Vietnamese

A language of Viet Nam

Annamese, Ching, Gin, Jing, Kinh, Viet

Tiếng Việt

82,100,000 in Vietnam (2019 census), based on ethnicity. Total users in all countries: 85,342,190 (as L1: 84,597,190; as L2: 745,000).

Location

Widespread.

Language Maps

Southeastern China

Northern Viet Nam

Northwestern Viet Nam

Southern Viet Nam

Language Status

1 (National). De facto national language. Language of recognized ethnic group: Kinh.

Classification

Austro-Asiatic, Mon-Khmer, Viet-Muong, Vietnamese

Dialects

Northern Vietnamese (Hanoi, Tonkinese), Central Vietnamese (Hue), Southern Vietnamese. Numerous dialects.

Typology

SVO; prepositions; noun head initial; classifiers and numerals precede noun heads; possessor noun phrases and adjectives follow noun heads; noun classifiers; no articles; passives; comparatives; 25 consonants, 11 vowels, 20 diphthongs, 4 triphthongs; tonal (6 tones); inclusive/exclusive pronouns.

Language Development

Literacy rate in L1: 94%. Literacy rate in L2: 80%. Fully developed. Bible: 1916–2008.

Language Resources

OLAC resources in and about Vietnamese

Writing

Braille script [Brai]. Han (Hanzi, Kanji, Hanja) script [Hani]. Latin script [Latn], primary usage.

Other Comments

Kinh is an official ethnic community. Buddhist, Christian.

Also spoken in:

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Australia

Language NameVietnamese

User Population

277,000 in Australia (2016 census).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Bulgaria

Language NameVietnamese

User Population

1,700 in Bulgaria (2016 J. Leclerc).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Cambodia

Language NameVietnamese

User Population

817,800 in Cambodia, all users. L1 users: 72,800 in Cambodia (2009 UNSD). L2 users: 745,000 (2019 J. Leclerc).

Location

Phnom Penh; generally dispersed longstanding population; communities in urban areas, including Siem Reap, Preah Sihanouk, Ta Khmau, others.

Alternate Names

Tiếng Việt

Language Status

5 (Dispersed).

Language Use

Used by all. Used as L2 by Kachok [xkk].

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Canada

Language NameVietnamese

User Population

156,000 in Canada (2016 census).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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China

Language NameVietnamese

User Population

7,200 in China (1999 O. Jueya). Ethnic population: 28,200 (2010 census).

Location

South coast of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, on Shanxin, Wanwei, and Wutou peninsulas (referred to as the 3 peninsulas), Fangcheng Pan-Nationality autonomous county; Jiangping region.

Alternate Names

Annamese, Ching, Gin, Jing, Kinh, Tiếng Việt, Yuenan-yu

Language Status

6b (Threatened). Language of recognized nationality: Jing.

Language Use

Moderately vigorous. In parts of Fangcheng County most shifting to Yue Chinese [yue]. Due to increased commerce and contact with Vietnam since mid 1990s, the language could revive in China. Most domains in the 3 peninsulas region, along with Yue Chinese [yue]; only restricted domains elsewhere. Some young people, all adults. All ages in the 3 peninsulas region; elsewhere older people. Most also use Yue Chinese [yue], of Guanxi. A few also use Mandarin Chinese [cmn]. Used as L2 by Mandarin Chinese [cmn].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: 92% in Chinese (2000 census, Jing nationality). Bilinguals use Chinese [cmn] as written language.

Other Comments

Christian, Daoist.

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China–Taiwan

Language NameVietnamese

User Population

194,000 in China–Taiwan (2018 census), based on nationality.

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Czechia

Language NameVietnamese

User Population

30,800 in Czechia (2011 census).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Denmark

Language NameVietnamese

User Population

9,650 in Denmark (2020 census), based on nationality.

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Finland

Language NameVietnamese

User Population

10,400 in Finland (2018 census).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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France

Language NameVietnamese

User Population

10,000 in France (2015 J. Leclerc). Ethnic population: 592,000 (2000).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Germany

Language NameVietnamese

User Population

104,000 in Germany (2020 census), based on nationality.

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Hungary

Language NameVietnamese

User Population

2,670 in Hungary (2011 census). Ethnic population: 3,020 (2011 census).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Japan

Language NameVietnamese

User Population

14,000 in Japan (Leclerc 2020b).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Laos

Language NameVietnamese

User Population

18,900 in Laos (2015 census), based on ethnicity.

Language Status

Unestablished.

Language Use

Used as L2 by Arem [aem], Chut [scb].

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Malaysia

Language NameVietnamese

User Population

101,000 in Malaysia (2021 Joshua Project), based on ethnicity.

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Netherlands

Language NameVietnamese

User Population

8,600 in Netherlands (2019).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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New Caledonia

Language NameVietnamese

User Population

2,510 in New Caledonia (2014 census), based on ethnicity. Ethnic population: 3,800 (2012 J. Leclerc).

Location

Mainly Nouméa.

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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New Zealand

Language NameVietnamese

User Population

5,380 in New Zealand (2013 census).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Norway

Language NameVietnamese

User Population

23,800 in Norway (2021 census), based on nationality.

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Poland

Language NameVietnamese

User Population

3,970 in Poland (2013 UNSD).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Russian Federation

Language NameVietnamese

User Population

10,100 in Russian Federation (2010 census). Ethnic population: 14,000 (2010 census).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Spain

Language NameVietnamese

User Population

2,350 in Spain (2020 census), based on nationality.

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Sweden

Language NameVietnamese

User Population

5,780 in Sweden (2020 census), based on nationality.

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Thailand

Language NameVietnamese

User Population

8,280 in Thailand (2010 census).

Location

Long-established small communities in Bangkok and scattered in southeastern provinces.

Language Status

5* (Dispersed).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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United Kingdom

Language NameVietnamese

User Population

15,200 in United Kingdom (2011 census).

Language Status

Unestablished.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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United States

Language NameVietnamese

User Population

1,400,000 in United States (2015 census). Ethnic population: 1,630,000 (2010 census).

Location

California: Los Angeles area and San Jose; Massachusetts: Boston; Oklahoma: Oklahoma City; Oregon: Portland; Pennsylvania: Philadelphia; Texas: Dallas area and Houston; Washington: Seattle.

Language Status

5* (Dispersed).

Language Use

Many also use English [eng].

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Vietnamese

Primary tabs

A language of Viet Nam

Also spoken in:

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