Picture this. It's 6 giờ chiều, the heat is finally letting up, and your Saigon friend texts you three words: "Nay đi nhậu hông?" You say yes. Two hours later you're on a tiny plastic stool, a plate of grilled squid in the middle of the table, someone's slapping your shoulder yelling "dzô!", and you have absolutely no idea what's happening. Don't worry. Tui sẽ walk you through the whole thing.
Quick answer: Đi nhậu means going out to drink and eat with friends — and the magic words are "một, hai, ba, dzô!" (one, two, three, cheers!) right before everyone clinks glasses and drinks together.
First, what even is "nhậu"?
Nhậu is not just "drinking." It's the whole vibe — sitting around a table for hours, eating little dishes, talking loud, laughing louder, and drinking slowly together. Nobody's in a rush. It's how người Saigon relax after work, celebrate a raise, or just… because it's Tuesday.
The food you eat while nhậu has its own name: mồi. No mồi, no nhậu — drinking on an empty stomach is basically a rookie move here.
Good to know
Lai rai is a beautiful little word. It means drinking slow and easy over a long time — a few beers, a lot of talking. If someone says "nhậu lai rai thôi nha", relax, it's a chill night, not a competition.
The scene: from "sit down" to the first toast
Here's a real little dialogue you can basically copy word-for-word. Bạn just arrived, everyone's already there.
Cụng ly is the clink — glass touches glass. In Saigon people love to cụng low, tapping the bottom of their glass against yours as a sign of respect, especially if the other person is older. Watch how the locals do it and just follow along.
Local tip
Ice in beer is 100% normal here — it's hot, the beer goes warm fast, so people drink bia with a glass full of đá. If you don't want ice, just say "cho tui hông có đá nha" (no ice for me, please). Nobody will judge you.
"Một, hai, ba, DZÔ!" — the toast everyone yells
This is the heart of it. Somebody raises their glass and starts the count. Everyone joins in:
Yes, it's written "dzô" but it's really just vô ("in") stretched out and shouted with joy. Sometimes people do a call-and-response version and it goes on forever:
"Trăm phần trăm" — the one to watch out for
When someone looks you in the eye and says "trăm phần trăm nha!", buckle up. It means one hundred percent — bottoms up, empty the whole glass in one go. Fun, but a fast way to get say (drunk) if you're not careful.
That second sentence is your best friend. You can always negotiate down to "năm chục phần trăm" (fifty percent) — just take a sip, not the whole thing. Real Saigon people do this all the time. Nobody expects you to match every trăm phần trăm.
Common mistake
Don't try to keep up glass-for-glass with the table champion. There's always one "cao thủ" (a pro) who can drink all night. Pace yourself, eat lots of mồi, and drink water in between. Saying "tui say rồi nha" (I'm drunk already) is totally fine and honestly kind of respected.
Handy phrases for when you've had enough
You will need these. Trust tui.
"Tính tiền!" — settling the bill
End of the night. Someone raises a hand at the waiter and shouts across the whole quán:
Here's a lovely bit of Saigon culture: people fight to pay. Two friends will literally shove the money at the waiter arguing over who gets to treat. Usually the one who invited, or the older / better-off one, pays for everybody. That's "tui bao" (my treat). If you want to split it, say "chia đều đi" (let's split evenly) — but be ready for a friendly argument first.
Local tip
Offering to pay, even if you know your friend will refuse, is good manners. Just reaching for your wallet and saying "để tui trả cho" (let me pay) earns you real points — even when they wave you off.
North vs South: same party, different words
The toast itself is a real dialect giveaway. Down here it's that joyful "dzô"; up North you'll hear something else entirely.
| Meaning | Southern (Saigon) | Northern (Hanoi) |
|---|---|---|
| Cheers! (the shout) | Dzô! | Dô! / Chén chú chén anh |
| Bottoms up | Trăm phần trăm | Cạn chén |
| Glass | Ly | Cốc / chén |
| The check, please | Tính tiền | Thanh toán |
| No / not (casual) | Hông | Không |
Everything else in this post — nay, giùm, coi, quá trời, ngàn, nha — is your everyday Saigon flavour. Use it and you'll sound like you actually live here.
Try it yourself
- Your friend texts to invite you out drinking tonight. What might they write?
- You want to clink glasses with the person next to you. What do you say?
- You've had enough and want to sit the next round out. Say it politely.
- Time to go home — call the waiter and ask for the bill.
Answers: 1) "Nay đi nhậu hông?" · 2) "Nâng ly lên, cụng cái nha!" · 3) "Cho tui nghỉ ly này nha, mệt quá trời." · 4) "Em ơi, tính tiền!"
Frequently asked questions
Is it rude to refuse a drink in Saigon?
Not at all — as long as you're warm about it. Smile, say "tui say rồi nha" or "nhấp môi thôi", and maybe raise your glass to cụng even if you only sip. It's the shared moment that matters, not how much you drink.
What's the difference between "dzô" and "vô"?
Same word. Vô means "in / enter," and the toast "dzô!" is just that word shouted and stretched — like saying "down it goes!" The spelling dz- just captures the fun, buzzy way people yell it.
Do I really have to fight over the bill?
You don't have to, but offering is polite. Reach for your wallet and say "để tui trả cho". If they insist on treating, let them, and just say "bữa sau tui bao lại nha" (I'll get it next time). That's the whole rhythm of Saigon friendship.
Where can I practice all this out loud?
The best way is talking with real Saigon speakers who use these words every day. You can learn Southern Vietnamese online with native teachers who'll run through a whole nhậu scene with you — toasts, jokes, and all — until it feels natural.
Learn Southern Vietnamese online with people who actually speak it
SVFF is the school built entirely around the Southern (Saigon) dialect — native teachers from Ho Chi Minh City, since 2014.
- Listen to the SVFF podcast — real Southern Vietnamese, free.
- Book a free trial lesson — 30 minutes 1-on-1 with a native Saigon teacher.
- Browse our courses — structured A0–C1, all Southern dialect.
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