Introduction
The NLTV A1 exam is designed for complete beginners who have just started learning Vietnamese. It tests your ability to understand and use basic everyday expressions and simple phrases. Knowing how to manage your time wisely during the exam can make the difference between passing and failing. This guide walks you through each section, tells you exactly how many minutes to spend per question, and gives you practical strategies to avoid running out of time.
Exam Format
| Section | Duration | Questions | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Listening | ~20 min | 15-20 | Short dialogues, announcements |
| Reading | ~30 min | 15-20 | Signs, messages, short passages |
| Writing | ~20 min | 10-15 | Fill-in-blanks, short sentences |
| Speaking | ~10 min | 5-8 | Self-intro, daily topics |
What You Need to Know
Grammar Points for A1
- là (to be) — used to identify people and things: Tôi là sinh viên. (I am a student.)
- có / không có (have / don't have) — expressing possession or existence
- không (not/no) — simple negation placed before verbs
- và / với (and / with) — linking nouns or people together
- này / kia / đó (this / that over there / that) — demonstrative words to point at things
- đang (currently doing) — present continuous marker placed before verbs
- muốn / cần (want / need) — expressing basic desires and necessities
- bao nhiêu / mấy (how much / how many) — asking about quantities and prices
- ở đâu (where) — asking and stating locations
- mấy giờ (what time) — asking about the time of day
Essential Vocabulary Topics
- Greetings and farewells (xin chào, tạm biệt, cảm ơn, xin lỗi)
- Numbers and time (một, hai, ba; giờ, phút; sáng, chiều, tối)
- Family members (bố, mẹ, anh, chị, em, con)
- Food and drinks (cơm, phở, nước, cà phê, bánh mì)
- Colors and basic adjectives (đỏ, xanh, lớn, nhỏ, đẹp, ngon)
- Places and directions (trường, chợ, bệnh viện, bên trái, bên phải)
- Occupations and daily activities (giáo viên, bác sĩ, học, làm việc, ăn, ngủ)
Sample Questions
Listening Sample
A: Bây giờ là mấy giờ?
B: Bây giờ là chín giờ sáng.
Question: What time does person B say it is?
- A. 9 o'clock in the evening
- B. 9 o'clock in the morning
- C. 6 o'clock in the morning
Answer
Answer: B. 9 o'clock in the morning Explanation: Chín giờ means nine o'clock, and sáng means morning. Person B clearly states it is 9 a.m., not evening (tối) or any other time.
Reading Sample
Read the sign below and answer the question.
Giờ mở cửa: 8 giờ sáng — 9 giờ tối Thứ Hai đến Thứ Sáu
Question: When is this place closed?
- A. Monday at 10 a.m.
- B. Friday at 8 p.m.
- C. Saturday at 2 p.m.
Answer
Answer: C. Saturday at 2 p.m. Explanation: The sign says Thứ Hai đến Thứ Sáu (Monday to Friday), meaning it only opens on weekdays. Saturday (Thứ Bảy) is not included, so the place is closed on Saturday regardless of the time.
Writing Sample
Fill in the blank with the correct word (là or có):
Anh ấy _____ giáo viên và _____ hai con.
Answer
Answer: Anh ấy là giáo viên và có hai con. Explanation: Là is used before a noun to identify someone (he is a teacher). Có is used to express possession (he has two children).
Study Tips
- Allocate time per question before the exam starts — for the Reading section (~30 min, 15–20 questions), aim for no more than 2 minutes per question; if you are stuck, mark it and move on.
- Use the preparation time in the Listening section wisely — read the answer options before the audio plays so you know exactly what to listen for.
- Answer every question — never leave blanks — at A1 level, questions are multiple choice or short fill-in-blank, so an educated guess is always worth attempting.
- Tackle easier questions first in Reading and Writing — skip anything that takes more than 90 seconds and return to it at the end with remaining time.
- Practice the Speaking section out loud at home with a timer — you have ~10 minutes total; prepare a 30-second self-introduction (Tôi tên là... Tôi đến từ... Tôi học tiếng Việt vì...) so that section never catches you off guard.
- Learn the 10 most common question words (ai, gì, ở đâu, khi nào, mấy giờ, bao nhiêu, tại sao, như thế nào, nào, có...không) — recognizing them instantly saves precious seconds on every question.
- Review your Writing answers in the last 3 minutes — at A1, the most common mistakes are missing tone marks (dấu); a quick scan can recover easy points.