Vietnamese School Vocabulary: Classroom Words and Phrases You'll Use
Last updated: March 8, 2026
Learning Vietnamese school vocabulary gives you a solid foundation for everyday conversations, especially if you're teaching English in Vietnam, have kids attending local schools, or just want to understand educational contexts better. The classroom environment is packed with useful terms that pop up constantly in daily life, from talking about subjects and schedules to discussing homework and exams. This guide covers everything from basic classroom items to academic phrases you'll actually use.
- Essential classroom items and furniture
- School supplies every student needs
- Academic subjects in Vietnamese schools
- School roles and positions
- Common classroom phrases and instructions
- School terms and academic vocabulary
- Education levels in Vietnam
- How to learn Vietnamese school vocabulary
- Best resources for school vocabulary in Vietnamese
Essential classroom items and furniture
Let's start with the physical stuff you'll find in any Vietnamese classroom. These are the words you'll hear and use most often.
Vietnamese | English |
|---|---|
lớp học | Classroom |
bàn học | Desk |
ghế | Chair |
bảng đen | Blackboard (literally "black board") |
bảng trắng | Whiteboard (literally "white board") |
bàn giáo viên | Teacher's desk |
bàn học sinh | Student desk |
giá sách | Bookshelf |
cửa sổ | Window |
cửa | Door |
trần nhà | Ceiling |
sàn nhà | Floor |
tường | Wall |
đồng hồ | Clock |
quạt | Fan — you'll definitely find this in most Vietnamese classrooms |
máy lạnh | Air conditioner — less common but appearing more in newer schools |
đèn | Light |
công tắc đèn | Light switch |
thùng rác | Trash can |
School supplies every student needs
Vietnamese students carry pretty much the same supplies as students anywhere else.
Vietnamese | English |
|---|---|
ba lô / cặp sách | Backpack — cặp sách specifically means school bag |
sách | Books |
vở | Notebooks |
sách giáo khoa | Textbook |
bút / bút mực | Pen |
bút chì | Pencil (literally "lead pen") |
tẩy / cục tẩy | Eraser |
gọt bút chì | Pencil sharpener |
thước kẻ | Ruler |
kéo | Scissors |
keo dán | Glue |
máy tính | Calculator |
giấy | Paper |
tờ giấy | Sheet of paper |
bìa kẹp | Folder |
sổ còng | Binder |
bút chì màu | Colored pencils |
bút dạ | Markers |
bút dạ quang | Highlighter |
com pa | Compass |
thước đo góc | Protractor |
hộp bút / túi bút | Pencil case — Vietnamese students take their supplies seriously, often with very organized pencil cases |
Academic subjects in Vietnamese schools
The Vietnamese education system covers all the standard subjects, though the emphasis and structure might differ from what you're used to.
Vietnamese | English |
|---|---|
toán học / toán | Math |
ngữ văn | Literature — specifically Vietnamese language and literature |
tiếng Anh | English (literally "English language") |
khoa học | Science |
vật lý | Physics |
hóa học | Chemistry |
sinh học | Biology |
lịch sử | History |
địa lý | Geography |
thể dục | Physical education — students in Vietnam take this quite seriously |
âm nhạc | Music class |
mỹ thuật | Art class |
tin học | Computer science / Informatics |
giáo dục công dân | Civic education — a required subject in Vietnam |
tiếng Trung | Chinese |
tiếng Pháp | French |
tiếng Nhật | Japanese |
School roles and positions
Understanding who's who in a Vietnamese school helps you navigate the system better.
Vietnamese | English |
|---|---|
giáo viên | Teacher |
thầy giáo | Male teacher |
cô giáo | Female teacher |
thầy / cô | How students address teachers directly |
học sinh | Student |
hiệu trưởng | Principal |
hiệu phó | Vice principal |
lớp trưởng | Class monitor / Class president — a position with real responsibility in Vietnamese classrooms |
giáo sư | Professor (at university level) |
trợ giảng | Teaching assistant |
thủ thư | School librarian |
bảo vệ | Security guard — common at Vietnamese schools |
phụ huynh | Parents (in school context) |
cha mẹ | Parents (in casual conversation) |
bạn cùng lớp | Classmate |
bạn cùng trường | Schoolmate |
Common classroom phrases and instructions
These phrases come up constantly in Vietnamese classrooms. Teachers use them to manage the class, and students need to understand them quickly.
Vietnamese | English |
|---|---|
Chào các em. | Hello students. (teacher greeting) |
Chào thầy / cô. | Hello teacher. (students' response) |
Ngồi xuống. | Sit down. |
Đứng lên. | Stand up. |
Mở sách ra. | Open your books. |
Ghi bài. | Take notes / Write this down. |
Làm bài tập. | Do the exercises. |
Nộp bài. | Hand in your work. |
Im lặng / Yên lặng. | Be quiet. |
Chú ý. | Pay attention. |
Ai biết câu trả lời? | Who knows the answer? |
Giơ tay lên. | Raise your hand. |
Đọc to lên. | Read aloud. |
Đọc thầm. | Read silently. |
Làm việc theo nhóm. | Work in groups. |
Về nhà làm bài tập này. | Do this homework at home. |
Thầy/cô ơi, em có câu hỏi. | Teacher, I have a question. |
Em không hiểu. | I don't understand. |
Xin lỗi, em đi muộn. | Sorry, I'm late. |
School terms and academic vocabulary
The school year in Vietnam runs differently than in many Western countries. It typically starts in September and ends in May, divided into two semesters.
Vietnamese | English |
|---|---|
học kỳ | Semester |
học kỳ 1 | First semester |
học kỳ 2 | Second semester |
năm học | School year |
nghỉ hè | Summer vacation — runs from June through August, when temperatures in Vietnam can get pretty intense |
tiết học | Class period |
thời khóa biểu | Schedule |
giờ ra chơi | Recess / Break time |
giờ ăn trưa | Lunch break |
bài tập về nhà / bài tập | Homework |
nhiệm vụ | Assignment |
bài kiểm tra | Test |
kỳ thi / bài thi | Exam |
bài kiểm tra nhỏ | Quiz |
điểm | Grades / Marks — grading scale in Vietnam typically runs from 0 to 10, with 10 being perfect |
học bạ / bảng điểm | Report card |
đỗ | To pass |
trượt / hỏng | To fail |
bằng tốt nghiệp | Diploma |
lễ tốt nghiệp | Graduation |
kỳ thi tốt nghiệp | Graduation exam — a big deal in Vietnam |
Education levels in Vietnam
Understanding the structure of Vietnamese education helps contextualize all this vocabulary.
Vietnamese | English |
|---|---|
mẫu giáo / nhà trẻ | Preschool / Kindergarten — nhà trẻ is for very young children |
tiểu học | Elementary school (grades 1–5) |
trung học cơ sở (THCS) | Middle school (grades 6–9) |
trung học phổ thông (THPT) | High school (grades 10–12) |
đại học | University |
cao đẳng | College / Vocational school |
sau đại học | Graduate school |
học sinh lớp 1 | First grader |
học sinh lớp 10 | Tenth grader |
sinh viên | University student |
sinh viên năm nhất | Freshman |
sinh viên năm thứ hai | Sophomore |
How to learn Vietnamese school vocabulary
Looking at long lists of Vietnamese words can feel overwhelming. Here's the thing, you'll pick up these terms way faster if you encounter them in context rather than just memorizing tables.
- If you're in Vietnam, visit a local school or tutoring center. The visual context of seeing "bảng đen" while someone points at a blackboard beats any flashcard. If you're teaching English there, you'll absorb this vocabulary naturally within weeks.
- For language learning outside Vietnam, watching Vietnamese educational content helps tremendously. YouTube has tons of videos showing Vietnamese classrooms, teacher training content, and educational programs. Hearing "mở sách ra" in an actual classroom context makes it stick.
- Flashcards work better when you create them yourself with example sentences. Don't just write "bàn học = desk". Write "Em ngồi ở bàn học" (I sit at the desk). The grammar and context matter.
- Practice with Vietnamese friends or language partners by describing your own school experiences. "Hồi nhỏ, em học toán và văn" (When I was young, I studied math and literature). Using the vocabulary in real sentences about your life makes it memorable.
Best resources for school vocabulary in Vietnamese
Most Vietnamese language textbooks cover basic school vocabulary, but they often present it in boring lists. The best approach combines multiple resources.
- Vietnamese children's books set in schools give you natural context. Picture books for elementary students show classroom scenes with labels. Young adult novels set in Vietnamese high schools use this vocabulary constantly.
- Language exchange apps let you practice with actual Vietnamese students who can explain how these terms get used in real life. They'll tell you that "bài kiểm tra 15 phút" (15-minute quiz) strikes fear into students' hearts, or that "điểm 10" (perfect score) is the dream.
- PDF vocabulary lists work fine for reference, but don't rely on them alone. Download a few to keep on your phone, but make sure you're also hearing and using these words actively.
- Vietnamese education YouTube channels, especially those teaching English to Vietnamese students, give you tons of exposure to classroom language. You'll hear both Vietnamese and English, which helps with comprehension.
Anyway, if you want to use Vietnamese vocabulary with real content, Migaku's browser extension and app let you look up words instantly while watching Vietnamese shows or reading articles. Makes immersion learning way more practical. There's a 10-day free trial if you want to check it out.
Learn Vietnamese words and phrases the fun way
The best way to learn words together with the Vietnamese culture is through immersion. While beginners might need to spend more time on textbooks and grammar rules, intermediate learners can dedicate a considerable amount of time to reading books, watching videos, and listening to podcasts. You may not need to use the school vocabulary frequently, so learning the vocabulary whenever you see it is the ideal way.
If you consume media in Vietnamese, and you understand at least some of the messages and sentences within that media, you will make progress. Period.
See it. Learn it.👀