Do Vietnamese massage therapists speak English?

Very limited — especially therapists who do in-room hotel visits or work at local spas. Numbers, body part names, 'strong' and 'soft' — that's usually the ceiling. A Massage Pass reduces ambiguity by keeping your preferences written down.

What's unique about Vietnamese massage vs Thai?

Vietnamese massage (especially bấm huyệt, acupressure) tends to focus more on specific pressure points than full-body flow. It can be quite intense at the default level. Many foreigners are surprised by how firm it is — your pass lets you dial this in before it starts.

Does my Massage Pass work for in-room hotel massage in Vietnam?

Perfectly. In-room massage is common in both Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. You can send your Massage Pass link when booking — so the therapist arrives already knowing your preferences.

Does the same pass work in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City?

Yes — Vietnamese is the national language and your pass works across the country. There are minor regional accent differences between north and south, but the written language is standardised and universally readable.

MassageGo|Massage Passby MassageGo

Tiếng Việt · Vietnamese alphabet (chữ Quốc ngữ)

Getting a massage in Vietnam? Use Vietnamese phrases with your pass.

Vietnamese massage is pressure-focused and deeply effective — but the default intensity and technique often catches foreigners off-guard. Your Massage Pass tells your therapist exactly what you need before they start.

Create your pass — it's free Learn more

About Vietnamese

Vietnamese uses the Latin alphabet but with an extensive system of diacritical marks — six tones, each changing the meaning of a word. 'Ma' can mean ghost, cheek, rice seedling, horse, or tomb depending on the tone. Written notes and selected preferences are more reliable than pronunciation guesses.

The script

Unlike Thai or Khmer, Vietnamese uses a Latin-based alphabet (chữ Quốc ngữ) developed by Portuguese missionaries in the 17th century. It looks familiar but the tone marks (á, à, ả, ã, ạ, ă, â, etc.) are essential — and easy to get wrong when you're not a native speaker.

Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt)

Complete massage phrase guide

Use these as practical reference phrases. Massage Pass stores the underlying preferences in a shareable card so your therapist can review the details before the session.

Pressure

Light pressure

Nhẹ thôi

Medium pressure

Vừa phải

Firm pressure

Mạnh hơn

Deep pressure

Thật mạnh

Focus areas

Focus on my lower back

Tập trung vào lưng dưới

Focus on my shoulders

Tập trung vào vai

Focus on my feet and legs

Tập trung vào chân

Avoid

Please avoid my left shoulder

Đừng massage vai trái của tôi

Please avoid my lower back

Đừng massage lưng dưới của tôi

Please avoid my neck

Đừng massage cổ của tôi

Health

I have high blood pressure

Tôi bị huyết áp cao

I am pregnant

Tôi đang mang thai

I have a back injury

Tôi bị chấn thương lưng

Vibe

I prefer a quiet session

Tôi thích được yên tĩnh trong khi massage

Please don't talk during the session

Xin đừng nói chuyện trong khi massage

Your pass stores the massage details that matter most, so you do not rebuild the same brief before every session. Share the link. Done.

Cities where Vietnamese is spoken

Your pass works at any spa in these destinations.

Ho Chi Minh City

City guide →

Hanoi

City guide →

Skip the phrase memorising

Create your pass once. Share a clear preference card before every session.

Fill in your preferences in 2 minutes. Get a private link. Share it before any session — your therapist sees your pressure, focus areas, avoid areas, health notes, and personal notes in one simple card.

Create your free Massage Pass

Free forever · Preference card only · Does not book or assign therapists