Hello Vietnam – Bilingual Lyrics Vietnamese/English

• By: Pham Quynh Anh

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on a linguistic and cultural journey with Pham Quynh Anh's "Hello Vietnam." This heartfelt ballad offers a unique opportunity to delve into the Vietnamese language through its emotional lyrics, exploring themes of longing, identity, and the beauty of heritage. The song's clear vocals and poignant narrative make it special, providing a window into the soul of a diaspora connecting with its roots.

[English]

Tell me everything about this name that’s hard to say.

It was given to me the day I was born.

I want to know the stories of the ancient empire.

My eyes reveal more about me than you dare to say.

All I know of you are the scenes of war.

A film by Coppola, the roar of helicopters.

One day, I will touch your soil.

One day, I will finally understand my soul.

One day, I will come to you.

To say hello... Vietnam.

Tell me all about my color, my hair, and my little feet.

That have carried me every mile along the way.

I want to see your houses, your streets.

Show me everything I do not know.

Wooden sampans, floating markets, glimmers of gold.

All I know of you are the scenes of war.

A film by Coppola, the roar of helicopters.

One day, I will touch your soil.

One day, I will finally know your soul.

One day, I will come to you.

To say hello... Vietnam.

And Buddha made of stone watches over me.

My dreams guide me through fields of rice.

In prayer, in the light... I see my family.

I touch my tree, my roots, my beginning.

One day, I will touch your soil.

One day, I will finally know my soul.

One day, I will come to you.

To say hello... Vietnam.

One day, I will walk your soil.

One day, I will finally know my soul.

One day, I will come to you.

To say hello... Vietnam!!!

To say hello... Vietnam!!!

To say xin chào... Vietnam!!!

[Vietnamese]

Tell me all about this name, that is difficult to say.

It was given me the day I was born.

Want to know about the stories of the empire of old.

My eyes say more of me than what you dare to say.

All I know of you is all the sights of war.

A film by Coppola, the helicopter's roar.

One day I'll touch your soil.

One day I'll finally know my soul.

One day I'll come to you.

To say hello... Vietnam.

Tell me all about my colour, my hair and my little feet.

That have carried me every mile of the way.

Want to see your house, your streets.

Show me all I do not know.

Wooden sampans, floating markets, light of gold.

All I know of you is the sights of war.

A film by Coppola, the helicopter's roar.

One day I'll touch your soil.

One day I'll finally know your soul.

One day I'll come to you.

To say hello... Vietnam.

And Buddha's made of stone watch over me.

My dreams they lead me through the fields of rice.

In prayer, in the light... I see my kin.

I touch my tree, my roots, my begin.

One day I'll touch your soil.

One day I'll finally know my soul.

One day I'll come to you.

To say hello... Vietnam.

One day I'll walk your soil.

One day I'll finally know my soul.

One day I'll come to you.

To say hello... Vietnam !!!

To say hello... Vietnam !!!

To say xin chào... Vietnam !!!

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
name /neɪm/ A1	noun - a word or set of words by which a person or thing is known
day /deɪ/ A1	noun - a 24-hour period from midnight to the next midnight
stories /ˈstɔːriz/ A2	noun - narratives or accounts of events
empire /ˈɛm.paɪər/ B2	noun - a group of states or territories under a single supreme authority
eyes /aɪz/ A2	noun - organs of sight
helicopter /ˈhɛlɪˌkɒptər/ B2	noun - a rotorcraft with one or more rotor blades
roar /rɔːr/ B2	noun - a loud, deep cry or noise noun - the sound of a large animal or crowd
soil /sɔɪl/ B1	noun - the upper layer of earth in which plants grow
soul /soʊl/ B1	noun - the spiritual or immaterial part of a human being
Vietnam /ˌviːˈɛtˌnæm/ A2	noun - a country in Southeast Asia
colour /ˈkɒl.ər/ A2	noun - the property by which objects appear to the eye as red, blue, green, etc.
wooden /ˈwʊdən/ A2	adjective - made of wood
sampans /ˈsæmpənz/ B2	noun - a flat-bottomed boat used on rivers in Asia
markets /ˈmɑːrkɪts/ A2	noun - places where people buy and sell goods
war /wɔːr/ A2	noun - a state of armed conflict between countries or groups
fields /fiːldz/ A2	noun - areas of open land used for crops or pasture
rice /raɪs/ A2	noun - the seed of the grass plant used as food
kin /kɪn/ B2	noun - family and relatives

Key Grammar Structures

• Tell me all about this name, that is difficult to say.

  ➔ Relative Clause

  ➔ The clause 'that is difficult to say' provides additional information about 'this name'.

• It was given me the day I was born.

  ➔ Passive Voice

  ➔ The sentence uses the passive voice to emphasize the action ('was given') rather than the doer.

• One day I'll touch your soil.

  ➔ Future Tense with 'will'

  ➔ The use of 'will' indicates a future action that the speaker is certain about.

• Show me all I do not know.

  ➔ Object Pronoun

  ➔ 'Me' is an object pronoun, receiving the action of the verb 'show'.

• In prayer, in the light... I see my kin.

  ➔ Prepositional Phrase

  ➔ The phrases 'in prayer' and 'in the light' provide context for the action 'see'.

• To say hello... Vietnam !!!

  ➔ Infinitive of Purpose

  ➔ The infinitive 'to say' indicates the purpose of the action.

• To say xin chào... Vietnam !!!

  ➔ Code-Switching

  ➔ The use of 'xin chào' (Vietnamese for 'hello') is an example of code-switching between languages.