15+ Best Online Vietnamese Courses

Have you ever seen a floating market? It is the most famous thing from Vietnam. There are many other reasons to travel to Vietnam, such as the traditional iced coffee, Ao Dai, War Remnants Museum, etc. Not only that, but it also offers several professional opportunities. All of this made my colleague travel to Vietnam. However, to travel there, he had to learn Vietnamese. It is very common to learn the official language of the country you are traveling to. If you are also planning to travel there, you must learn Vietnamese first.

How?

Here are some online Vietnamese courses that my friend used to perfect his language skills.

Best Online Vietnamese Courses

Vietnam is a beautiful country to explore. Though I have no plans to travel there, I am always interested in knowing different platforms to learn a language. I also try to help others by giving them the right path. Thus, to help you learn Vietnamese, I am sharing the online Vietnamese courses that my friend used while learning this language.

1. VietnamesePopd101

I have used the Languagepod series for learning French, Spanish, and many other languages. I know it is a pretty good resource to use. Thus, when my friend told me about it, nothing was shocking for me. Though it is mostly known for its podcats, it also has proper courses. The only problem with this platform is the unstructured way of providing the lessons. 

What I like:

• There are a variety of lessons to teach from.
• It provides multiple podcasts that are easy to hear.
• The hosts of the podcasts are native speakers of Vietnamese.
• English is used in starting levels.

What I don’t like

• There are too many professional emails from the website. 
• It has no written content available.

2. Preply

Preply is a live classes platform that helps in learning through online tutors. It is the one that I usually look at for learning a new language. For Vietnamese, there are 159 tutors on Preply. There are more than 1842 learners on the platform. In fact, most of the learners have given good ratings to the tutors. If you do not like tutors, they will replace them for you.

What I like:

• There are more than 159 tutors to choose from.
• Gives a full replacement for tutors you don’t like.
• Filter the search request based on your needs.
• A free demo class is also available.

What I don’t like

• Some teachers are not too helpful.
• Few teachers never show up in the classroom.

3. Duolingo

Are you looking for something free? Just go for Duolingo. Duolingo is the platform that helps in learning the language from starting. It is the one that is known for its engaging approach. The platform has many exercises that are more like playing a new game. You play, you win. There are so many exercises that kept me engaged with the content. Anyone with having limited budget and zero knowledge of it must take advantage of this platform.

What I like:

• It is a free platform to use.
• There are a lot of fun elements on the platform.
• It is highly motivating and best for beginners.

What I don’t like

• There are very less grammatical explanations on it.
• No content for advanced-level learners.
• It has a heart system that only allows you to make 5 mistakes while practicing.

4. Learning Vietnamese with Annie

Learning Vietnamese with Annie has multiple lessons based on podcasts. Each week, there is a new podcast available on the platform. The main focus of it is the Southern Vietnamese accents. There is a discussion of the audio, scripts, translations, etc. It has online exercises to practice with. Some lessons make it easy to understand what to expect. 

What I like:

• There is one one-on-one lesson that you can take up on Skype.
• Speaking exercises help in improving the conversation.
• A lot of content is used for improving listening, writing, and reading skills.

What I don’t like

• There is no particular path to follow.

5. FSI Vietnamese

FSI is the government entity that helps in learning the language. It basically trains diplomats and officials in any language. I don’t think there is a better way than learning from such an official entity. The content is not updated from time but can add some good value to your learning. As it is used to help the diplomats, the course is free to use. Most of the content is photocopied which makes it hard to read.

What I like:

• There is a natural Vietnamese course on it.
• Free and easy to download.

What I don’t like

• The material is all photocopy which makes it hard to understand.

6. Memrise

Memrise is the platform that helps in learning a lot of vocabulary for different languages freely. It was earlier known for the decks provided by the users themselves. You can easily create a deck of your own and use the one created by others. However, with the latest updates, the platform has changed the designing of the platform. There is now a particular course on the platform to follow. The basic idea is still the same, to teach the vocabulary. It has a full course that helps in learning the vocabulary from beginning to ending.

What I like:

• A lot of vocabulary is available. 
• Multiple engaging exercises on the platform. 
• The content is available for different levels.

What I don’t like

• There are no proper speaking exercises on it.
• You can’t practice conversational skills on the platform.

7. iTalki

Self-learning can be a difficult task for many. They need some guidance from the others. For this, we try to get some private tutors. But of course, it is not always possible to find the right tutor offline. It is also very common that you do not need much training from them. iTalki helps in meeting all such problems on a single platform. Along with that the prices you pay for it, depend upon the tutor selected. 

What I like:

• Multiple tutors to teach the language.
• You can filter based on the prices and teaching experiences.
• Most of the teachers are helpful.

What I don’t like

• Some tutors are very good in demo sessions but once we book the class, there is no show from them.

8. Live Lingua

Live Lingua can be considered as a school, where you get connected with the tutors of Vietnamese. In most of the live classes, the teachers focus on conversational practice leaving grammar behind. Though it makes sense to directly focus on learning conversational skills, tutors on Live Lingua, give importance to the grammatical aspect of the language. There are multiple tools by which this language is taught like Verb handouts, quizzes, grammatical explanations, vocabulary, etc. In addition to that, there is also a section to get the free courses on the platform. 

What I like:

• It has 1-on-1 classes.
• Many free resources.
• There is an evaluation after a specific period.

What I don’t like

• Overprized
• Flood of emails
• The interface is not interested

9. Verbling

Another online classes platform where you get a pool of teachers to connect with. You can select the teachers of your own choice. Some features are made for students like a friendly online classroom, homework, flashcards, etc. It also has multiple forums to discuss the languages and some engaging exercises. The lessons depend upon the high-quality content and are also well-structured lessons. Some filters help in specializing the language. 

What I like:

• There are some special features that no other live learning platforms give like Flahscrds.
• It is very easy to get tutors on it.
• The main aim of the platform is to provide student satisfaction.
• There is also no need to give any personal details. 

What I don’t like

• Not all tutors use the flashcard system.
• The forums are boring and should be updated with time.
• There are fewer languages on the platform when compared to other live language learning platforms.

10. HelloTalk

Have you heard about the language exchange program? No? Let me first tell you what it is.

Language exchange program is the one where you find a person who is native to your targeted language and wants to learn your native one. 

Many platforms work on this style. HelloTalk is the one that follows the same approach. This was the first platform that I used following a similar style. It’s like an icing on the cake for the language you are learning. Why? Because it connects you with native speakers through calls, chats, etc. This helps in practicing the language with real speakers. Additionally, the platform is free to use with some limitations. I don’t think there could be any other app that can beat this app when it comes to conversation practice.

What I like:

• It gives the chance to connect with the negative speakers.
• The built-in tools help in improving the language a lot.

What I don’t like

• There are limitations on the number of translations.
• You may not find good partners.

11. Tandem

Another platform that is basically a language exchange program is Tandem. Tandem is the app that again helps in learning the language by connecting with the other native speakers. Though it works similarly to Hello Talk, there are some additional features that I got with it. There is a feedback system on this platform. Every time I get in touch with the speakers, I could get feedback from them. Additionally, there is also a certificate for taking the English proficiency test. 

What I like:

• There are a lot of multiple native speakers from across the world.
• You also get real-life feedback from the people.
• The cool interface of the platform makes it easy to use.
• There is also a certificate program that you can take on.

What I don’t like

• You will see multiple requests from people. Some of them may only be there to use it as a dating app.
• There is no learning content, only practicing the language.

12. uTalk

Looking for something interesting? Try uTalk, It is a platform specially designed for visual learners. Some people remember the words easily by watching the images. Keeping them in mind this platform is created. At every stage, there are images that you have to watch and learn through. Watching images helps in remembering the meaning of the word in different contexts. In addition to that, there are sounds along with images. Listen to them and remind them properly.

What I like:

• Multiple languages are available on the platform.
• Can be used offline.
• A lot of engaging lessons.
• Reward system for keeping us.

What I don’t like

• Content is designed for only the beginners.
• The phrasebook is a paid feature.
• To use it freely, the app is required.

13. Lingodeer

Lingodeer is the only platform that starts by teaching the alphabet of the language. In the beginning, there is an alphabet section on the platform where you learn them first. After that, the whole course is created on it. Though one thing that I know about Vietnamese is that it has a similar writing structure to English, you will not need this feature much. However, the course follows a similar approach to Duolingo. It’s full of exercises where you take part and earn some rewards in it. 

What I like:

• It follows an engaging approach.
• There are recordings of the native speakers.
• Full of grammatical explanations.
• Great phrase book to use.
• Best review system.

What I don’t like

• No content for advanced learners.
• Limited video content.
• Fewer features for free users.

14. Rosetta Stone

Looking for a platform that has both a full course and a live learning feature? Rosetta Stone is what you need. There are only 24 languages on the platform including Vietnamese. The platform needs a subscription but you may get a free trial for some time. It depends upon the way you are creating the account. If you are applying through a website, the platform gives you a three-day free trial. But if you sign up on the mobile app, only the first lessons are free. Not only this, there is also a live teaching feature on it.

What I like:

• Helps in focusing on common words and phrases to use in daily life. 
• The tutors for taking live classes are really helpful. 
• Each lesson uses audio of the native speakers to teach how they talk.

What I don’t like

• It has very few grammatical lessons.
• Some exercises may get repetitive and boring.

15. Udemy

Udemy is a platform that has a lot of prerecorded courses for different languages. At present, there are more than 80 courses on the platform to teach Vietnamese. If you are also interested in learning it, try to check them. Some courses are created just for beginners and others are for higher levels on Udemy. Most of the courses are paid and help in earning a certificate. However, some are also free. You will have to search for it. 

What I like:

• More than 80 courses are available on the platform.
• The platform is paid and helps in earning a certificate.

What I don’t like

• Most courses are paid.
• It is hard to decide which course is best for you.

16. Pimsleur

Pimsleur is the one that is known for audio-based lessons that help in understanding how native speakers talk. The main aim of the platform is to improve the listening and speaking exercises. This means that it is one of the best tools for practicing the conversation with the speakers. If you are a beginner, start by taking the Level 1 course. This will help you in getting the basic knowledge. 

What I like:

• Most of the lessons are audio-based.
• There is audio from native speakers.
• It helps in speaking and listening exercises.

What I don’t like

• No visuals and videos are taught on the platform.
• Grammatical knowledge and reading are also neglected on the platform.

Quick Comparison

Here is a table showing the platforms having different learning styles-

Approach followed	Name of platforms
Online Tutoring Platforms	Preply, iTalki, Live Lingua, Verbling, and Rosetta Stone
Video courses	Udemy
Conversational practicing	Tandem and HelloTalk
Online courses	Duolingo, VietnamesePod101, Learning Vietnamese with Annie, FSI, Memrise, and Pimsleur

Conclusion

Vietnam is a very attractive country to travel to. But to go there, it is important to learn Vietnamese first. It will help in having conversations with native speakers. To help you learn it, I have discussed some of the platforms in the list above. Each platform focuses on a different learning style. Some provide live learning, whereas others offer a proper course for it. Depending on your learning style, choose one and start learning Vietnamese as soon as possible.