Learning a new language is always an exciting and challenging journey. Today, we had the pleasure of interviewing Bill, a software engineer from Japan, about his experience learning Vietnamese. Let’s dive into his story, his motivations, and his thoughts on the learning process.
Meet Bill: A Multilingual Learner
Bill is a talented software engineer working in Japan. Interestingly, he can speak four languages: Lao, Thai, English, and Japanese. Recently, he embarked on a new challenge—learning Vietnamese.
Why Learn Vietnamese?
Bill’s motivation for learning Vietnamese is deeply personal. His parents are Vietnamese but have lived in Laos for many years. However, growing up, he never learned to speak Vietnamese fluently. Now, he wants to reconnect with his roots and communicate better with his family.
“I can understand my relatives speaking Vietnamese, but I rarely talk to them in Vietnamese myself. I just listen.”
This desire to bridge the language gap with his family is what keeps him motivated.
Challenges and Achievements
Bill started learning Vietnamese about six months ago, and his progress has been impressive. Although he feels he is still not fluent, his speaking and listening skills have improved significantly.
He has also traveled to Vietnam more than five times, with his most recent trip being when he was a child. His father is originally from Đà Nẵng, and his mother’s hometown is near Hà Nội.
What Does Bill Like About Learning Vietnamese?
Bill enjoys studying Vietnamese, especially at SVFF (the learning platform he uses). When asked what he likes most, his answer was simple:
“I like the teacher!”
He appreciates the structured lessons and engaging exercises, which make learning easier. However, he suggests that having a mobile app for learning Vietnamese would make it even more convenient.
A Day in Bill’s Life
Bill has a busy schedule working as a software engineer in Japan.
- He commutes by subway to work, which takes about 20 minutes.
- His workday starts at 9:00 AM.
- On weekends, he enjoys playing badminton and spending time with friends.
- He doesn’t drink alcohol but enjoys watching others at social gatherings.
Interestingly, one of his bad habits is staying up late, sometimes until 1 or 2 AM. Like many young people, he finds it hard to change this habit.
A Fun Vietnamese Language Challenge
To test Bill’s Vietnamese skills, we gave him a fun challenge—adding the correct tones to Vietnamese sentences.
One of the funniest moments was when he tried to correct this sentence:
👉 “Anh ơi, em đang cởi quần.”
- His interpretation: "Anh ơi, em đang coi quán." (I am watching the shop.)
- The actual meaning: "Anh ơi, em đang cởi quần." (I am taking off my pants.) 😆
This shows how tones in Vietnamese can completely change the meaning of a sentence!
Final Thoughts and Advice for Other Learners
Despite the challenges, Bill has come a long way in his Vietnamese learning journey. His biggest advice to other learners is:
“Practice speaking as much as possible! The more you speak, the better you get.”
What’s Next for Bill?
Bill is going back to Laos soon to visit his family for the holidays. We wish him a wonderful trip and hope he continues his Vietnamese learning journey!
👉 If you want to learn Vietnamese like Bill, join us for a FREE 30-minute trial lesson today!
🌏 Vietnamese with SVFF – You can do it too! 🚀
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