Hanoi

Saigon

Love:

They call their lovers “anh yêu”, “em yêu”

They use “ông xã”, “bà xã”.

Rich:

You will be considered a rich man when:

You have a lot of money.

You spend a lot of money.

Karaoke:

Choosing song, singing for joy, no problem if you get wrong tone.

Try your best to sing, as good as possible.

Supermarket

They are very expensive but not practical.

Very convenient

A place for relaxing at weekend

Book store

The seller is imperious.

You can read book at the book store to find which book you want or like. If you don’t buy any book, it’s ok, don’t worry about that.

Pagoda

It’s very quiet, you can have inner peace

It’s very noisy

“Chè” (a kind of sweet derrert)

It’s often contained in a small glass or bowl.

Contained in a small bag, often including coconut milk, you can bite a hole and suck.

Cut a lemon

Cross line cut

Vertical cut

Go out:

Good motorcycle, beautiful dress, but maybe have no money.

Don’t need to dress so beautiful, but when you ask for money, they will say: “How much do you need?”

Shopping:

Remember not to haggle. In the morning, if you don’t want to receive  a hot look, and hear bad words

They just say: “Thanks you, see you next time”

Comedy:

Emphasizing on the words

Emphasizing on the gesture

Pay respects

You have to address (his/her name) in a respectful way.

You just need to bow

Buying something, and you need them to pack faster

If you want it to be faster, go to another store!

Ok, I’ll do it now.

Billboard

It need to be polite and formal.

As funny as possible.

When talking about business

They will ask you who your father is

If they recognize your plan is feasible, they will agree.

Developing a project

They care about how many they can get from the Central Government.

The people in Saigon just care about the way to make profit from that project, and how to do that.

When you come to visit somebody:

Hosts will invite you to drink tea.

It’s often coffee or soft drink.

Talking to friend:

They use: “cậu” and “tớ”. When friends in Hanoi use “may, tao”, the relationship has become serious

They use “mày” and “tao”

Say thanks when given something:

“Vâng, quý hoá quá”

“Trời ơi dữ hông”

Praising food

“Ngon tuyệt cú mèo”

“Ngon bá cháy bò chét.”

Power, water cut

Mất điện, mất nước

Cúp điện, cúp nước

About Girls

Sun burnt skin, lovable in talking

White skin, but cold.

About Boys

Sun burnt skin and humorous

White skin and mannered dress.

Beer

A bottle is poured around for all glasses

Each person keep his own bottle.

Hanoi

Saigon

Rain

Like the disposition of girls in Hanoi – smoldering and tenaciousness

Like the disposition of the girls in Saigon – Sour and scornful but easy to forget

Dressing:

It’s easily to find a motorbike taxi driver working in vest.

You can dress the shorts with plastic sandals and properly go into Rex (a luxury restaurant in Saigon).

Motorcycle:

They call it a transportation with engine. Rarely to see an old or broken motorcycle on the street

They call it a transportation with two wheels.  Some motorcycle seems to be borrowed from the museum running on the street.

Mending a puncture at midnight:

“It’s too late now, 100.000VNĐ and I will mend it for you.”

“10.000 VND, please!”

Passenger car:

They will tell you: Move over, please!

Each passenger have a particular seat, don’t get more if the car is full.

Receive a phone call:

Let’s stand at the crossroad when talking so that others will know who you are.

If you don’t want your mobile phone wrenched away from you, you should park your motorcycle on the sidewalk for talking.

Traffic:

Do not turn right when traffic light is red.

Some places is even allow for turning left.

When you get a light accident with the other who stops for traffic light

You will receive an insult.

They just look back to see who the perpetrator is, and … continue waiting.

Shoe:

Men in Hanoi can wear shoe without stocking.

Girls in Saigon can wear stocking without shoe.

When two girls like the same things

They said: “You and I buy it.”

“You bough it, I will find another one.”

Coffee:

And the formula is also different:

Coffee shop is very cramped, sometime you can see that two couples are arranged in one table.

Coffee + milk + two ice cube = ice milk coffee, named “nâu đá” (brown ice), if you want more water, it’s very difficult.

Coffee shops have a lot of chairs arranged in line.

A few coffee + a few milk + ice + ice +… + and ice = ice milk coffee. and  you also have a glass of ice tea or a pot of tea to drink for free

Ice tea:

You can buy a glass of ice tea with 2.000 VND.

A glass of ice tea like that can make 4 glasses, but it’s free.

Fork and dish. (nĩa – đĩa)

When you say: “cho tôi thêm một cái dĩa”

You will have a fork.

They will give you a dish

Thanks

It’s very rare

It is very usually when you here someone say: “thanks”

Yes (Dạ and Vâng)

When the elder invites you over for a meal:

In Hanoi, you should say: “dạ, vâng”

Just need one word, “dạ” or “vâng”

Saying love:

When you speak to a girl: “Thế em có yêu anh không?” (do you love me?)

The girls in Hanoi will answer: “Nếu nói không thì sao?” (what if I say “no”?)

The girls in Saigon will answer: “Tại sao lại không nhỉ!” (why not!)