Learn Vietnamese – Perapera

VietnamesePod101 Review

Michael — Mon, 14 Feb 2022 16:45:24 +0000

Note: This VietnamesePod101 Review is our honest opinion after spending hours testing out the program. There are affiliate links in this post — if you use them, it helps support our site. This review has been checked for accuracy on Feb. 13th, 2023.

There are plenty of reasons to learn some of the more romanticized and popular languages out there, like Japanese or Spanish or even French. But what happens when you want to study a language that most people overlook?

Vietnamese is one of those languages that is often forgotten by the language-learning crowd, despite being spoken by more than 75 million people. In the past, if you wanted to learn the Vietnamese alphabet or learn how to speak Vietnamese, you may have had some trouble getting the help you needed.

Fortunately, you don’t have to worry any more. The same people that brought us JapanesePod101 and ThaiPod101 have developed one of the most extensive and thorough online Vietnamese courses available on the internet right now.

VietnamesePod101 can help you master the language faster than you thought possible. Here is everything you need to know about the program to help you decide whether it’s right for you!

Already made up your mind and looking for our unique discount code?

VietnamesePod101 Review: Summary

Name: VietnamesePod101

URL: www.vietnamesepod101.com

Operating System: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS

Currency: Depends on region.

Price: 7-Day Free Trial; Free content is also available, whereas subscriptions run from US$8.00 for a 1-month Basic subscription to US$47.00 a month for Premium+ subscriptions. Price depends on subscription period and type.

Application Category: Language Learning Software

Description: VietnamesePod101 is a language program that’s created for beginners, and right through to advanced learners of the Vietnamese language. The extensive library of podcasts, videos, grammar lessons, interactive quizzes, authentic dialogues and additional learning features that can be bought on a subscription model gives the learner tons of information & resources to effectively learn the Vietnamese language, in a way that is both structured and complete. The breadth and overall quality of the material is excellent and even advanced learners get great value for money.

In a nutshell: Learn the Vietnamese alphabet, phrases, expressions, and more with VietnamesePod101, a platform developed by the popular Innovative Language Learning company that gives you video, audio, and other resources to learn Vietnamese quickly and efficiently.

Quality of Learning Materials:

Quantity of Lessons:

Effective and Efficient:

Teaches Useful Vietnamese:

Price:

 5/5

 4/5

 5/5

Overall Score: 4.1

 4.1/5

The Goods

A Well established suite of grammar notes and vocabulary tools (such as flash cards, vocab lists and word banks)
Distinguishes between northern & southern Vietnamese dialects
Over 1300 audio & video lessons, taught by knowledgeable and energetic native speakers
Convenient mobile app for on-the-go learning

The Bads

VietnamesePod101 Review: Overview

The lessons are arranged neatly into five levels of difficulty, absolute beginner to advanced. Those who are just beginning their studies can start with a placement test to see what they already know, or just jump right into the level 1 beginners course. Each level corresponds roughly with the standard CEFR framework with level 1 equating to A1, level 2 to A2, and so on – right up to level 5 (C1).

Every lesson introduces real-use language that is relevant to daily life, whether that’s going to the grocery store, introducing yourself or asking for directions. The lessons are not repetitive at all, and you can select from a diverse range of topics from the lesson library. Regardless of what you choose to learn first, every video or podcast is packed full of new language. The lessons are well thought-out and are delivered by a variety of very enthusiastic and engaging language tutors from Vietnam.

VietnamesePod101 Features

Aside from the free subscription, every membership option (discussed later) gives you access to the following features:

Extensive library of video and audio lessons
Downloadable lesson notes, transcript & checklist
Responsive flashcard app for on-the-go studying
English to Vietnamese dictionary
Interactive quizzes
Grammar and word banks
Printable worksheets
Pronunciation reviews via an interactive voice recorder

The Pros: What We Liked About VietnamesePod101

Pro #1: Hundreds of Videos and Audio Files

VietnamesePod101 is an excellent place to learn Vietnamese, because you get access to more than 800 videos that range from a basic level all the way to advanced. You can find topics on almost anything, so whatever your goals for learning Vietnamese, you can achieve them easily.

Not only that, but the videos are designed to be interesting and refreshing. You never feel like you are being forced to memorize words or follow a boring textbook. The main idea and methodology behind VietnamesePod101 is one of independent learning, meaning the syllabus is completely down to you.

Maybe you just want to be able to introduce yourself in Vietnamese? Then the basic boot camp pathway will be the one for you. Or maybe you want to learn more about Vietnamese food and culture? There’s another learning pathway dedicated specifically for that. You can pick and choose any learning pathways that pique your interest and add them to your main dashboard, where you’ll be able to track your progress and get recommendations for what to study next.

Pro #2: Easy To Use

What is easier than listening and repeating after a native speaker? VietnamesePod101 immerses you first in the language and then dives deep into the nuts and bolts of how the grammar works with the new vocab. The interface for both the computer-oriented program and the mobile app is clean, crisp, and intuitive. You will find everything arranged by level, category, media type, and so on.

Best of all, you can take the downloadable resources with you wherever you go. Gone are the days of worrying about whether the language app will work on airport WiFi – everything (including the mp3s) can be downloaded for offline learning.

Pro #3: Excellent Features

If you are willing to pay for a subscription (which you should), you’ll unlock hundreds of additional goodies that help keep you motivated. The basic account alone gives you access to full transcripts of the podcasts and flashcards. Premium accounts provide more customized study plans, and if you opt for Premium+ you’ll receive full access to one-on-one tutoring with a native Vietnamese speaker.

Pro #4: Skill-based Learning

When learning a new language, it’s important to focus on all four language skills – reading, writing, listening & speaking. Listening is usually the bottle neck for most people since authentic audio content at the right level can be very hard to come by. This is why VietnamesePod101 is our language program of choice. For listening specifically, it’s second to none.

Research has long been shown that listening to the language whilst reading along with the transcript repeatedly and breaking down the meaning of what you’ve just heard is a very effective way of learning a language. Thankfully, every lesson on VietnamesePod101 is structured exactly this way, usually with some kind of dialogue with the option to listen again to each line in isolation whilst reading along with the transcript.

But what about the other 3 skills? Although the program doesn’t give you direct speaking practice with a native speaker, there is the option to record yourself and compare your pronunciation alongside a native speaker. Not quite as good as a real life dialogue but still a brilliant way to really nail those difficult tones and get you sounding like a local.

For reading and writing, there’s many lesson pathways that are dedicated specifically to improving these skills. In fact, you can filter all the lessons by specific skill type and you’ll quickly discover lessons that cover such things as miniature books and writing exercises.

Pro #5: Cultural Exposure

What’s better than learning Vietnamese? Soaking one of the oldest and most fascinating cultures in the world, of course! As you might expect from a comprehensive language program like VietnamesePod101, there’s a huge cultural emphasis integrated into all the lessons.

You’ll discover the best of Vietnam’s mouth-watering foods like Phờ (rice noodle soup) & Xôi (steamed sticky rice), the most popular festivals and holidays, influential Vietnamese writers, musicians and leaders. The tutors go well out their way to explain the cultural significance of the language and to share their traditions and how society functions. Learning this way keeps the lessons fresh and interesting, and the language becomes far more memorable and fun.

The Cons: What We Didn’t Like About VietnamesePod101

There’s no language program that’s perfect, and VietnamesePod101 is no exception. Here’s a few things we didn’t like.

Con #1: Lack of Community

Since Vietnamese is not widely spoken or learned, the community is not as active as other forums on the same site. This makes finding learning partners difficult, especially if you are looking for someone to practice conversations with. While this is not entirely the fault of the program itself, it can be a bummer for more extroverted learners.

Con #2: Lack of Speaking Practice

Although, like we already mentioned, VietnamesePod101 does allow you to take oral quizzes and practice your pronunciation, it can get repetitive, because you are simply saying phrases over and over again. You are not getting real speaking practice, unless you purchase the most expensive subscription plan—an option not financially viable for everyone.

Con #3: Geared Towards Beginners and Low Intermediate

The content, while broad and interesting, can also be too basic for some learners. If you are someone who has lived in Vietnam for a while or is wanting to brush up on the language after taking a break from it, you will not find a lot of content that will challenge you. Granted, it is good for review, but you probably won’t learn anything new, even in the advanced section of the video and audio.

What Does A Lesson Look Like?

Every lesson first starts with the video or podcast. It’s recommended to listen to the dialogue several times to listen for language you may already know before studying the transcript. You can then listen again, line-by-line and record your own voice. The vocab section gives you a full list of the new words you encountered, and the option to listen again, record yourself, or add a word to a flash card deck or into your word bank. This ensures you never lose a word, saving it to review later.

The lesson content is then summarised concisely into the lesson notes, which includes a grammar section and cultural insights. Finally, you can test yourself by taking a multiple choice quiz before marking the lesson complete and moving on. This process is summarised in a downloadable checklist should you wish to structure your lessons this way – otherwise you’re free to use the platform as you like (for example, just listen to the dialogue, or focus on a specific grammar point).

Find yourself still struggling? You can go to the dictionary that provides hundreds of words with example sentences, sound clips, and pictures to help with recognition. You will also see the Vietnamese written out a couple of ways to aid in pronunciation, as well.

In short, you will never be at a loss about what to learn or how to study. The courses are structured to build upon one another. You can then supplement your studies with vocab lists, customizable flashcard decks, your personal word bank, most common words list, ‘word of the day’ emails, the mobile app, and so much more.

Who Should Buy VietnamesePod101?

VietnamesePod101 is ideal for the following people:

Who Shouldn’t Buy VietnamesePod101?

VietnamesePod101 is not recommended for the following people:

VietnamesePod101 vs. The Competition

Because Vietnamese is a lesser known language that is rarely studied in learning institutions or by travelers, the amount of resources available, including competition for programs like VietnamesePod101, pale in comparison to the competitors for, let’s say, JapanesePod101, which is made by the same company.

That said, there are a couple of language learning platforms that offer similar programs, such as Loecsen, Duolingo, Babbel, and Memrise. Since the last three mentioned are severely limited in their Vietnamese lessons, we can’t truly call them competitors, can we?

That leaves Loecsen. Like VietnamesePod101, you can find the course by simply searching “learn Vietnamese audio” into google, since it utilizes podcasts, free grammar and essential phrases downloads, and video to teach you common phrases. The speakers are native, too. Loecsen’s Vietnamese program is entirely free of charge, including all the resources. The downside, however, is the quantity of study material.

While VietnamesePod101 has over 800 audio and video files at your disposal, Loecsen’s resources will only give you a general understanding of Vietnamese. It’s great for a passing traveler but not for someone who wants to get fluent in the language.

Is It Worth The Money?

The free membership, as mentioned earlier, can be limited, so it is highly recommended that you make the commitment and choose a subscription if you are serious. Otherwise, free access gives you content such as pronunciation practice, grammar practice, information about verbs, the Innovative Language 101 app, and access to the “Daily Dose of Vietnamese.” This might be enough for you right now, especially if you are looking for a taster.

However, if you know that you want to learn Vietnamese, this language learning platform is one of the best on the market and worthy of your money. With a Basic subscription, you can access the language and culture collection, print out notes, and get complete access to archived audio.

Premium and Premium+, which are $120 and $220 for 6-months, respectively, offer up one-click downloads, lesson specific tools like grammar checkers, interactive voice recording, review quizzes, flashcards, transcription translation, and so much more. When you consider other language learning software, like Rosetta Stone, the price on 6-months or even 24-months (at $240-$549) is honestly a bargain that is too good to pass up.

In short, is it worth the money? We think so.

How To Get 30% Off VietnamesePod101

It’s no secret that we’re big fans of the Pod101 language programs. So we’ve asked the Innovative Language team for the biggest discount they offer — 30% off!

Check this page for the latest VietnamesePod101 discounts.

The Lifetime Membership Option

This option is not well-advertised (in fact, it was difficult for us to get access to), but if you don’t like subscription payments, you can get a lifetime membership to VietnamesePod101 as a one-time payment of $599. Here’s the link in case you’re interested:

On the same page they even offer a lifetime access to ALL their language programs.

If you’re really serious about becoming a polyglot in multiple languages, the lifetime access to all languages option could be worth checking out:

I think this is actually an amazing deal, despite seeming expensive at first glance. The Pod101/Class101 programs are often the best language courses available for Asian languages (we haven’t tried their others yet!). They’ve got some really smart people on staff building their curriculums, and it shows.

VietnamesePod101 $1 Offer

As soon as you sign up for VietnamesePod101 you’ll get offered a 30-day trial of the Premium membership for only $1. We’re telling you this now because once you click off the page you won’t be offered this again. It’s excellent value, and highly worth it if you want to try out the platform for a longer period of time before buying. Do bear in mind though that after your 30 days are up you’ll be automatically rolled onto the monthly $25 payment plan.

VietnamesePod101 Review: Final Thoughts

Our Verdict: VietnamesePod101 is a Superior Learning Tool For Learning Vietnamese Quickly and Efficiently.

As with many offerings from Innovative Language, VietnamesePod101 is an undisputed champion for studying and gaining fluency in Vietnamese. The course provides you with everything you need to gain confidence with learning this beautiful language. Whatever your goals may be, VietnamesePod101 can elevate your listening, speaking, and reading abilities much higher than the competitors or traditional classrooms.

If you are determined to learn Vietnamese, you have nothing to lose with this program and everything to gain!

Michael

Michael has lived in Japan on and off for almost 10 years. He loves studying Japanese, and is currently working on going from N2 to N1 on the JLPT.

The 5 Best Apps for Learning Vietnamese

Josiah — Mon, 08 Nov 2021 23:26:33 +0000

The most comprehensive app on the market. Highly engaging & varied content.

A great option for beginners to learn basic vocab & phrases. Gamified & fun.

Practice with native speakers with this affordable & flexible tutoring service.

Vietnamese is a notoriously difficult language to learn, with a complex system of grammar and 6 different tones to master, but don’t let that get you down. In this day and age there’s a myriad of research-based language learning tools that are structured to your needs, using modern techniques to break down the Vietnamese language in a way that’s easily digestible and fun!

There’s apps for learning daily conversation & dialogues, for memorizing the most common vocabulary, for intuitively learning how the grammar works, and to even to converse with real life native speakers! All this through the convenience of your smartphone or tablet.

In this article we’ve done the hard work for you and tested out all the most popular apps on the market (that we could find) and provided you with a condensed list of only the very best apps for learning Vietnamese. With the right tools and some time & effort, anything is possible.

So, without further ado, let’s dive right into the 5 best apps for learning Vietnamese.

Đi thôi! (‘Lets go!’)

1. VietnamesePod101

Best Overall – Most Comprehensive

The winning app on our list is VietnamesePod101, a well established language program with it’s own dedicated app for learning Vietnamese. The lessons are predominantly video & audio lessons delivered by a variety of native tutors. They cover all sorts of topics from ordering food at a restaurant to Vietnamese customs and traditions. Many students love the cultural emphasis of this language app, with lots of cultural nuances being dropped in throughout the lessons, keeping it interesting and engaging throughout.

Alongside the lessons, you’ll be granted access to a whole range of extra learning tools that really help to supplement your learning. You can look things up in the grammar bank, save new vocabulary in your personal word bank or create a flashcard set. Plus, there’s frequency word lists and topical vocab lists to broaden your Vietnamese vocabulary.

Overall, there’s enough material to keep you engaged and progressing in the language for years to come, plus you can also snap up a nice discount by using one of our unique coupon codes (get up to 77% off).

Click here to read our full VietnamesePod101 review.

Pros

Cons

Price:

Effectiveness:

User Experience:

 3/5

 4/5

 5/5

2. Memrise

Most Engaging & Fun

Compared with other apps on this list, Memrise is like the new kid on the block. They use a similar teaching method to the more popular Duolingo, only far better. Firstly, with each lesson you’ll get an immersive experience into a real world dialogue with native speakers. The lessons then revolve around these short video clips, testing you on the meaning and pronunciation.

The only thing to bear in mind is that Memrise has now created a platform where other users can now create their own language courses. In many ways this is an awesome thing, allowing for much more varied topics such as ‘cool expressions’ and ‘basic pronunciation’, all included within the subscription. However, the quality does vary, and it’s not uncommon for errors and typos to creep into the lessons.

Pros

Cons

Price:

Effectiveness:

User Experience:

 3/5

 4/5

3. Italki

Best Conversational App

One of the very best ways to learn any language is to get talking with locals as soon as possible, even if you can barely string together a sentence. Italki has revolutionised the way we now learn languages, granting us access to hundreds of professional native language tutors at an affordable price, from anywhere in the world. You can practice everything you’ve learnt and get instant corrections and speaking practice from your own smartphone.

The process is simple, you find a tutor you like, book a trial lesson and get talking! Don’t worry if, like me, your an introvert who shivers at the thought of making idle conversation in broken Vietnamese. The tutors are always lovely people who have lots of conversational topics that are catered to your level. I recommend making best use of the learning program by making lots of notes, and expect lots of corrections!

Pros

Cons

Price:

Effectiveness:

User Experience:

 4/5

4. Pimsleur

Most Effective App

Perhaps learning how to read and write in Vietnamese is not so important to you, and what you are looking for is only a basic conversation level of the language. For this, Pimsleur is your best bet. It uses modern & research based techniques to teach you how to speak Vietnamese with a native accent and understand what you hear.

The lessons are comprised of 30-60 minute audio podcasts that prompt you to repeat and respond to the native dialogue. It’s an immersive and thorough technique that systematically deconstructs each individual phrase, word & sound, and then reconstructs its all again, all whilst testing you on your understanding and fluency.

Pros

Cons

Price:

Effectiveness:

User Experience:

 2/5

 5/5

 4/5

5. Lingodeer

Best Option for Beginners

Lingodeer is a great option that doesn’t seem to get the same amount of attention as the other more popular apps. It’s quite inexpensive, yet packs a punch. Starting with the Vietnamese alphabet the course will get you learning from a series of ‘mini-lessons’, each focused on a specific topic like ‘animals’ or ‘food’.

Generally, it’s not bad in it’s approach – it teaches full sentences and places appropriate focus on the pronunciation and grammar, but there’s not enough emphasis on speaking & listening (unlike Memrise, for example).

Pros

Cons

Price:

Effectiveness:

User Experience:

 4/5

 3/5

 4/5

Runners-up for Best Vietnamese App:

Here’s a few more apps for those looking for more options to study Vietnamese.

Simply Learn Vietnamese

On a budget? Simply Learn Vietnamese might be your best bet. It contains thousands of useful phrases and vocabulary, grouped by topic and tested methodically through their spaced repetition system. Believe it or not, the app is actually free, funded only by advertising. Though it’s quite limited in terms of actual lessons, the vocab is very useful, and the audio is high quality which is definitely a plus.

Pros

Cons

Price:

Effectiveness:

User Experience:

 5/5

 3/5

Ling

Do you struggle to keep up the motivation for learning? Whilst it’s true there’s a lot of very effective apps that work effectively like Pimsleur & VietnamesePod101, sometimes it can be hard to keep up the daily study habit. This is where Ling excels.

Their app is packed full of fun & interesting features that are specifically designed to keep you hooked on learning more. You earn virtual bananas as you navigate each level, completing quizzes, games & even communicating with chatbots! (You can select pre-set phrases for a dialogue to review what you’ve learnt).

Pros

Cons

Price:

Effectiveness:

User Experience:

 3/5

 4/5

Glossika

Ever thought about programming your brain to be in tune with the Vietnamese language by ‘working out’ your brain in the same way you would do at the gym? No? Just me then… Glossika is based upon this exact concept – by completing daily ‘reps’ and teaching your brain to intuit the Vietnamese grammar and to daily train your vocal muscles to sound like a native speaker.

After completing a short placement test the app will feed you a series of sentences that systematically expose you to new words, sentence structures & sounds. It then proceeds to test you on them with a spaced repetition system & feed the results into the AI algorithm.

Pros

Cons

Price:

Effectiveness:

User Experience:

 3/5

 5/5

 3/5

Conclusion: The 5 Best Apps For Learning Vietnamese

Which ones do you think are the best apps for learning Vietnamese? Let us know in the comments below!

At the end of the day, everyone has their own learning preferences and study techniques. You can’t really go wrong with our list of best Vietnamese apps. To recap:

For affordable speaking practice with native speakers we recommend italki. For those who prefer a more gamified style of learning we recommend Memrise or Ling.

And finally, our best overall app for it’s quality of content & range of learning tools and video/podcast lessons, has to be VietnamesePod101.

Have fun learning and good luck!

Josiah

Josiah is a digital nomad with a passion for language learning and adventure travel. He’s taught English as a foreign language for many years and is currently learning Georgian, French and Chinese.

VietnamesePod101 Coupon Codes

Editorial Team — Thu, 14 May 2020 07:18:41 +0000

The VietnamesePod101 coupon codes below have been tested to work as of February 17th, 2022.

Please let us know if you find any of the codes aren’t working.

VietnamesePod101 Coupon Codes (Verified February, 2022)

If you are considering learning to speak Vietnamese, check out our review of VietnamesePod101 by Innovative Languages. Now, you can start your journey of learning Vietnamese with one of the most comprehensive programs at a massive discount.

30% Off VietnamesePod101

Save up to $165 off a two-year subscription with this VietnamesePod101 discount code. Your 30% discount is automatically applied when you use the link below.

30% Off VietnamesePod101Get Up To $165 Off

New and current VietnamesePod101 subscribers are eligible for this offer.

60% Off VietnamesePod101

This is a special lifetime account offer, and the 60% discount is based on using the program for 5 years (if you use it longer, your actual discount will be more). This one is good if you know you’ll be using the program for a while, and don’t like monthly payments.

60% Off VietnamesePod101Click to see details

77% Off VietnamesePod101

This is another unadvertised lifetime offer. If you buy lifetime accounts for 3 languages, you get all 3 for 77% off (based on 5 years of paying regular price, though you have access to them forever).

77% Off VietnamesePod101Click To Use Coupon

How to Use the VietnamesePod101 Coupon Code

New VietnamesePod101 Users

It’s very simple to get your discount for VietnamesePod101. The following steps will lead you through the whole process.

1. First, Choose Your Discount Code.

Click on one of the blue buttons in the section above. You will then be taken to VietnamesePod101 to choose your monthly plan. Keep in mind that your discount has already been applied to the prices.

2. Choose your Plan

Check out the features the different subscription plans offer and choose which one works for you. Available options include Basic, Premium or Premium PLUS, and we will cover these in detail later on.

3. Enter Payment Information

For your convenience, Visa, MasterCard, American Express and PayPal are all accepted forms of payment. Enter this information along with a current billing address.

4. Choose the Subscription Length

You can choose a subscription length from as little as a month up to two years. The longer the length of your subscription, the more money you will save off the monthly cost. Coupled with the 30% discount, you can save a lot of money.

5. Verify your Account

Once you provide a valid email address and verify your account, you can begin studying with VietnamesePod101 right away.

Current VietnamesePod101 Subscribers

If you’ve already signed up with VietnamesePod101, you can activate any of the discounts above by simply clicking the links after you’ve logged into your account.

Are these discounts valid in every country?

Yes! You can use the 30% discount code anywhere you can access VietnamesePod101.

Should you Choose Basic, Premium or Premium PLUS?

Basic

With the Basic plan, you have access to the entire library of lessons. You can use your iPhone, Android, tablet or laptop for your studies. You will also be able to print PDFs for later review whenever you don’t have access to the internet. New lessons are being added continuously. Opt for the Basic subscription if you:

are on a tight budget
want to learn a basic amount of Vietnamese to get by
want to test the waters to be sure Vietnamese is for you

Premium

The Premium plan has the Basic plan features plus HD video, comprehensive word and phrase lists, interactive learning tools, word-of-the-day emails, voice-recording, flashcards, and daily lessons and tests. Opt for the Premium plan if you:

are looking for more learning tools to help you progress & stay motivated
plan to become fluent in Vietnamese quickly
want to keep track of your progress with periodic assessments
want to have conversations with Vietnamese friends or family
want to better understand Vietnamese movies, music and culture

Premium PLUS

The Premium PLUS subscription offers ALL features of VietnamesePod101. It builds on all the Premium plan features including one-on-one instruction, professional assessments and personal learning pathways. Opt for Premium PLUS if you:

prefer to speak with an instructor one-on-one
want a personal dedicated learning plan
want to keep track of your progress with professional assessments

Still haven’t decided? Check out our in depth review of the program.

77% Off VietnamesePod101Click To Use Coupon

Editorial Team

Our Editorial Team is a group of language learning enthusiasts who are passionate about testing new apps and finding the best ways to learn a language.