French Loanwords in the Vietnamese Language

The need for communication between people speaking different languages brings elements of one language into another and vice versa. Today, in the era of globalization with the explosion of information, borrowing is a common phenomenon in all languages. It is undeniable that linguistic borrowing is considered one of the important means of enriching a language’s vocabulary, drawing words from other languages. Horizon Vietnam Travel presents an article on French loanwords in the Vietnamese language. Discover them with us!

Historical Context

During the period 1867-1945, Vietnam, particularly the city of Saigon, became a French colony. Consequently, as one might imagine, French colonization left traces on the linguistic aspect of the S-shaped country. During the era of domination, French influence on the Vietnamese language was enormous. It became the language of administration and was officially taught in schools.

The impact of French on modern Vietnamese is significant, with elements of French vocabulary becoming an integral part of Vietnamese. Vietnamese speakers successfully adopted and “Vietnamized” French words. This is why French loanwords are widely used in the daily life of Vietnamese people in the past and to this day.

French Loanwords in the Vietnamese Language

Try to pronounce these 10 words:

Do you think the pronunciation of these Vietnamese words is similar to the pronunciation of the words: équipe, volant, série, valise, affiche, coupe, film, auto, allô, béton?

In the Vietnamese language, you find words that have origins in Chinese, English, and French. Among borrowing sources, French contributes to Vietnamese with more than 2,000 words, in numerous different fields such as infrastructure, gastronomy, and fashion.

In Gastronomy

We find frequent French loanwords as below:

In Fashion

Bicycle Parts:

The bicycle was introduced to Vietnam during the French colonial period. With its arrival, numerous French words related to bicycle parts were integrated into the Vietnamese language. Even today, these words are used daily, often with a pronunciation adapted to Vietnamese, testifying to the lasting influence of French in the daily life of Vietnamese people.

Other French Loanwords

Outside of fields such as gastronomy and fashion, the Vietnamese language also contains numerous other words of French origin, used in daily life. These loanwords concern the home, everyday objects, trades, and culture. They show how deeply French influence has integrated into the everyday Vietnamese vocabulary.

Other French Loanwords

Outside of fields such as gastronomy and fashion, the Vietnamese language also contains numerous other words of French origin, used in daily life. These loanwords concern the home, everyday objects, trades, and culture. They show how deeply French influence has integrated into the everyday Vietnamese vocabulary.

Now, guess the French equivalent of the italicized words!

“In the morning, Vietnamese people eat bánh mì and drink cà phê.”

“Today, for dinner, I’m eating rice with meat and sa lát.”

“Vietnamese people don’t usually have phô mai or sâm banh with their meal. They love going to restaurants to enjoy bít tết with rượu vang.”

“My friend wore a sơ mi, a gi lê, a măng tô, and black pants. He went to his cousin’s party by bicycle. He looked cool. Unfortunately, he broke the pê đan and phanh on the way.”

Horizon Vietnam Travel hopes you enjoyed this article. After reading it, you’ve already learned numerous Vietnamese words thanks to French loanwords! If you plan to visit Vietnam, these words will be useful in your communication!