Vietnamese · A1 (Beginner)
Work in Vietnamese: Words & Phrases
Quick answer: The most useful Vietnamese words for work are công việc (work / job), văn phòng (office) and sếp / giám đốc (boss / director). The full Vietnamese work phrase list with example sentences is below.
The essential Vietnamese vocabulary for work, with example sentences and English translations. This is A1 (Beginner) material — exactly the kind of practical language you need when you're learning Vietnamese to live, work, or settle abroad.
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Key work vocabulary
| Vietnamese | English |
|---|---|
| công việc | work / job |
| văn phòng | office |
| sếp / giám đốc | boss / director |
| đồng nghiệp | colleague |
| làm việc | to work |
| vị trí | position / job |
| lương | salary |
| họp | meeting |
| máy tính | computer |
| tăng ca | overtime |
Example sentences
Tôi đi làm bằng xe máy.
I go to work by motorbike.
Tôi làm việc ở văn phòng trong trung tâm.
I work in an office in the centre.
Sếp tôi rất tốt bụng.
My boss is very kind.
Đồng nghiệp của tôi rất thân thiện.
My colleagues are very friendly.
Tôi làm việc từ chín giờ đến năm giờ.
I work from nine to five.
Tôi có cuộc họp lúc hai giờ.
I have a meeting at two.
How to actually learn these
Reading a vocabulary list is not the same as being able to use the words when it counts. Research on adult language acquisition consistently shows that vocabulary retained through contextual use — hearing a word, producing it under mild pressure, and being corrected when you get it wrong — transfers to real speech far more effectively than passive list review. The fastest way to make vocabulary like this stick is to practise it in the actual conversations where it comes up: not drills, but a real back-and-forth where you have to retrieve the word and say it aloud. Language Lab turns vocabulary like this into voiced, real-life scenarios with Sonia, a live AI language tutor who holds real conversations, corrects you in context, and remembers the specific words you keep getting wrong across sessions. The vocabulary stops being something you read and becomes something you say — automatically, under pressure, when you actually need it.
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