Vietnamese for Grab and taxis: pickups, directions and paying
Most rides start with a phone call you cannot understand. These are the phrases for being found, getting where you are going, and paying without surprises, plus the pronoun rule Vietnamese expects you to follow.
Getting picked up
Chào anh, em đặt Grab.
Hello, I am the Grab passenger.
anh for an older man, chị for an older woman.
Em đứng trước khách sạn.
I am standing in front of the hotel.
Em mặc áo trắng.
I am wearing a white shirt.
Anh đợi em hai phút nhé.
Please wait two minutes.
Anh có mũ bảo hiểm không?
Do you have a helmet?
nón bảo hiểm in the south. For GrabBike rides.
On the way
Anh cho em đến địa chỉ này.
Please take me to this address.
Anh chạy chậm lại nhé.
Please slow down.
Rẽ trái ở đây.
Turn left here.
quẹo trái in the south.
Cho em xuống đây.
Stop here, please.
Bao lâu thì tới?
How long will it take?
Anh bật đồng hồ nhé.
Please turn on the meter.
For street taxis, not for Grab.
Paying and problems
Hết bao nhiêu ạ?
How much is it?
Em trả qua ứng dụng.
I will pay through the app.
Em không có tiền lẻ.
I do not have small change.
Trên ứng dụng không phải giá đó.
That is not the price in the app.
Em để quên điện thoại trên xe.
I left my phone in the car.
Tone traps
mũ sounds like mù, but means hat, helmet
Mũ bảo hiểm is a helmet. Mù means blind, which is not what you want to ask your driver about.
trái sounds like trai, but means left
Rẽ trái is turn left. Trai without the tone mark is a boy, and also an oyster.
đợi sounds like đội, but means to wait
Anh đợi em asks the driver to wait. Đội is a team, or to wear something on your head.
xuống sounds like xương, but means to get off, to get down
Cho em xuống asks to be let off here. Xương is a bone.
chậm sounds like chấm, but means slow
Chạy chậm lại is please drive slower. Chấm is a dot, or the dipping sauce that comes with your food.
FAQ
Common questions
Short answers to what people ask most about this situation.
Which pronoun do I use with a driver?
Vietnamese picks pronouns by relative age. Call an older man anh, an older woman chị, and someone clearly older than that cô or chú. Call yourself em if you are younger. Getting it roughly right matters far more than getting it perfect.
Grab or a street taxi?
Grab shows a fixed price in the app, which removes the whole negotiation. If you flag a taxi down, stick to Mai Linh or Vinasun and ask for the meter: Anh bật đồng hồ nhé.
Do I need my own helmet for GrabBike?
No, the driver carries a spare and is required to give it to you. Helmets are legally mandatory for both rider and passenger.
Cash or app?
Paying in the app or by QR transfer is easiest and avoids change problems. If you pay cash, carry small notes: drivers frequently do not have change for a 500,000 đồng note.