Buzz
There are two primary methods for typing Vietnamese: VNI and Telex. Each method has its own pros and cons. Try both to determine your preferred method. However, before you begin typing, you'll need to install software that enables Vietnamese typing. This guide will walk you through typing Vietnamese using both VNI and Telex methods.
Quick Tips
- With VNI, add tone marks by typing 1-5 after a letter, such as 'ma1' for 'má.'
- To include diacritical marks, type 6-9 after a letter, like 'xuong7' for 'xương.'
- Using Telex, insert tone and diacritical marks by typing a letter following the base letter.
Step-by-Step Guide
Utilizing VNI
Understanding VNI's Features. VNI utilizes the number row to incorporate tones and diacritical marks. Although it's relatively easier to grasp, typing might take a bit longer due to the involvement of an additional row.
Commence with Tone Marks. Tone marks can be inputted following any vowel, and the software will automatically position them correctly. For instance, to type 'má' (mother), type 'ma1'; for 'mã' (code), type 'ma4'. The tone doesn't have to directly follow the vowel. For example, to type 'mạng' (web), you can type either 'ma5ng', 'man5g', or 'mang5' (note that m5ang is not recognized).
- Acute tone ('dấu sắc') is 1
- Grave tone ('dấu huyền') is 2
- Hook above ('dấu hỏi') is 3
- Tilde ('dấu ngã') is 4
- Dot ('dấu nặng') is 5
Familiarize Yourself with Diacritical Marks. Similar to tone marks, they can be typed after the letter they belong to. Typing once is sufficient if there are 2 horns in a word; for instance, to type 'xương' (bone), type 'xuong7'
- Circumflex (found in â, ê, ô) is 6
- Horn (found in ơ, ư) is 7
- Breve (found in ă) is 8
- Stroke (found in đ) is 9
- The 0 key is used to erase the tone mark or diacritical mark in that word.
Exploring Telex
Understanding Telex's Traits. Telex utilizes letters to denote tones and diacritical marks. Although more challenging than VNI, mastery leads to quicker typing as only 3 rows are utilized. Telex is commonly used on mobile devices due to the absence of a number row.
Begin with Tone Marks. Analogous to VNI, tone marks can be inputted following any vowel.
- Acute tone ('dấu sắc') is s
- Grave tone ('dấu huyền') is f
- Hook above ('dấu hỏi') is r
- Tilde ('dấu ngã') is x
- Dot ('dấu nặng') is j
Familiarize Yourself with Diacritical Marks. Similarly, diacritical marks can be inserted at any point.
- To type the circumflex, repeat the same vowel. â is aa, ô is oo, ê is ee.
- Horn (found in ơ, ư) and breve (found in ă) is w
- Crossbar (found in đ) is d
Suggestions
Precautions
- Activating Telex might disrupt regular English typing; most Vietnamese typing software doesn't recognize the language.
