
These papers explore an important syntactic feature of South Asian languages, the experiencer subject construction. Contributing scholars investigate this feature in such languages as Marathi, Bhojpuri, Sinhalese, Marwari, Oriya, Punjabi, Bengali, Kalasha, Gujarati, Bepali, Maithili, and Malayalam. The experiencer subject not only defines South Asian languages as a linguistic unit, but also has implications for theoretical linguistics. Mahendra Verma is a professor of linguistics at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Tara Mohanan is a linguistics professor in the English department of the National University of Singapore. ... Read more

Product Description
Start speaking Vietnamese in just one hour! This brand new, all-audio course has been specially designed to provide a quick and easy start to learning basic, everyday words in a foreign language. Covers 250 of the most commonly used words and phrases over a range of subjects. Each word and phrase is repeated to aid easy memorisation and encourage correct pronunciation. A 16-page accompanying booklet includes all the words and phrases presented on the CD to help associate the written language with the audio. This course is also compatible with iPod and MP3 devices for those wanting to learn on the move, so there really is no excuse not to start speaking Vietnamese straightaway! ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (5)

Good dictionary, but only a part of the puzzle
This is a great dictionary for learners of English and Vietnamese. I see a lot of people complain that it has IPA for English, but not for Vietnamese. I think the reason the creators made it this way, is because you can learn to read Vietnamese in a few days of hard work, whereas many native English speakers can't read long uncommonly used English words.

The reason this product received only four stars is because it lacks a lot of USAGE. USAGE is key to learning a language, if you know a word, it doesn't help if you can't use it properly. This book is a very useful resource, but it seldom uses the words in sentences to give you and idea of how to use it properly. Luckily I know many native Vietnamese speakers, so I just throw it into conversation and ask them to correct me if I'm doing it right. Without this, I would have a lot more trouble learning Vietnamese!

Another reason I left off that last star, was because sometimes the English > Vietnamese side doesn't really give you an actual definition, rather it describes the English word. A good example would be the entry for pizza, the definition was like "a piece of an Italian pastry topped with sauce, meat and cheese." It left no mention about the fact that most Vietnamese just call it "pi-za." Luckily the Vietnamese > English side doesn't really have this problem.

Not for Vietnamese Learners!
Even though this dictionary claims that it is for both Vietnamese and English learners, it's much more suited for learners of English. The English entries have IPA listed next to them while the Vietnamese entries do not! So if you are an English speaker wanting to learn Vietnamese, this would not be the best choice for a primary dictionary.

Vietnamese dictionary
Originally purchased for a friend's father. He commented that the book uses incorrect Vietnamese, but then again that may be due to different dialects. If and when you purchase this book (for studying and other reasons), make sure the dialect is the same as the dialect you are using/studying.

Tuttle Compact Vietnamese Dictionary: Vietnamese-English English-Vietnamese
Dictionary is in new condition. It is a very useful item to have. Shipping is reasonable. I am happy.

Fascinating Vietnam
Maybe not comprehensive, however it carries most essential words with sample sentences which impressd me most. Highly recommemded. ... Read more

Product Description
Living Language In-Flight Thai is the perfect boarding pass to learning Thai before you land.

There's no better way to make use of all that spare time on a plane than to master the essentials of a language.This 60-minute program is the simplest way to learn just enough to get by in every situation essential to both the tourist and business traveler.

The program covers everything from greetings and polite expressions to asking directions, getting around, checking into a hotel, and going to a restaurant.There are even sections for meeting people and spending a night on the town.

Short lessons make In-Flight Thai easy to use, and a handy pocket-sized insert is included as a cheat sheet for use on the go. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

OK
I am not very good at any language's so how can I tell you if this is good or not but what I do know is that is that I like it better than "Speak Like a Thai"

Way too fast and no tone markings
Completely worthless. The Thai speakers speak WAY too fast, the guy on there sounds computer generated, and the little phrasebook that comes with it doesn't have any tone markings on it.Needs to be slower, clearer, and have more options for repetition.Not recommended.

AUDIO PHRASE BOOK
I bought "In-Flight Thai" thinking it was an actual Thai language course.I was thoroughly disappointed.It is merely a Thai phrase book put on CD.Though, it could be use as a supplement for a regular course. This is not for someone looking to become fluent in Thai, but for a highly motivated person looking to learn a little bit of Thai. Yet, if you want to memorize a few common phrases in Thai to help you get by then this might... maybe be better than buying a regular phrase book that is not accompanied by audio. For those who think "In-Flight Thai" might be for them, here is a list of the lessons it has to offer.
LESSON 1: SAYING HELLO
LESSON 2: BASIC EXPRESSIONS
LESSON 3: NUMBERS (very good way to learn numbers)
LESSON 4: AT THE AIRPORT
LESSON 5: GETTIN AROUND
LESSON 6: ASKING DRECTIONS
LESSON 7: AT THE HOTEL
LESSON 8: MAKING FRIENDS
LESSON 9: AT THE RESTRAUNT
LESSON 10: TELLING TIME
LESSON 11: MONEY
LESSON 12: SHOPPING
LESSON 13: STAYING IN TOUCH
LESSON 14: AT THE TRAIN STATION
LESSON 15: GETTING HELP
LESSON 16: DAYS AND MONTHS
LESSON 17: GOING OUT
LESSON 18: ASKING QUESTIONS AND DESCRINBING THINGS

Phrases sound computer generated
To my ear, it sounds like the Thai phrases were computer generated. Granted that the technology has come a long way since War Games, it is still not the same as a human speaker, or hopefully a native Thai speaker.

Too Fast but no other options on CD
Too Fast but no other options on CD ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good for getting deeper
I've been learning Vietnamese for about three years. It's a difficult language to get a Western mind and mouth around but this book has helped me get a deeper understanding of structure, grammar and pronunciation. ... Read more

Product Description
Speech of educated people in Ho Chi Minh city, with an appendix on Northern Dialect. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

One of the better books out there
There are several reasons why this book is good.There is a wonderful breakdown of the different vowel sounds and it also focuses on the southern dialect of Vietnamese which is spoken most in the U.S.

Used in an academic setting (whether it be individual or in a class), the drills are very helpful.

However, I think the book works best when used together WITH the audio cassette.The two MUST work together to help studentsaquire the language better.Yes, the authors also developed the audio version but it don't think it supplements the text as well as other foreign language packages have.

Spoken Vietnamese
I bought the SLS Spoken Vietnamese course a few years before arriving in Vietnam and it turned out to be a great investment that is still paying dividends.

Though it is a bit dated, it is still in my opinion the best Vietnamese language course on the market, especially if you are living in Saigon where the dialect can be at times quite different than that of Hanoi.All other courses on the market are based on Hanoi standard usage.The SLS Vietnamese course is the only one I know of that is based on Saigon standard.

Gary ... Read more

Product Description
In search of his lucky grain of corn Soro meets many new and interesting people and learns that magic is not always where we think it is. ... Read more

Product Description
Ch^o Ban! is an interactive language program of introductory Vietnamese intended for use by non-native students, as well as students of Vietnamese heritage without a solid knowledge of the language. The entire program uses the communicative approach, which focuses on teaching the language for the ultimate purpose of using it in everyday settings. Ch^o Ban! consists of a textbook and workbook manual that adhere to the following practical objectives: to make the whole program straightforward in presentation, user-friendly, practical, interesting to students, and most importantly culture-based. ... Read more

Product Description
Up-to-date language instruction guide for students with little or no background in Vietnamese. This book also teaches about the country's history and culture, including social customs, dining out and other daily issues. Also provided are basic language skills, vocabulary, grammar and phrases to move about freely in the country. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Lots of material to learn
I purchased this book a few weeks ago and have been studying it page by page. While I must admit that this is
an old book written in a formal Hanoi style dialect I'm satified using it to learn Vietnamese. This is because
there's alot of material to learn. I'm a slow learner of a foreign language and have discovered that the best
method for me is lots of material again and again. My wife who is from Saigon kind've sneered at the book saying
that average persons in Vietnam don't "talk that way". However, I'm still glad I bought this book. I recommend it
for anyone wanting to learn Vietnames as part of their regime.

Very good item!
This book is brilliant! I haven't used it yet since I received it a few days ago, but i have started reading the tip and drills. Pronuncistion drills and grammar notes are clear and well explained. The only con is that there isn't any tape or recorded voice examples...but you'll get a chance to learn it well having a Vietnamese friend to talk with,like me. If you need and love a systematic approach to the language, I recommend his book.

Beginner's Vietnamese
This book was recommended to me by an author of an other Vietnamese textbook and I have found it excellent.I only wish that they had done CD's or tapes to go with it.That would be my only minus.I have also recommended this title to other students who are learning this wonderful language with me.

Best beginning Vietnamese book I've found
Yeah, no tapes, but if you have some friends who can help with pronunciation, this book is the best I've found.I have about 8 beginning books, and all are useful, but this is definitely my favorite.Buy the book, work with a Siagonese friend to get the sounds of the vowels and consonants down, pay attention to the tones and you can lean one of the world's harder languages.

Co cho chung ta di mua quyen ay, duoc khong?

OK, OK, so if I butchered this, I'm still learning.Pimsleur is fine, but it's all in the Hanoi dialect; FSI course is better (and free - bittorent or google search on fsi vietnamese) but is a slow.If you want to learn the Saigon dialect, try the FSI course coupled with this book.

No CDs or tapes! What a waste for an otherwise wonderful book
The book looks perfect. It has lots and lots of repetition and substitution drills which are very good. But the idea of studying Vietnamese without the tapes sounds, pardon me, ridiculous and unforgivable. I have no idea what the publisher is thinking. There must be tapes or CDs somewhere..Does anyone know of any? It's such a waste. ... Read more