Complete Beginner Vietnamese Wednesday 6:00pm - 7:00pm PST (August 19th to September 23rd)The class size is 3-6 students per class. Instructor: Thuy

Complete Beginner Vietnamese – Online Class (via Zoom)

For learners in Berkeley, Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose, Napa & throughout the Bay Area

Course Dates:

August 19th to September 23rd

Classes meet once a week on Zoom in small groups of 3–6 students, offering personalized instruction, group interaction, and plenty of speaking practice.

Whether you’re in Berkeley, Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose, Napa, or anywhere in the Bay Area, you can join from home and begin building a strong foundation in Vietnamese with expert guidance.

About the Instructor

Thuy Tu is a native Vietnamese speaker from Hanoi with over 20 years of international experience in applied linguistics, curriculum development, and second/foreign language education. She holds a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction and a doctoral degree in Multilingual/Multicultural Education from George Mason University. With a strong background in Vietnamese linguistics, culture, and language pedagogy, Thuy specializes in creating supportive, interactive, and learner-centered classes for adult students. Since early 2024, she has taught Vietnamese language and culture to U.S.-based learners both online and in person, helping students build confidence while respecting their individual goals, identities, and learning styles.

Who This Course Is For

This course is designed for complete beginners—students with no prior experience or very limited exposure to Vietnamese. It’s perfect for adult learners in Berkeley, Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose, Napa, and the broader Bay Area who want to explore Vietnamese language and culture in a small, supportive online class.

Whether you’re learning Vietnamese for travel, family, heritage, work, personal interest, or cultural connection, this course is the ideal starting point.

What You’ll Learn

This course offers a clear and accessible introduction to Vietnamese. Students will begin with the sounds of the language, the Vietnamese alphabet, and the tonal system, which are essential for developing accurate pronunciation and listening skills.

The course also introduces key vocabulary, simple sentence structures, and practical expressions that will allow you to:

Greet people and introduce yourself
Ask and answer simple personal questions
Use polite everyday expressions
Talk about basic personal information
Recognize and pronounce Vietnamese tones
Understand common words and phrases used in daily life
Build short sentences with beginner-friendly grammar
Practice speaking in simple real-life situations

Students will also be introduced to cultural elements that give the language context, including forms of politeness, family terms, greetings, food culture, and everyday communication habits in Vietnamese-speaking communities.

By the End of the Course

You’ll be able to:

Pronounce basic Vietnamese words more accurately
Recognize the Vietnamese alphabet and tone marks
Use common greetings and polite expressions
Introduce yourself and ask simple questions
Understand basic Vietnamese sentence structure
Participate in short beginner-level conversations
Continue confidently into a higher-level beginner Vietnamese course

This course lays the groundwork for your Vietnamese language journey, combining essential communication skills with meaningful cultural learning. It is a welcoming first step for anyone who wants to begin learning Vietnamese in a structured, supportive, and engaging online environment.