Lessons · Level 2
2-6. Transfers, QR and e-wallets — sending money by bank transfer
Chuyển khoản & ví điện tử
🎯 Goal Pay rent and purchases by bank transfer, ask for confirmation, and know what to do if you send money to the wrong place · about 35 min
Vietnam: the land of bank transfers
Vietnamese banking apps use a shared QR standard called VietQR. Scan a shop's QR with your banking app and the account number and name fill in automatically; money arrives within seconds, even between different banks.
3 things to check when transferring
- số tài khoản — account number
- tên người nhận — recipient's name (the app shows it automatically. Always check!)
- nội dung — note (e.g. tiền nhà tháng mười = October rent)
E-wallets (ví điện tử) like MoMo and ZaloPay are also widely used. You top them up from a linked bank account; foreigners verify their identity with a passport, and conditions vary by app.
Transfer words
| Vietnamese | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| số tài khoản | account number | soh tai khwang |
| tên người nhận | recipient's name | ten ngew-ee nyuhng |
| ngân hàng nhận | receiving bank | nguhng hang nyuhng |
| số tiền | amount | soh tee-uhng |
| nội dung chuyển khoản | transfer note | noy yoong chwee-uhng khwang |
| giao dịch thành công | transaction successful Shown on the transfer-complete screen | yao yit tan kohng |
| ví điện tử | e-wallet | yee dee-uhng tew |
| liên kết ngân hàng | link a bank account | lee-uhng ket nguhng hang |
| nạp tiền | to top up | nap tee-uhng |
| chuyển nhầm | to transfer by mistake | chwee-uhng nyuhm |
| phí chuyển tiền | transfer fee | fee chwee-uhng tee-uhng |
| tỷ giá | exchange rate | tee ya |
| chuyển tiền quốc tế | international transfer | chwee-uhng tee-uhng wohk tay |
| kiều hối | inbound remittance What banks call money sent to you from abroad | kee-oo hoy |
Sentences for sending money
| Vietnamese | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Cho em xin số tài khoản. | Can I have your account number? | chaw em sin soh tai khwang. |
| Chị gửi số tài khoản qua Zalo cho em nha. | Please send me your account number on Zalo. | chee gew-ee soh tai khwang wa Zalo chaw em nya. |
| Tên người nhận là gì? | What's the recipient's name? | ten ngew-ee nyuhng la yee? |
| Nội dung ghi gì vậy? | What should I write in the note? | noy yoong gee yee yuhy? |
| Em chuyển rồi, chị kiểm tra giùm em. | I've sent it. Please check. | em chwee-uhng roy, chee kee-uhm cha yoom em. |
| Đây là màn hình chuyển khoản thành công. | This is the transfer confirmation screen. | duhy la mang hin chwee-uhng khwang tan kohng. |
| Chị nhận được tiền chưa? | Have you received the money? | chee nyuhng dew-uhk tee-uhng chew-uh? |
| Tiền chưa vô tài khoản. | The money hasn't arrived yet. vô = to go in (Southern; North: vào) | tee-uhng chew-uh yoh tai khwang. |
| Em chuyển nhầm số tài khoản rồi. | I sent it to the wrong account. | em chwee-uhng nyuhm soh tai khwang roy. |
| Trả bằng MoMo được không? | Can I pay with MoMo? | cha bang moh moh dew-uhk khohng? |
| Phí chuyển tiền về nước là bao nhiêu? | How much is the fee to send money home? | fee chwee-uhng tee-uhng yay new-uhk la bao nyee-oo? |
| Tỷ giá hôm nay bao nhiêu? | What's today's exchange rate? | tee ya hohm nai bao nyee-oo? |
Real conversation — paying rent to the landlord by transfer
Minsu calls his landlady, cô Hoa, and pays October's rent of 15 million VND by bank transfer.
| Minsu | Cô ơi, con chuyển tiền nhà tháng này cho cô nha. | I'm sending you this month's rent. |
| Hoa | Ừ, con chuyển vô tài khoản cũ của cô nha. | Okay, send it to my usual account. |
| Minsu | Dạ, mười lăm triệu đúng không cô? | Fifteen million, right? |
| Hoa | Đúng rồi. Nhớ ghi nội dung là tiền nhà tháng mười nha. | Right. Remember to write 'October rent' in the note. |
| Minsu | Dạ. Con chuyển rồi đó cô. | Okay. I've sent it. |
| Hoa | Để cô kiểm tra. Ủa, cô chưa thấy tiền vô. | Let me check. Huh, I don't see it yet. |
| Minsu | Con gửi cô màn hình giao dịch thành công qua Zalo nha. | I'll send you the confirmation screen on Zalo. |
| Hoa | Ừ, cô thấy rồi. Chắc ngân hàng chậm chút thôi. | Yes, I see it. The bank must be a bit slow. |
| Minsu | Dạ, nếu chiều nay chưa có thì cô báo con nha. | If it's not there by this afternoon, let me know. |
| Hoa | À, có rồi nè! Cô nhận được rồi. | Oh, here it is! I got it. |
| Minsu | Dạ, cảm ơn cô. | Great, thank you. |
Tips for clean transfers
- Always check the recipient's name on the screen before sending. Enter the account number and the banking app shows the name automatically.
- Write 'what and which month' in the note (nội dung) to avoid disputes later. e.g. tien nha thang 10 (fine to type without tone marks).
- After transferring, screenshot the completion screen and send it on Zalo — that's the Vietnamese-style receipt.
- For amounts over 10 million VND such as rent, the banking app asks for face verification. Register in advance (see 2-5).
- When sending money home or receiving it from abroad, compare fees and exchange rates between banks. International transfers may require documents for foreigners (visa, proof of income, etc.).
Watch out for transfer scams and mistakes
- The 'I sent it by mistake, please send it back' scam: a stranger puts money into your account, then contacts you asking you to send it to a different account. Later they demand huge interest, calling it a 'loan'. Don't send it back yourself — report it to your bank and let the bank handle it.
- Fake transfer-complete screens: when selling something, don't trust a screenshot the buyer shows you — check the deposit in your own app.
- If you sent money to the wrong account, tell your bank's customer service or a branch right away. You can only get it back with the recipient's consent, so it takes time.
- Some scammers stick fake QR stickers over shop QR codes. Check the recipient's name matches the shop.