– English Lyrics

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

Hello everyone. Today's topic is

traveling to Sappa, a beautiful mountain

town in Vietnam.

This lesson is for beginners, level A1.

We will listen to a real life

conversation between two friends, Robert

and Zara. They talk about where Sappa

is, how to go there, when to visit, and

why it's so special.

The dialogue is natural, friendly,

[music]

and full of useful words.

Let's start.

>> Hey Zara, have you ever been to Sappa?

>> Hi, Robert. No, but I really want to go.

Where is Sappa?

Sappa is in the north of Vietnam in

Laokai province. It's up in the

mountains.

>> Oh, mountains. Is it cold there?

>> Yes, very cold in winter, but cool in

summer. Perfect for a break from the

city heat.

>> How do people get to Sappa?

>> Most people take the night train from

Hanoi. It takes about 8 hours.

>> A night train? That sounds fun. Do you

sleep on the train?

>> Yes, there are beds. You wake up in the

mountains. Very nice.

>> When is the best time to visit Sappa?

>> September to November. The rice fields

are golden. So beautiful.

>> Rice fields like [music] terraces.

>> Yes, the rice terraces are amazing. They

go down the hills like green stairs.

What can you do in Sappa?

>> You can trek to villages, meet Mong

people, eat local food, and see

Fansipon, the highest mountain in

Vietnam.

>> Fansipon. Can you climb it?

>> Yes. Or take the cable car. It's easy

and fast.

>> Is Sappa expensive?

>> No. Very cheap. Homeays cost $10 to $15

a night. Food is fresh and low price.

>> Homeays. [music]

What are those?

>> You stay with a local family. They cook

for you. It's like a cultural

experience.

>> Wow, I love that. Are there markets?

>> Yes, the weekend market in Baka is

famous. Colorful clothes, handmade bags,

silver jewelry.

I want to buy souvenirs.

>> You should go in spring, too. March and

April, the flowers bloom everywhere.

>> Flowers and rice fields. Sappa sounds

like a dream.

>> It is, but bring warm clothes. Even in

summer, nights are chilly.

>> Okay, I'm convinced. Let's plan a trip

together.

>> Deal. I'll book the train tickets.

Yay! Thank you, Robert. I can't wait.

Okay, now we're going to listen to the

conversation without Vietnamese

subtitles.

Let's see how much you can understand.

>> Hey, Zara, have you ever been to Sappa?

>> Hi, Robert. No, but I really want to go.

Where is Sappa?

Sappa is in the north of Vietnam in

Laokai province. It's up in the

mountains.

>> Oh, mountains. Is it cold there?

>> Yes, very cold in winter, but cool in

summer. Perfect for a break from the

city heat.

>> How do people get to Sappa?

>> Most people take the night train from

Hanoi. It takes about 8 hours.

>> A night train? That sounds fun. Do you

sleep on the train?

>> Yes, there are beds. You wake up in the

mountains. Very nice.

>> When is the best time to visit Sappa?

>> September to November. The rice fields

are golden. So beautiful.

>> Rice fields like [music] terraces.

>> Yes, the rice terraces are amazing. They

go down the hills like green stairs.

What can you do in Sappa?

>> You can trek to villages, meet Mong

people, eat local food, and see

Fansipan, the highest mountain in

Vietnam.

>> Fansipon. Can you climb it?

>> Yes. Or take the cable car. It's easy

and fast.

>> Is Sappa expensive?

>> No. Very cheap. Homeays cost $10 to $15

a night. Food is fresh and low price.

>> Homeays? What are those?

>> You stay with a local family. They cook

for you. It's like a cultural

experience.

>> Wow, I love that. Are there markets?

>> Yes, the weekend market in Baka is

famous. Colorful clothes, handmade bags,

silver jewelry.

I want to buy souvenirs.

>> You should go in spring, too. March and

April, the flowers bloom everywhere.

>> Flowers and rice fields. Sappa sounds

like a dream.

>> It is, but bring warm clothes. Even in

summer, nights are chilly.

>> Okay, I'm convinced. Let's plan a trip

together.

>> Deal. I'll book the train tickets.

Yay! Thank you, Robert. I can't wait.

[music]

Great job listening. Now, let's learn

three new phrases from the dialogue.

One, [music] rice terraces, meaning

steps of rice fields on mountain slopes.

Example one, [music] the rice terraces

in Sappa look like green stairs in

summer. Example two, tourists [music]

take photos of the rice terraces at

sunrise.

Two,

cable car meaning a box that moves on a

rope up the mountain.

Example [music]

one, we took the cable car to the top of

Fancy Pan.

Example two, the cable car is fast and

safe for families.

Three, homeay,

meaning staying in a local family's

house, not a hotel.

Example one, my home stay in Sappa had a

fireplace and home-cooked dinner.

Example two, homeays help you learn

about local culture.

Listen again and shadow. Repeat after

Robert and Zara.

Speak out loud. It helps your

pronunciation and confidence. If you

like this lesson, please like the video.

[music] Comment your favorite place in

Vietnam. Subscribe and share with

friends. More easy English lessons are

coming. See you next time. [music] Keep

practicing and have a wonderful day.

Bye-bye.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
traveling /ˈtrævəlɪŋ/ A1	verb - to go from one place to another, especially over a distance
mountain /ˈmaʊntən/ A1	noun - a large natural elevation of the earth's surface
conversation /ˌkɑːn.vərˈseɪ.ʃən/ A1	noun - a talk between two or more people
trek /trɛk/ A2	verb - to travel or walk a long distance, especially to a remote area
terraces /ˈtɛrəsɪz/ A2	noun - a leveled section of a hilly cultivated area, as for planting crops
amazing /əˈmeɪzɪŋ/ A1	adjective - causing great surprise or wonder
cable car /ˈkeɪbəl kɑːr/ A2	noun - a vehicle that hangs from a cable and moves up and down a mountain
homestay /ˈhoʊmsteɪ/ B1	noun - a stay at a local family's home instead of a hotel
souvenirs /ˌsuːvəˈnɪrz/ A1	noun - an item of sentimental value, typically purchased while traveling
bloom /bluːm/ A2	verb - to produce flowers
chilly /ˈtʃɪli/ A2	adjective - uncomfortably cold
convinced /kənˈvɪnst/ A2	adjective - completely certain about something
fresh /frɛʃ/ A1	adjective - recently made or obtained; not stale or spoiled
handmade /ˈhændmeɪd/ A2	adjective - made by hand, not by machine
cultural /ˈkʌltʃərəl/ A2	adjective - relating to the ideas, customs, and social behavior of a society
colorful /ˈkʌlərfəl/ A1	adjective - having a lot of different bright colors

Key Grammar Structures

• Have you ever been to Sappa?

  ➔ Present Perfect Question

  ➔ The phrase "have you ever" indicates an experience in the past with relevance to the present. It asks if Zara has had the experience of visiting Sappa at any point in her life. The structure is 'have/has + subject + ever + past participle'.

• It takes about 8 hours.

  ➔ Impersonal 'it' + Verb 'take'

  ➔ The use of 'it' as an impersonal pronoun to express duration. 'It takes' refers to the time required for the journey, not a specific subject performing the action. This is a common way to talk about time and distance.

• When is the best time to visit Sappa?

  ➔ Indirect Question with 'when'

  ➔ This is an indirect question, formed by starting with 'when' and then stating the main clause. Indirect questions are more polite than direct questions. The word order is question word + subject + verb.

• The rice fields are golden.

  ➔ Adjective describing a noun

  ➔ The word 'golden' is an adjective used to describe the color of the rice fields. Adjectives provide more information about nouns, adding detail and clarity. The structure is noun + verb 'to be' + adjective.