How to Pronounce Vietnamese Food: Bánh Mì, Bún, Chè…
Bánh mì, bánh xèo, gỏi cuốn, cà phê: hear every dish in a Southern and a Northern voice, and read a menu by its first word.
A menu reads from left to right: the main thing first, then what makes it special. Here are the dishes you'll see most, each to hear in your accent.
The dishes
- phởpho (noodle soup)hỏi = ngã
- bánh mìbread, Vietnamese sandwichsaid as written
- búnrice vermicellisaid as written
- chèsweet dessert soup (chè)ch = tr
- cà phêcoffeesaid as written
- bánh xèoVietnamese savory pancakex = s
- bánh cuốnbanh cuon (steamed rice roll)said as written
- bánh canhthick noodle soupsaid as written
- gỏi cuốnfresh spring roll (summer roll)g = rhỏi = ngã
- cơm tấmbroken ricesaid as written
Switch the accent: some dishes change, others don't.
Bánh mì, step by step
Read each block aloud, then compare:
Each line adds one piece. Read it aloud, then tap a card to compare: a consonant plays the way it is spelled at school (ph = “phờ”).
Syllable 1 · bánh
Syllable 2 · mì
Spelled the Vietnamese school waya nhờ anh bờ anh banh sắc bánh — mờ i mi huyền mì
bánh mìbread, Vietnamese sandwich
Every tone
The same letters without a tone (the root), then with each tone the spelling allows: some are words, some only possible syllables.
Syllable 1 · bánh
Syllable 2 · mì
anh at the end: in a Southern accent it comes close to “an”. The mark on á is the high rising tone; on ì the voice falls.
Read the first word
The first word is the family, the next one the dish:
- bánhcake, pastry: bánh mì, bánh xèo, bánh cuốn, bánh canh.
- búnrice vermicelli and phởpho (noodle soup): noodle soups.
- cơmcooked rice, meal: cơm tấm, rice dishes.
Phở has its own guide
The most ordered dish, the most mispronounced: how to pronounce phở.
Hear more names, dishes and everyday words built step by step: Vietnamese pronunciation tool.
Quick answers
How do you pronounce bánh mì?
Two syllables: bánh, with the high rising sắc tone, then mì, low and falling with huyền. In a Southern accent the -nh of bánh comes close to an -n. Press play on this page to hear both accents.
What does bánh mean on a menu?
Bánh covers breads, cakes and many rice-flour dishes: bánh mì, bánh xèo, bánh cuốn, bánh canh. The second word tells you which one.
Why do Vietnamese dish names have so many marks?
Each mark is part of the word: a tone mark or a letter mark. Without them, many dish names would stand for several different words.
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