Lessons · Level 1
1-3. Shopping 1: convenience stores and supermarkets — finding things and paying
Mua sắm ở cửa hàng tiện lợi
🎯 Goal Ask where things are in a convenience store or supermarket, and answer questions about heating, bags and payment · about 30 min
Convenience stores and supermarkets in Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City has lots of convenience stores like Circle K, GS25, FamilyMart and 7-Eleven, most of them open 24 hours. For groceries, people use supermarkets like WinMart / WinMart+, Bách Hóa Xanh and Co.opmart.
Convenience stores have price tags, so there's no haggling. Instead, the cashier fires off quick questions: 'Need a bag?', 'Shall I heat it up?', 'Do you have a membership card?' — this lesson practices understanding and answering them.
Convenience store words
| Vietnamese | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| cửa hàng tiện lợi | convenience store | kew-uh hang tee-uhng luhy |
| siêu thị | supermarket | see-oo tee |
| nước suối | bottled water South: nước suối / North: nước khoáng | new-uhk soo-oy |
| mì ly | cup noodles | mee lee |
| bánh bao | steamed bun | ban bao |
| bao | bag South: bao, bịch / North: túi | bao |
| ống hút | straw | ohng hook |
| khăn giấy | tissue | khang yuhy |
| hâm nóng | to heat up | huhm nawng |
| hạn sử dụng | expiration date Shortened to HSD on packaging | hang sew yoong |
| thẻ thành viên | membership card | teh tan yee-uhng |
| tiền mặt | cash | tee-uhng mak |
| chuyển khoản | bank transfer | chwee-uhng khwang |
| hóa đơn | receipt | wa duhng |
Finding things · checkout sentences
| Vietnamese | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Cho em hỏi, nước suối ở đâu? | Excuse me, where is the bottled water? Cho em hỏi = 'Excuse me, can I ask…' to start a conversation | chaw em hoy, new-uhk soo-oy uh duh-oo? |
| Ở đằng kia. | It's over there. | uh dang kee-uh. |
| Có cần bao không? | Do you need a bag? | kaw kuhng bao khohng? |
| Dạ, không cần. | No, I don't need one. | ya, khohng kuhng. |
| Hâm nóng giùm em nha. | Please heat it up for me. giùm = 'please (do it for me)' (Southern; North: giúp) | huhm nawng yoom em nya. |
| Anh có thẻ thành viên không? | Do you have a membership card? | an kaw teh tan yee-uhng khohng? |
| Dạ, không có. | No, I don't. | ya, khohng kaw. |
| Tổng cộng sáu mươi hai ngàn. | The total is 62,000 dong. | tohng kohng sao mew-ee hai ngang. |
| Em trả tiền mặt. | I'll pay in cash. | em cha tee-uhng mak. |
| Chuyển khoản được không? | Can I pay by bank transfer? | chwee-uhng khwang dew-uhk khohng? |
| Cái này còn hạn không? | Is this still within its expiration date? | kai nai kawng hang khohng? |
| Cho em xin hóa đơn. | Can I have the receipt, please? | chaw em sin wa duhng. |
Real conversation — at a convenience store in Thảo Điền
Minsu buys cup noodles and a steamed bun at a convenience store in Thảo Điền. The cashier is younger than him.
| Staff | Dạ, em chào anh. | Hello, welcome. |
| Minsu | Chào em. Cho anh hỏi, mì ly ở đâu? | Hi. Where are the cup noodles? |
| Staff | Dạ, ở kệ bên trái, gần tủ lạnh đó anh. | On the left shelf, near the fridge. |
| Minsu | Cảm ơn em. Tính tiền giùm anh. | Thanks. I'd like to pay, please. |
| Staff | Bánh bao anh có cần hâm nóng không? | Would you like the bun heated? |
| Minsu | Có, hâm nóng giùm anh nha. | Yes, please heat it up. |
| Staff | Anh có thẻ thành viên không anh? | Do you have a membership card? |
| Minsu | Không có em. | No, I don't. |
| Staff | Dạ, tổng cộng năm mươi lăm ngàn. Anh có lấy bao không? | That's 55,000 dong in total. Would you like a bag? |
| Minsu | Không cần đâu. Anh chuyển khoản được không? | No need. Can I pay by bank transfer? |
| Staff | Dạ được, anh quét mã QR ở đây nha. | Sure, please scan the QR code here. |
| Minsu | Xong rồi. Cảm ơn em. | Done. Thank you. |
| Staff | Dạ, cảm ơn anh. Hẹn gặp lại anh. | Thank you. See you again. |
Convenience store and supermarket tips
- giùm ('yoom') is Southern for 'please (do it for me)'. Just put it after the verb: Hâm nóng giùm (Please heat it up), Tính tiền giùm (The bill, please).
- Most convenience stores and supermarkets accept QR bank transfer (scan the QR with your banking app). With a bank account, life without cash is easy (see the Level 2 banking lessons).
- If you didn't catch the cashier's question, 'Dạ, không cần' (No thanks) or 'Dạ, có' (Yes) usually does the trick.
- At big supermarkets you often have to take fruit and vegetables to the weighing counter (cân) first, bagged yourself.
Things to watch out for
- Don't drink tap water. Buy bottled water (nước suối). Many homes get large bottles (bình, 19–20 liters) delivered.
- Dates are written day/month/year. NSX = manufacture date, HSD = expiry date. 05/03/2027 is 5 March 2027.
- Small neighborhood shops (tạp hóa) sometimes have no price tags. Ask 'Bao nhiêu tiền?' before buying, and check your change.