Situation Context
Imagine Hoa and Minh, two housemates in Vietnam, are at home after a long day of work or study. They're both hungry and don't feel like cooking, so they decide the easiest and most convenient option is to order food delivery for dinner. This conversation covers their decision-making process, discussing various food options, confirming their preferences, and preparing to place the order.
Dialogue
This dialogue features Hoa and Minh discussing their dinner plans and deciding what to order for delivery. Pay attention to how they express preferences, ask for opinions, and confirm details.
Hoa: Minh ơi, tối nay mình ăn gì đây? Tôi lười nấu quá.
Hoa: Minh, what should we eat tonight? I'm too lazy to cook.
Minh: Tôi cũng vậy. Hay là mình gọi đồ ăn giao tận nơi đi?
Minh: Me too. How about we order food delivery?
Hoa: Ý hay đó! Bạn muốn ăn món gì hôm nay? Tôi đang thèm một cái gì đó thanh đạm.
Hoa: Good idea! What kind of dish do you feel like eating today? I'm craving something light.
Minh: Thanh đạm hả? Vậy Bún chả hay Phở cuốn thì sao? Hoặc Bún riêu cũng được.
Minh: Light? So how about Bún chả or Phở cuốn? Or Bún riêu is also fine.
Hoa: Ừm, Bún chả nghe hợp lý đó. Có quán nào ngon gần đây không?
Hoa: Hmm, Bún chả sounds reasonable. Is there any good restaurant nearby?
Minh: Có quán Bún chả Hương Liên rất nổi tiếng, ngay gần nhà mình luôn. Đồ ăn ở đó luôn tươi ngon.
Minh: There's a very famous Bún chả Hương Liên restaurant, right near our house. The food there is always fresh and delicious.
Hoa: À, tôi biết quán đó! Ngon tuyệt. Vậy thì mỗi người một suất Bún chả đi. À, hay là mình gọi thêm ít nem rán ăn kèm nhé?
Hoa: Oh, I know that place! Absolutely delicious. So, one portion of Bún chả each. Oh, or should we order some fried spring rolls as a side dish?
Minh: Tuyệt vời! Nem rán ở đó cũng đỉnh lắm. Thế còn đồ uống thì sao?
Minh: Excellent! Their fried spring rolls are also top-notch. What about drinks?
Hoa: Cho tôi một ly trà đá. Bạn uống gì?
Hoa: I'll have a glass of iced tea. What will you drink?
Minh: Tôi sẽ gọi một ly nước cam ép. Uống nước trái cây cho mát.
Minh: I'll order a glass of orange juice. Drink fruit juice to cool down.
Hoa: Được rồi. Vậy là hai suất Bún chả, một phần nem rán, một trà đá và một nước cam ép. Bạn muốn thêm gì nữa không?
Hoa: Okay. So, two portions of Bún chả, one serving of fried spring rolls, one iced tea, and one orange juice. Do you want anything else?
Minh: Không, thế là đủ rồi. Để tôi đặt món qua ứng dụng GrabFood nhé.
Minh: No, that's enough. Let me order through the GrabFood app.
Hoa: Tổng cộng hết bao nhiêu tiền vậy?
Hoa: How much is the total?
Minh: Để tôi kiểm tra... Khoảng 195.000 VND, bao gồm cả phí giao hàng luôn.
Minh: Let me check... Around 195,000 VND, including the delivery fee.
Hoa: Nghe cũng hợp lý. Vậy chốt đơn đi!
Hoa: Sounds reasonable. Let's finalize the order!
Minh: Okie! Chắc khoảng 20-30 phút nữa là đồ ăn tới.
Minh: Okay! The food should arrive in about 20-30 minutes.
Key Vocabulary
Here are some essential words and phrases from the dialogue that will help you order food delivery in Vietnamese.
| Tiếng Việt | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| gọi đồ ăn | to order food | Tôi muốn gọi đồ ăn về nhà. (I want to order food to my home.) |
| giao tận nơi | delivery / delivered to your place | Dịch vụ giao tận nơi rất tiện lợi. (The delivery service is very convenient.) |
| lười nấu | lazy to cook | Hôm nay tôi lười nấu lắm. (Today I'm very lazy to cook.) |
| thèm | to crave / to feel like eating | Bạn đang thèm món gì? (What dish are you craving?) |
| thanh đạm | light (food), not greasy | Tôi muốn ăn món gì đó thanh đạm. (I want to eat something light.) |
| quán ăn | eatery / restaurant (often small) | Có một quán ăn Việt Nam rất ngon gần đây. (There's a very good Vietnamese eatery nearby.) |
| nổi tiếng | famous / well-known | Quán phở này rất nổi tiếng ở Hà Nội. (This pho restaurant is very famous in Hanoi.) |
| món kèm | side dish | Chúng ta có nên gọi thêm món kèm không? (Should we order extra side dishes?) |
| đồ uống | drink / beverage | Bạn muốn đồ uống gì? (What drink would you like?) |
| ứng dụng | application / app | Tôi sẽ đặt món qua ứng dụng ShopeeFood. (I will order food via the ShopeeFood app.) |
| tổng cộng | total | Tổng cộng hết bao nhiêu tiền? (What is the total amount?) |
| phí giao hàng | delivery fee | Phí giao hàng là 15.000 VND. (The delivery fee is 15,000 VND.) |
| hợp lý | reasonable | Giá này khá hợp lý. (This price is quite reasonable.) |
| chốt đơn | to finalize/confirm the order | Chúng ta chốt đơn này nhé. (Let's finalize this order.) |
| tới | to arrive | Đồ ăn sẽ tới trong 30 phút. (The food will arrive in 30 minutes.) |
Cultural Notes
When ordering food delivery in Vietnam, understanding a few cultural nuances can enhance your experience.
Tip: Food delivery apps like GrabFood, ShopeeFood, Baemin, and GoFood are extremely popular and widely used across Vietnam's major cities. They offer a vast selection of local and international cuisine, often with attractive promotions and discounts. It's highly recommended to download one or two of these apps for convenience.
Tip: While tipping is not deeply ingrained in Vietnamese culture, leaving a small tip (a few thousand to tens of thousands VND) for your delivery driver is always appreciated, especially if they provide excellent service or deliver in challenging weather conditions. It's a kind gesture but not generally expected.
Tip: Vietnamese people often ask about each other's food preferences before ordering, as seen in the dialogue. Phrases like "Bạn muốn ăn món gì?" (What do you want to eat?) or "Bạn có thèm gì không?" (Are you craving anything?) are common ways to ensure everyone's taste is considered, promoting harmony and shared enjoyment.
Tip: Many delivery services offer both cash on delivery (COD) and cashless payment options (e.g., linked bank accounts, e-wallets like MoMo, ZaloPay). Cash on delivery is still very common, especially for smaller orders, so it's a good idea to have some small denominations of Vietnamese Dong available when your order arrives.
Tip: It's quite common for Vietnamese dishes to be ordered with accompanying condiments or sides, like fresh herbs, chili sauce, or pickled vegetables. If you have specific preferences, don't hesitate to ask if they can be included or added to your order, often using phrases like 'Cho thêm...' (Add more...).
Practice Exercises
Fill in the blanks with the correct Vietnamese word, based on the vocabulary you've learned from the dialogue and explanations.
1. Tôi quá _____ nấu rồi, hãy gọi đồ ăn đi! (lazy to cook)
Answer
lười
2. Tối nay bạn có _____ món gì không? (crave)
Answer
thèm
3. Phí _____ hàng cho đơn này là 20.000 VND. (delivery)
Answer
giao
4. Giá cả cho bữa ăn này khá _____. (reasonable)
Answer
hợp lý
5. Chúng ta nên _____ đơn hàng ngay bây giờ để đồ ăn sớm tới. (finalize/confirm)
Answer
chốt
Useful Expressions
Here are some additional useful expressions for discussing food and ordering delivery in Vietnamese.
Bạn muốn ăn gì không?
What do you want to eat?
Để tôi đặt cho.
Let me order for you.
Món này ngon lắm đó.
This dish is very delicious.
Bạn có dị ứng với món nào không?
Are you allergic to anything?
Cho tôi thêm tương ớt nhé.
Please add more chili sauce for me.
Giao đến địa chỉ này nhé.
Deliver to this address.
Mấy giờ thì đồ ăn tới?
What time will the food arrive?
Bạn thanh toán bằng tiền mặt hay thẻ?
Will you pay by cash or card?