Study Plan — Pass NLTV A1 in 3 Months

Introduction

The NLTV A1 exam is the entry-level Vietnamese proficiency certificate issued by Vietnam National University, designed for complete beginners who can handle basic everyday communication. With a focused 3-month study plan, most motivated learners can reach the required standard — even with zero prior Vietnamese knowledge.

This guide breaks down exactly what the exam tests, what vocabulary and grammar you need, and how to allocate your study time across each month. Following a structured routine of 45–60 minutes per day is typically enough to pass all four sections comfortably.

Exam Format

What You Need to Know

Grammar Points for A1

• là — the copula verb "to be", used to state identity and occupation (Tôi là sinh viên.)

• không / chưa — negation: không for general negation, chưa for "not yet"

• có ... không? — yes/no question pattern (Bạn có khỏe không?)

• ở — location marker meaning "at / in / to be located" (Tôi ở Hà Nội.)

• Pronouns: tôi, bạn, anh, chị, em — first and second person subject pronouns based on age/gender

• đi / đến / về — directional verbs for going, arriving, and returning

• muốn / thích — expressing wants and preferences (Tôi muốn học tiếng Việt.)

• Numbers 0–100 + classifiers con, cái, cốc — counting people and objects

• Time expressions: hôm nay, ngày mai, bây giờ, mấy giờ — talking about when things happen

• Sentence-final particles: à, nhé, ạ — softening questions and polite requests

Essential Vocabulary Topics

• Greetings & Introductions (xin chào, cảm ơn, xin lỗi, tên, quốc tịch)

• Numbers, Days & Time (một, hai, thứ Hai, giờ, phút, buổi sáng)

• Family Members (bố, mẹ, anh, chị, em, ông, bà, con)

• Food & Drinks (cơm, phở, cà phê, nước, ăn, uống, ngon)

• Places in the City (trường, bệnh viện, siêu thị, nhà hàng, ngân hàng)

• Colors & Adjectives (đỏ, xanh, lớn, nhỏ, đẹp, rẻ, đắt)

• Daily Activities (ngủ, thức dậy, đi làm, học, mua sắm, về nhà)

• Weather & Seasons (nóng, lạnh, mưa, nắng, mùa hè, mùa đông)

Sample Questions

Listening Sample

A: Xin chào! Bạn tên là gì?

B: Chào anh! Tôi tên là Lan. Còn anh?

Question: What is the woman's name?

• A. Mai

• B. Lan

• C. Hoa

Reading Sample

Read the sign and answer the question:

Siêu thị mở cửa: 8:00 – 22:00, Thứ Hai đến Chủ Nhật.

Question: When does the supermarket close?

• A. 8:00 PM

• B. 10:00 PM

• C. 9:00 PM

Writing Sample

Fill in the blank with the correct word (là / ở / có):

Tôi _____ sinh viên. Tôi học _____ Hà Nội.

Study Tips

• Month 1 — Foundation: Spend the first four weeks mastering the six tones and basic pronunciation. Without accurate tones, listening and speaking sections will be very difficult. Use shadowing — listen to a native speaker and repeat immediately.

• Month 2 — Core Grammar & Vocabulary: Work through the 10 grammar points and 8 vocabulary topics listed above. Aim to learn 10–15 new words per day using flashcard apps. Practice writing simple sentences every day.

• Month 3 — Exam Practice: Simulate real exam conditions at least twice per week. Time yourself on reading and writing sections. Record yourself for speaking practice and compare to native audio.

• Daily listening habit: Even 10 minutes of Vietnamese audio per day — podcasts, YouTube, or TTS practice sentences — dramatically improves your listening score over 90 days.

• Focus on high-frequency patterns: The A1 exam heavily tests là, ở, có...không, muốn, tên là. Master these five patterns first before moving to less common structures.

• Use a study log: Track which topics you have covered each week. Seeing consistent progress helps motivation and ensures you do not skip any of the eight vocabulary topic areas.